First off, happy birthday Christine! How many, "Now you're 9!" cards did you get? (Probably none--I don't know that they make too many age-specific cards for kids approaching double digits.)
I sat for a family that I really like this morning, and it was a delight as always. The only downside was that little William wanted to watch this DVD of "kids' music" that was truly, completely HORRIFYING. I won't mention the title here, but it features footage of babies with their mouths replaced, like they do in those goofy sketches on Conan O'Brien. You know, the ones where they take a still photo of someone like Arnold Schwarzenegger and digitally stick in the moving mouth of one of the writers doing a terrible Austrian accent? Well, the babies featured in the DVD were moving, but the cheeseball special effect used to make them "sing" was the same. The alignment of the mouths was kind of wonky at points, which made the babies look kind of creepy. Some of the singing was *really* off-key, which was perhaps supposed to be cute? But which prompted me to ask (in my head), "Here, William--why don't we pop in this DVD of 'Mr. Fingernail Visits the Chalkboard' instead?"
The worst part was the closing song, "Rock a Bye Baby" (which if you think about it, is kind of disturbing to begin with . . . I mean, cradles falling out of trees?) The scene featured an adult female in dim light next to a crib. But the way it was photographed, with the angles and the colors used, it really looked to me like the Grim Reaper standing there. Which, when coupled together with the aforementioned problematic song lyrics, made for a very upsetting effect.
After that, *I* made the next media selection and put in a music CD. This was a vast improvement over its horrendous predecessor, but was still pretty lame. Oh, the singing and overall musicality was light years beyond what we'd been subjected to on the DVD--but it reminded me of my least favorite thing about most "kids music." In short, it belittles children. The pervasive attitude seems to be that they lack any mental or emotional sophistication and require complete pandering. Some "entertainment" of this sort actually outright lies to kids--in an effort to make the world seem a better place than it is? I don't know.
This CD from this morning was mostly very well-known songs, but my biggest beefs were with one I hadn't heard before. I hesitate to call it an "original" to the artists, because it is about three lines set repetitively to "The Battle Hymn of the Republic." Which brings me to . . .
PET PEEVE #1: "New" words put to old songs. Not only is this unoriginal, it is confusing for kids. The fact that the alphabet song and "Twinkle, Twinkle" have the same tune is confusing enough already, but songs like "The Battle Hymn" have some literary and history importance and deserve to be treated with respect. Not plundered just because you lack creativity.
The lyrics of this song actually tell listeners that smiling will make their trouble "vanish like a bubble." Obviously, this is a LIE. But it's not even a useful lie--what does following this song's advice accomplish other than perhaps a few extra minutes of time out for grinning in mom's face while you're being punished?
PET PEEVE #2: Treating kids like they are stupid. Telling them something is true when it is patently false is, again, just going to confuse them. And perhaps make them grow up with a complex.
Okay, enough about that. After Aaron's show last night, I told him and Heather that I was going write today's blog ranting about ridiculous Belmont students who have mistaken Nashville for New York City. But any ire I felt toward them has cooled, and now I just think they are pathetic and immature. Plus, I've ranted enough for one day.
Lots of knitting and design work to do before I hit the hay tonight, so I'd better get working! Stay tuned to this space for a preview of the Miss Lynn Music logo, coming soon.
Friday, February 29, 2008
Thursday, February 28, 2008
A Pretty Great Job
It isn't every day that a person gets to witness a light saber fight between Darth Vader and Murray from the Wiggles, much less PARTICIPATE in one! In the interest of full disclosure, the part of my light saber was actually being played by a feather duster, but then the part of Murray was being played by me.
My point is, some people might not consider taking care of kids to be a "real job," and while I'm probably not going to convince them of such with the above anecdote, I also don't really care. 'Cause some days I just really, really love doing it.
Last night Russ, Lindsay, Trish and I ended up Kickin' It in an unanticipated way. Due to rampant illness and indifference among the NFGers, we decided to postpone bowling for another time. Instead, we took a short road trip down to Nolensville, location of the nearest Piggly Wiggly. I will offer as brief explanation for this decision the fact that neither Lindsay nor I had ever been to one, although as with all things in life, our motivations in toto were far more complex.
After the 20-ish minute drive south, this is what we discovered:
The sharp-eyed among you will no doubt spot the phantom "P I G G L Y" in the above photo. That's right, they shut down the Piggly Wiggly! What would Miss Daisy say? I must admit that it was a fairly crushing blow. However, lest we succumb to despair, Lindsay assured us that she had spotted another one (still open) along her travels for her job at Catholic Charities, which has occasionally flung her to the outer corners of the region. Thus are we determined to try again at some future date.
Fortunately, we were able to make a fairly swift recovery from our collective disappointment. The shell of PW shares a parking lot with Sonic, so we pulled right in for some tasty beverages. Russ treated me to a lemon-berry slush, which is my favorite Sonic treat! I guess Trish and I could have engaged in some nonsensical banter in honor of their TV commercials, but instead she snapped this picture:
I'd better sign off for tonight . . . T-minus 6 minutes to (last week's "enhanced") LOST! Then, in true Nashvegas style, off to see Aaron play a show at the Curb Cafe.
In closing, a word of hard-learned advice--gather ye rosebuds while ye may, for ye know not when they're going to close the Piggly Wiggly.
My point is, some people might not consider taking care of kids to be a "real job," and while I'm probably not going to convince them of such with the above anecdote, I also don't really care. 'Cause some days I just really, really love doing it.
Last night Russ, Lindsay, Trish and I ended up Kickin' It in an unanticipated way. Due to rampant illness and indifference among the NFGers, we decided to postpone bowling for another time. Instead, we took a short road trip down to Nolensville, location of the nearest Piggly Wiggly. I will offer as brief explanation for this decision the fact that neither Lindsay nor I had ever been to one, although as with all things in life, our motivations in toto were far more complex.
After the 20-ish minute drive south, this is what we discovered:
The sharp-eyed among you will no doubt spot the phantom "P I G G L Y" in the above photo. That's right, they shut down the Piggly Wiggly! What would Miss Daisy say? I must admit that it was a fairly crushing blow. However, lest we succumb to despair, Lindsay assured us that she had spotted another one (still open) along her travels for her job at Catholic Charities, which has occasionally flung her to the outer corners of the region. Thus are we determined to try again at some future date.
Fortunately, we were able to make a fairly swift recovery from our collective disappointment. The shell of PW shares a parking lot with Sonic, so we pulled right in for some tasty beverages. Russ treated me to a lemon-berry slush, which is my favorite Sonic treat! I guess Trish and I could have engaged in some nonsensical banter in honor of their TV commercials, but instead she snapped this picture:
I'd better sign off for tonight . . . T-minus 6 minutes to (last week's "enhanced") LOST! Then, in true Nashvegas style, off to see Aaron play a show at the Curb Cafe.
In closing, a word of hard-learned advice--gather ye rosebuds while ye may, for ye know not when they're going to close the Piggly Wiggly.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
"The Blizzard"
I know I'm not breaking any new ground by saying this, but seriously, people around here are SO lame where snow is concerned. A bunch of schools were cancelled as of last night, including Williamson County by the time I went to bed. Which meant no Bible study this morning. However, because the roads were still pretty much fine and most of the kids were out of school, there were apparently lots of parents calling the babysitting service this morning to find childcare. So, I got a call around 8:15 and ended up heading down to Brentwood to be with some kids I'd not met before.
Some people apparently have referred to the weather we have been experiencing here as a "blizzard." Let me be clear--I have yet to see any snow on the road, and while there has been *some* snow on the grass, there hasn't been enough at any one time to completely cover it. No storied blanket of white. Sure, there have been moments when you look out the window and there are a mess of flakes flying around in the air, but THAT IS NOT A BLIZZARD. If you are tempted to use that word, I would urge extreme caution as to whom you address it to. Anyone who has ever shoveled out from two or more feet (including yours truly) might be likely to slug you.
The next thing on the Lynngenda is tonight's NFG Kickin' It Night, which is supposed to be 99 cent bowling. Again, as with all activities around now, it will be interesting to see how many people make it. As previously mentioned, the flu has knocked a bunch of people out.
I think I might try to catch a quick snooze before it's time to bowl. Happy Wednesday!
Some people apparently have referred to the weather we have been experiencing here as a "blizzard." Let me be clear--I have yet to see any snow on the road, and while there has been *some* snow on the grass, there hasn't been enough at any one time to completely cover it. No storied blanket of white. Sure, there have been moments when you look out the window and there are a mess of flakes flying around in the air, but THAT IS NOT A BLIZZARD. If you are tempted to use that word, I would urge extreme caution as to whom you address it to. Anyone who has ever shoveled out from two or more feet (including yours truly) might be likely to slug you.
The next thing on the Lynngenda is tonight's NFG Kickin' It Night, which is supposed to be 99 cent bowling. Again, as with all activities around now, it will be interesting to see how many people make it. As previously mentioned, the flu has knocked a bunch of people out.
I think I might try to catch a quick snooze before it's time to bowl. Happy Wednesday!
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
" . . . and I feel fine . . . "
Just got back from book club where there were actually five of us! Well, we started out with five, but then Erin had a semi-emergency she had to attend to. Considering the near-epidemic proportions of the flu going around Middle Tennessee, that is a pretty good turnout. AND not only that, but we actually talked about the book! Hoo-aaah! AND not only THAT, but due to a bank error in my favor (sorry, still recovering from Monopoly two weeks ago), I ended up with a free cup of coffee at JJ's Market! All in all, a gathering totally worth driving across town in the "snow" for.
That's right, it's "snowing" again here in Nashville. Of course, the ground is not yet cold enough for it to stick and thus the roads are just wet, but there were still accidents all over the area during evening rush hour. 'Cause even if the snow doesn't stick, wet roads can still be treacherous. Especially if you're inattentive, as the majority of drivers around here seem to be.
Anyone care to lay odds on whether or not the Bible study I sit for on Wednesdays will be held tomorrow morning?
Well, I have a Chicago-bound scarf to finish and several birthday presents to start working on in the next few days, so I guess I should get to work. Hope that wherever you are, you are warm and dry.
That's right, it's "snowing" again here in Nashville. Of course, the ground is not yet cold enough for it to stick and thus the roads are just wet, but there were still accidents all over the area during evening rush hour. 'Cause even if the snow doesn't stick, wet roads can still be treacherous. Especially if you're inattentive, as the majority of drivers around here seem to be.
Anyone care to lay odds on whether or not the Bible study I sit for on Wednesdays will be held tomorrow morning?
Well, I have a Chicago-bound scarf to finish and several birthday presents to start working on in the next few days, so I guess I should get to work. Hope that wherever you are, you are warm and dry.
Monday, February 25, 2008
Backyarcheology
MG and I spent this morning going over songs for our upcoming musical extravaganza. It's going to be pretty off the hook, inasmuch as one can say that about a library program.
This afternoon was sunny and reasonably warm, so I decided to spend some time digging in what will soon be the garden. Dad dug up quite a bit when they were here, so I figured I'd continue his work.
Rather than tilling the soil, I started to feel like it was more of an excavation. There was so much stuff buried under the grass! I guess the majority was driveway gravel-sized stones, such as this one:
. . . but there was a bunch of other stuff, too. Like roots about as big around as a finger, seemingly going nowhere (since there aren't any trees or large plants around there anywhere).
And big round rubber thingies. (I think it says "Daisy Dish Stopper" on it.)
I didn't get pictures of the tiny little spiral shell or the two large pieces of brick or small piece of cinderblock, 'cause my hands were too muddy by then and I'd already put the camera away.
So anyway--where does all this stuff come from? How does all this random debris come to be buried in the yard? I have no good explanation.
Before I got my hands all dirty, I snapped a couple pictures of some more things to go up on the store. Here are a couple of scarves, first for the upcoming holiday, and then just a more general cabled design.
Update from yesterday: Kristen says that Deschutes beer can be ordered through the mail at Liquid Solutions.
Tomorrow is book club, and so far I've started The Awakening. It'll be interesting to see how many people are able to make it when we meet, since the flu seems to be ravaging the 'Ville right now, and book club in particular. Makes one glad to be well and serves as a reminder to take one's vitamins. I'll let you know tomorrow night who has been left standing!
This afternoon was sunny and reasonably warm, so I decided to spend some time digging in what will soon be the garden. Dad dug up quite a bit when they were here, so I figured I'd continue his work.
Rather than tilling the soil, I started to feel like it was more of an excavation. There was so much stuff buried under the grass! I guess the majority was driveway gravel-sized stones, such as this one:
. . . but there was a bunch of other stuff, too. Like roots about as big around as a finger, seemingly going nowhere (since there aren't any trees or large plants around there anywhere).
And big round rubber thingies. (I think it says "Daisy Dish Stopper" on it.)
I didn't get pictures of the tiny little spiral shell or the two large pieces of brick or small piece of cinderblock, 'cause my hands were too muddy by then and I'd already put the camera away.
So anyway--where does all this stuff come from? How does all this random debris come to be buried in the yard? I have no good explanation.
Before I got my hands all dirty, I snapped a couple pictures of some more things to go up on the store. Here are a couple of scarves, first for the upcoming holiday, and then just a more general cabled design.
Update from yesterday: Kristen says that Deschutes beer can be ordered through the mail at Liquid Solutions.
Tomorrow is book club, and so far I've started The Awakening. It'll be interesting to see how many people are able to make it when we meet, since the flu seems to be ravaging the 'Ville right now, and book club in particular. Makes one glad to be well and serves as a reminder to take one's vitamins. I'll let you know tomorrow night who has been left standing!
Sunday, February 24, 2008
The Joy of Real Mail
As I was lamenting to my parents the other day, you start to get a lot of crap in the mail when you buy a house. I must get a weekly minimum of four offers to purchase "mortgage protection," mostly from the same companies over and over. Drowning under this deluge of junk spurred me to start shredding it and using it as cat box liner, although that is not the point of today's post.
No, my aim today is quite an opposite matter. See, when you get so much non-specific mail all the time, trying to get your money by selling whatever product it is that you don't need, it makes the rare instances of truly "personal" mail all the more delightful. And when that mail is an actual package from dear and generous friends, well I ask you--what could be better?
This box arrived yesterday from Sunriver and I knew what was in it--indeed, I had been expecting it. What I didn't know was whether or not the contents had arrived intact.
So far so good from the outside . . .
Within, I discovered a kind of corrugated box version of Russian nesting dolls:
Then, inside the smaller box was a layer of tightly-packed newspaper . . .
. . . followed by bubble wrap . . .
. . . which served to cover and protect these two beauties!
Green Lakes Organic Ale and The Abyss Imperial Stout are two of the most recent creations of Bend's Deschutes Brewery, where Kristen is now working part-time giving tours. I am *extremely* excited to try them (which K recommends doing soon, as the organic ingredients in the Green Lakes apparently don't have a tremendously long shelf-life), but the only catch is that each comes in a 22 oz. bottle. Which, sad to say, at this point in my life is more beer than I can easily drink on my own at a single setting. Well, maybe not, but it's more beer than I care to drink while sitting home alone in my house--that would start to get kind of sad.
Anyway, I'm looking for the right opportunity and the right co-drinkers. Applications currently being accepted.
Thanks for the lovely gift, K, N & Z. (And great packing job, btw.)
Also, many thanks to another friend Kristen, who with her husband and little boy gave me and the rest of us at Midtown an equally wonderful gift today. Thanks for sharing your stories and your journey with us.
Happy new week, y'all--one week from today, we'll be in March! (Yikes!)
No, my aim today is quite an opposite matter. See, when you get so much non-specific mail all the time, trying to get your money by selling whatever product it is that you don't need, it makes the rare instances of truly "personal" mail all the more delightful. And when that mail is an actual package from dear and generous friends, well I ask you--what could be better?
This box arrived yesterday from Sunriver and I knew what was in it--indeed, I had been expecting it. What I didn't know was whether or not the contents had arrived intact.
So far so good from the outside . . .
Within, I discovered a kind of corrugated box version of Russian nesting dolls:
Then, inside the smaller box was a layer of tightly-packed newspaper . . .
. . . followed by bubble wrap . . .
. . . which served to cover and protect these two beauties!
Green Lakes Organic Ale and The Abyss Imperial Stout are two of the most recent creations of Bend's Deschutes Brewery, where Kristen is now working part-time giving tours. I am *extremely* excited to try them (which K recommends doing soon, as the organic ingredients in the Green Lakes apparently don't have a tremendously long shelf-life), but the only catch is that each comes in a 22 oz. bottle. Which, sad to say, at this point in my life is more beer than I can easily drink on my own at a single setting. Well, maybe not, but it's more beer than I care to drink while sitting home alone in my house--that would start to get kind of sad.
Anyway, I'm looking for the right opportunity and the right co-drinkers. Applications currently being accepted.
Thanks for the lovely gift, K, N & Z. (And great packing job, btw.)
Also, many thanks to another friend Kristen, who with her husband and little boy gave me and the rest of us at Midtown an equally wonderful gift today. Thanks for sharing your stories and your journey with us.
Happy new week, y'all--one week from today, we'll be in March! (Yikes!)
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Hunkered down
I got Jen off to the airport a little after noon, and since I haven't gotten too much knitting done in the past few weeks, I decided to hunker down for the afternoon and get back into the swing. Since it was kind of cold outside (okay, maybe not by Pennsylvania or Illinois or Indiana standards, but it was around freezing), I decided to make a fire.
The problem with making a fire with "real" wood (as opposed to compressed firelogs) is that they pretty much require constant tending to stay lit. Which sort of precludes the whole idea of reading, or knitting, or writing, or doing whatever fill-in-the-blank activity in front of the fire. 'Cause instead of reading or knitting or writing, you keep having to put new sticks on the flames and rearranging things as they burn to make sure that enough oxygen can get to the fire, or else it will burn down and just smolder as coals. And that's not nearly as much fun (nor heat-productive) as a nice roaring fire.
I let the fire burn for a while before I decided to let it go out, then did my hunkering in bed for the rest of the day. I caught up on a lot of my online viewing, which is good now that the writers' strike is over and new shows will start being produced. And I finished a doggy sweater for Jake, which I will try to get a picture of while he is wearing it--the doggy sweaters just don't look like much without a model.
That's about it for this quiet day. Going to turn in soon and hopefully get a good night's sleep before church tomorrow.
The problem with making a fire with "real" wood (as opposed to compressed firelogs) is that they pretty much require constant tending to stay lit. Which sort of precludes the whole idea of reading, or knitting, or writing, or doing whatever fill-in-the-blank activity in front of the fire. 'Cause instead of reading or knitting or writing, you keep having to put new sticks on the flames and rearranging things as they burn to make sure that enough oxygen can get to the fire, or else it will burn down and just smolder as coals. And that's not nearly as much fun (nor heat-productive) as a nice roaring fire.
I let the fire burn for a while before I decided to let it go out, then did my hunkering in bed for the rest of the day. I caught up on a lot of my online viewing, which is good now that the writers' strike is over and new shows will start being produced. And I finished a doggy sweater for Jake, which I will try to get a picture of while he is wearing it--the doggy sweaters just don't look like much without a model.
That's about it for this quiet day. Going to turn in soon and hopefully get a good night's sleep before church tomorrow.
Friday, February 22, 2008
Another quick post
I really need to go to bed again. The banquet was over hours ago--it was very nice, the food was delish, I liked Hanson's music but didn't get to meet them (although I did get coffee next to the oldest one . . . is it Isaac?), and I was encouraged and reminded of why I continue to labor alongside the folks from Blood:Water Mission.
And then Jen and I got home and proceeded to stand around talking about everything under the sun for the next three hours. Meaning that I have once again technically missed my posting deadline--phooey.
Anywho, it was a good day--what day isn't good that includes tomato-basil soup from the Merc?
Good times, great oldies.
And then Jen and I got home and proceeded to stand around talking about everything under the sun for the next three hours. Meaning that I have once again technically missed my posting deadline--phooey.
Anywho, it was a good day--what day isn't good that includes tomato-basil soup from the Merc?
Good times, great oldies.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Yays and boos
It seems like many of my blog posts start with my saying that I am tired and need to go to bed. Sorry for the redundancy, but for tonight, let me just say, "Ditto."
1) The possible "wintry mix" in our forecast this morning stayed to the north, in Kentucky. YAY!
2) The roads in Kentucky were extremely dangerous, to the point that they closed the interstate. BOO!
3) Jen had a safe flight into Nashville from Chicago. YAY!
4) No live music at the airport while we were there. BOO!
5) I was able to get in and out of the short-term parking deck within the free 30-minute window. YAY!
6) We went to the Rutledge to see a show, and had a very hard time finding parking. BOO!
7) The show was awesome. YAY!
8) I tried to take photos of the inaugural performance of Andy and the Andys, but the picture didn't come out in the dark. BOO!
9) Chad got some decent shots and said he would e-mail them to me. YAY!
10) Now it is late, actually the next day here in central time and more than 24 hours since my last post. BOO!
11) Blogger automatically posts the time in Pacific Time, which means it is still Thursday. And even if it didn't, I could just edit it manually. YAY!
12) And now I get to go to sleep and not have to get up early tomorrow. YAY!
Do yourself a favor and check out the amazing website of my new favorite band, Andy and the Andys. Those professional musicians sure have access to a lot of fancy resources.
Stay tuned for fancy banquet blog-action tomorrow, possibly featuring Big Time Celebrities!
1) The possible "wintry mix" in our forecast this morning stayed to the north, in Kentucky. YAY!
2) The roads in Kentucky were extremely dangerous, to the point that they closed the interstate. BOO!
3) Jen had a safe flight into Nashville from Chicago. YAY!
4) No live music at the airport while we were there. BOO!
5) I was able to get in and out of the short-term parking deck within the free 30-minute window. YAY!
6) We went to the Rutledge to see a show, and had a very hard time finding parking. BOO!
7) The show was awesome. YAY!
8) I tried to take photos of the inaugural performance of Andy and the Andys, but the picture didn't come out in the dark. BOO!
9) Chad got some decent shots and said he would e-mail them to me. YAY!
10) Now it is late, actually the next day here in central time and more than 24 hours since my last post. BOO!
11) Blogger automatically posts the time in Pacific Time, which means it is still Thursday. And even if it didn't, I could just edit it manually. YAY!
12) And now I get to go to sleep and not have to get up early tomorrow. YAY!
Do yourself a favor and check out the amazing website of my new favorite band, Andy and the Andys. Those professional musicians sure have access to a lot of fancy resources.
Stay tuned for fancy banquet blog-action tomorrow, possibly featuring Big Time Celebrities!
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
One of these nights I will get enough sleep . . .
. . . but it wasn't last night. Sadly, it isn't shaping up to be tonight, either.
So, I was blithely getting ready for bed last night, when I discovered that the carpet around the toilet was wet. REALLY wet. At first I couldn't locate the source of the moisture, but eventually found a dripping from one of the bolts attaching the tank to the bowl-portion of the apparatus. The nut was really loose and I couldn't easily reach it with a conventional wrench, so I figured that a socket-type wrench was in order. I finger-tightened it as best I could, put a pan under the bolt and a bunch of towels around the commode, and went to bed.
After initial unsuccessful attempts this morning to locate a socket wrench, I decided to see if I could, in fact, squeeze myself into the small space with a regular adjustable wrench and tighten the nut. Since the carpet was still damp and I was wedged in there pretty good, I got quite wet--but was able to get access and get the nut tightened. Unfortunately, I was a little too vigorous with my tightening . . . for as I met resistance, I heard a soft cracking and the slow leak suddenly got MUCH quicker.
Apparently, what I did was exacerbate a pre-existing crack in the toilet tank (I did feel better once I realized that I didn't create but merely worsened it). So I turned off the water, drained the tank, and resigned myself to yet another trip to Lowe's to purchase a replacement tank.
I couldn't locate the paperwork that went with the toilet, although the dates stamped in the top and inside of the tank indicated it had been manufactured in 1999, which is much newer than the house itself. There were other numbers stamped in there, as well, but online searches yielded no product names. Unfazed and confident in the helpfulness of Lowe's employees, I took several photographs of the relevant pieces, brought the tank lid (the most portable piece) along for the ride, and made the trek down Nolensville Road.
Disembodied tank in the bathtub:
The offending crack. You can just barely see it. It is actually fairly pronounced from the inside of the tank and I suspect had been developing for a while, but I couldn't get a very good photo of that.
At one point, I considered just leaving it like this . . .
So, to make a long story boring, it turns out that removing a toilet tank is fairly easy--it's finding the replacement tank that is the difficulty. Lowe's sells a few tanks separate from bowls, but most of the toilets they sell are in complete sets. The man who helped me suggested I go on the American Standard website and/or call the 800 number to try and ascertain the name of my particular model.
After 20 minutes of unsuccessful web searching, I broke down and called American Standard. I only had to wait on hold about five minutes before a nice lady told me that my toilet was discontinued in 1999 (yes, the same year mine was manufactured), it was not compatible with any other tank models (which frankly, I do not believe), and my options were either 1) find a used parts dealer who might have one lying around, or 2) install a whole new commode.
In the words of Charlie Brown, "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUGH!"
I was feeling very frustrated, wondering whether I could ask Jen to use the cramped little bathroom that the cats' litter box is in when she comes tomorrow (while at the same time THANKING GOODNESS that I have a second bathroom at all!), when it occurred to me to check and see what model that toilet is. Lo and behold, it was a match! So I made the executive decision to cannibalize that one, which is used only very rarely, and move the tank over to the one that's used very frequently.
The cats may be a little confused by this, but I doubt they'll even notice. After all, they don't even use it (would that they did).
TA-DA! Not quite as good as new, but so far so good.
All this plumbing excitement has successfully flushed away all the plans I had for this afternoon to get the house ready for Jen's arrival tomorrow. At the moment I'm really, really tired and hoping to grab a quick nap before heading out for NFG tonight. I'll have to run to Kroger to pick up a couple of things afterwards, then come home and change the sheets, wash the towels, run the vacuum, etc. All of which probably won't leave me with 8+ hours of sleepy time before I have to get up tomorrow . . . and thus the cycle continues.
So, I was blithely getting ready for bed last night, when I discovered that the carpet around the toilet was wet. REALLY wet. At first I couldn't locate the source of the moisture, but eventually found a dripping from one of the bolts attaching the tank to the bowl-portion of the apparatus. The nut was really loose and I couldn't easily reach it with a conventional wrench, so I figured that a socket-type wrench was in order. I finger-tightened it as best I could, put a pan under the bolt and a bunch of towels around the commode, and went to bed.
After initial unsuccessful attempts this morning to locate a socket wrench, I decided to see if I could, in fact, squeeze myself into the small space with a regular adjustable wrench and tighten the nut. Since the carpet was still damp and I was wedged in there pretty good, I got quite wet--but was able to get access and get the nut tightened. Unfortunately, I was a little too vigorous with my tightening . . . for as I met resistance, I heard a soft cracking and the slow leak suddenly got MUCH quicker.
Apparently, what I did was exacerbate a pre-existing crack in the toilet tank (I did feel better once I realized that I didn't create but merely worsened it). So I turned off the water, drained the tank, and resigned myself to yet another trip to Lowe's to purchase a replacement tank.
I couldn't locate the paperwork that went with the toilet, although the dates stamped in the top and inside of the tank indicated it had been manufactured in 1999, which is much newer than the house itself. There were other numbers stamped in there, as well, but online searches yielded no product names. Unfazed and confident in the helpfulness of Lowe's employees, I took several photographs of the relevant pieces, brought the tank lid (the most portable piece) along for the ride, and made the trek down Nolensville Road.
Disembodied tank in the bathtub:
The offending crack. You can just barely see it. It is actually fairly pronounced from the inside of the tank and I suspect had been developing for a while, but I couldn't get a very good photo of that.
At one point, I considered just leaving it like this . . .
So, to make a long story boring, it turns out that removing a toilet tank is fairly easy--it's finding the replacement tank that is the difficulty. Lowe's sells a few tanks separate from bowls, but most of the toilets they sell are in complete sets. The man who helped me suggested I go on the American Standard website and/or call the 800 number to try and ascertain the name of my particular model.
After 20 minutes of unsuccessful web searching, I broke down and called American Standard. I only had to wait on hold about five minutes before a nice lady told me that my toilet was discontinued in 1999 (yes, the same year mine was manufactured), it was not compatible with any other tank models (which frankly, I do not believe), and my options were either 1) find a used parts dealer who might have one lying around, or 2) install a whole new commode.
In the words of Charlie Brown, "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUGH!"
I was feeling very frustrated, wondering whether I could ask Jen to use the cramped little bathroom that the cats' litter box is in when she comes tomorrow (while at the same time THANKING GOODNESS that I have a second bathroom at all!), when it occurred to me to check and see what model that toilet is. Lo and behold, it was a match! So I made the executive decision to cannibalize that one, which is used only very rarely, and move the tank over to the one that's used very frequently.
The cats may be a little confused by this, but I doubt they'll even notice. After all, they don't even use it (would that they did).
TA-DA! Not quite as good as new, but so far so good.
All this plumbing excitement has successfully flushed away all the plans I had for this afternoon to get the house ready for Jen's arrival tomorrow. At the moment I'm really, really tired and hoping to grab a quick nap before heading out for NFG tonight. I'll have to run to Kroger to pick up a couple of things afterwards, then come home and change the sheets, wash the towels, run the vacuum, etc. All of which probably won't leave me with 8+ hours of sleepy time before I have to get up tomorrow . . . and thus the cycle continues.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Happy Birthday to my Mom!
We celebrated the anniversary of my mom's birth by going out to dinner on Sunday, and with a yummy chocolate rum cake last night, but today is the actual day. My folks were driving as far as Columbus today and staying over with our cousins there, so hopefully they are doing something fun to celebrate.
I stayed with my regular Tuesday kids this afternoon, and they were great as always. They are both really smart and funny, with very good manners tempered with appropriate childhood irreverence. They are a joy to be around. I usually get there at 1 pm on Tuesdays and stay with Emme (4) until we go to pick up her brother, Rees (6), at the bus stop at 3:45.
Emme is a bright, exceptionally happy girl--the kind of person who lights up whatever room she enters. But even so, some days she feels very sad when her mom leaves for work. She is used to this long-standing routine, is old enough to understand the very temporary nature of this separation, always has fun with her sitters--but she loves her mom, and wants to be with her. In spite of everything she knows to be true, it hurts to be apart.
That is how I am feeling tonight without my parents. It has been a decade since I lived with them, our lives are different and in very different places--but still, whenever it is time to part after being together, I just wish it didn't have to be.
I'm trying not to judge myself too harshly for the tears our culture tolerates in a four-year old but questions in an adult. The further along I get in life, the more I understand that pain is like a side effect of love. Not a "possible" side effect, like dry mouth or oily discharge (gross), but part of the package: if you love, you will experience pain. And the measures are directly correlated, like a 45 degree slope on a X-Y plot. The greater the love, the greater the hurt.
I suppose it's not really a "side" effect at all--it's all part of the same whole. Rather than pain being something to resign one's self to as a kind of "necessary evil" that accompanies love, rather it's kind of like an unpleasant way to know it's working. I hesitate to make the comparison, but it's a bit akin to the four-hour involuntary erector set mentioned in one of those unpleasant pharmaceutical ads I was bemoaning the other day. Sure, it's not the intended desired effect, but hey, it's doing what it's meant to do! (Sorry, gross again.)
Clearly, I'm still working out this whole metaphor thing.
Anyway, I'm pretty worn out and should get some rest. Part III of the Great February Guestravaganza is only two days away, with the arrival of my friend Jen from Chicago on Thursday afternoon. She's coming into town for a quick visit to hang with the Blood:Water Mission peeps on Friday night.
'Til the morrow, I bid you adieu, dear friends. And caution you to read that paper that the pharmacist gives you along with your prescription, so at least you can have an idea of what to expect.
I stayed with my regular Tuesday kids this afternoon, and they were great as always. They are both really smart and funny, with very good manners tempered with appropriate childhood irreverence. They are a joy to be around. I usually get there at 1 pm on Tuesdays and stay with Emme (4) until we go to pick up her brother, Rees (6), at the bus stop at 3:45.
Emme is a bright, exceptionally happy girl--the kind of person who lights up whatever room she enters. But even so, some days she feels very sad when her mom leaves for work. She is used to this long-standing routine, is old enough to understand the very temporary nature of this separation, always has fun with her sitters--but she loves her mom, and wants to be with her. In spite of everything she knows to be true, it hurts to be apart.
That is how I am feeling tonight without my parents. It has been a decade since I lived with them, our lives are different and in very different places--but still, whenever it is time to part after being together, I just wish it didn't have to be.
I'm trying not to judge myself too harshly for the tears our culture tolerates in a four-year old but questions in an adult. The further along I get in life, the more I understand that pain is like a side effect of love. Not a "possible" side effect, like dry mouth or oily discharge (gross), but part of the package: if you love, you will experience pain. And the measures are directly correlated, like a 45 degree slope on a X-Y plot. The greater the love, the greater the hurt.
I suppose it's not really a "side" effect at all--it's all part of the same whole. Rather than pain being something to resign one's self to as a kind of "necessary evil" that accompanies love, rather it's kind of like an unpleasant way to know it's working. I hesitate to make the comparison, but it's a bit akin to the four-hour involuntary erector set mentioned in one of those unpleasant pharmaceutical ads I was bemoaning the other day. Sure, it's not the intended desired effect, but hey, it's doing what it's meant to do! (Sorry, gross again.)
Clearly, I'm still working out this whole metaphor thing.
Anyway, I'm pretty worn out and should get some rest. Part III of the Great February Guestravaganza is only two days away, with the arrival of my friend Jen from Chicago on Thursday afternoon. She's coming into town for a quick visit to hang with the Blood:Water Mission peeps on Friday night.
'Til the morrow, I bid you adieu, dear friends. And caution you to read that paper that the pharmacist gives you along with your prescription, so at least you can have an idea of what to expect.
Monday, February 18, 2008
The end of a busy day
Ooooooh, I'm very tired. We have all been busy beavers today, and I don't have much energy left to write. The list of things we *could* have accomplished while my parents were here is still long, but many things have been crossed off along the way.
Today, we (in no particular order besides when I think of them):
-visited the vacuum/sewing machine repair store for a replacement part to fix my Singer
-picked up a few items at the Presidents' Day sale at Michael's Arts & Crafts
-bought 36 lbs of cat food at Kroger (it's okay--it's for three cats)
-baked a cake
-made bruschetta and Spaghetti Carbonara
-shredded boxes full of paper
-sorted through many boxes full of stuff
-took notes on and photographed the hat I made my Dad for Christmas atop the "Big Giant Head" he made for me to model hats on:
Notice how one side is stained dark, and the other is light. That's so I can choose whichever side will best accentuate the particular piece being photographed . . . cool, huh?
-Put most (but not quite all) of my spare yarn away in the newly assembled storage unit:
-Uh, and other stuff I can't remember, 'cause I'm too tired. Oh, yeah--wrote this blog.
Happy President's Day and see you tomorrow!
Today, we (in no particular order besides when I think of them):
-visited the vacuum/sewing machine repair store for a replacement part to fix my Singer
-picked up a few items at the Presidents' Day sale at Michael's Arts & Crafts
-bought 36 lbs of cat food at Kroger (it's okay--it's for three cats)
-baked a cake
-made bruschetta and Spaghetti Carbonara
-shredded boxes full of paper
-sorted through many boxes full of stuff
-took notes on and photographed the hat I made my Dad for Christmas atop the "Big Giant Head" he made for me to model hats on:
Notice how one side is stained dark, and the other is light. That's so I can choose whichever side will best accentuate the particular piece being photographed . . . cool, huh?
-Put most (but not quite all) of my spare yarn away in the newly assembled storage unit:
-Uh, and other stuff I can't remember, 'cause I'm too tired. Oh, yeah--wrote this blog.
Happy President's Day and see you tomorrow!
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Things I don't want to hear about in the background (or the foreground, for that matter)
Life is all about balance. Sure, I was a little perturbed that I forgot to write today's blog until I was mid-bedtime preparations . . . but on the other hand, I am very much enjoying my new toothbrush, which lives up to its advertised "gum massaging" claims. Delightful.
Likewise, I was very pleased that my Dad had a chance to relax and watch a golf tournament on television this afternoon--he and my mom have been working so hard ever since they got here on Friday, cleaning out the gutters and under the stovetop (respectively), installing a new ceiling fan (Dad), cooking food and washing dishes (Mom), assembling the new storage unit for my yarn and knitting projects (jointly), and the list could go on. Needless to say, he certainly deserved a break, so I was glad there was something he liked to watch on TV.
On the other hand, it meant that I "got" to listen to the ads they put on during televised sporting events targeted towards men. If you are familiar with the pharmaceutical products Viagra, Cialis and Flomax, you probably know what I'm talking about. I don't want to hear about how enlarged prostate sufferers "stop and start"! I don't want to hear about how men with "E.D." can be ready whenever the time is right . . . eeeyuw. And I *CERTAINLY* do not want to hear about the possible side effects of the aforementioned "E.D." medications, which, well . . . let's just say that the unintended consequences can last up to four or more hours (after which time the user should seek medical help). If you don't know what I'm talking about, count yourself lucky. If, despite my warning, you WANT to know what I'm talking about, I'm sure the products' websites are obliged to share all the gory details.
We went for Mom's birthday dinner (the actual day is Tuesday) to Red Lobster in Antioch, which was great! After that, we planned on hopping across the street to do a bit of shopping at Office Depot, which the website had assured was open until 9 pm, but which had actually closed at 6. BOO. The neighboring store, BB&B, was likewise closed. But God bless Target, which stays open 'til 9 and had lots of nice goodies.
Okay, really time for bed now. Hope you had a nice weekend, and don't stick a finger in anyone's mouth this coming week unless you want to get bit!
Likewise, I was very pleased that my Dad had a chance to relax and watch a golf tournament on television this afternoon--he and my mom have been working so hard ever since they got here on Friday, cleaning out the gutters and under the stovetop (respectively), installing a new ceiling fan (Dad), cooking food and washing dishes (Mom), assembling the new storage unit for my yarn and knitting projects (jointly), and the list could go on. Needless to say, he certainly deserved a break, so I was glad there was something he liked to watch on TV.
On the other hand, it meant that I "got" to listen to the ads they put on during televised sporting events targeted towards men. If you are familiar with the pharmaceutical products Viagra, Cialis and Flomax, you probably know what I'm talking about. I don't want to hear about how enlarged prostate sufferers "stop and start"! I don't want to hear about how men with "E.D." can be ready whenever the time is right . . . eeeyuw. And I *CERTAINLY* do not want to hear about the possible side effects of the aforementioned "E.D." medications, which, well . . . let's just say that the unintended consequences can last up to four or more hours (after which time the user should seek medical help). If you don't know what I'm talking about, count yourself lucky. If, despite my warning, you WANT to know what I'm talking about, I'm sure the products' websites are obliged to share all the gory details.
We went for Mom's birthday dinner (the actual day is Tuesday) to Red Lobster in Antioch, which was great! After that, we planned on hopping across the street to do a bit of shopping at Office Depot, which the website had assured was open until 9 pm, but which had actually closed at 6. BOO. The neighboring store, BB&B, was likewise closed. But God bless Target, which stays open 'til 9 and had lots of nice goodies.
Okay, really time for bed now. Hope you had a nice weekend, and don't stick a finger in anyone's mouth this coming week unless you want to get bit!
Saturday, February 16, 2008
A Dark Day on Nolensville Road
This morning we had to face the inevitable, and Dad and I headed out to Lowe's. We had our list all ready, and headed over the scant half-mile to the location right around the corner . . . when horror of all horrors! Not a soul was to be found, and the letters spelling "L O W E ' S" were gone from the distinctive giant blue gable!
A handwritten sign on a piece of posterboard attached to what had formerly been the entrance informed us that the new store was at the intersection of Old Hickory and Nolensville, a full MILE AND THREE QUARTERS down the road! Man, oh man! What an affront to our entitlement as Americans to travel less than a mile for purchases to improve our homes!
(Note: We just spent the evening watching the entirety of "The Best of the Colbert Report" DVD. I think SC's tone may have seeped into tonight's entry just a tad.)
Fortunately, we were able to recover from this travesty, rallied ourselves for the trek to the new location, made our purchases and returned home. If you yourself will be buying a new ceiling fan/light fixture apparatus anytime in the near future, you will need to buy "chandelier"-type light bulbs to go with it--it is apparently now Federal law. Children may be going to bed hungry in the U.S. tonight, but thank goodness the size of the light bulbs is being regulated.
Things sure are shaping up here around the old homestead. Tomorrow, I think we're even going to hang some pictures! I know you won't want to miss that, so I'll see you then.
A handwritten sign on a piece of posterboard attached to what had formerly been the entrance informed us that the new store was at the intersection of Old Hickory and Nolensville, a full MILE AND THREE QUARTERS down the road! Man, oh man! What an affront to our entitlement as Americans to travel less than a mile for purchases to improve our homes!
(Note: We just spent the evening watching the entirety of "The Best of the Colbert Report" DVD. I think SC's tone may have seeped into tonight's entry just a tad.)
Fortunately, we were able to recover from this travesty, rallied ourselves for the trek to the new location, made our purchases and returned home. If you yourself will be buying a new ceiling fan/light fixture apparatus anytime in the near future, you will need to buy "chandelier"-type light bulbs to go with it--it is apparently now Federal law. Children may be going to bed hungry in the U.S. tonight, but thank goodness the size of the light bulbs is being regulated.
Things sure are shaping up here around the old homestead. Tomorrow, I think we're even going to hang some pictures! I know you won't want to miss that, so I'll see you then.
Friday, February 15, 2008
A New Lynnberley Record
My parents have been at my house for almost eight hours, and we have not made even one trip to Lowe's! The longer this streak continues, the more I am considering phoning the Guinness people.
I woke up feeling pretty cruddy today--my sinuses were killing me, and I was suffering from general malaise (aka "the don't-wanna-do-nuthin's"). Basically, I think I was just wiped out and run down from the busy week, especially the being in Indiana four days ago, and 13 hours of babysitting yesterday. And don't forget last night's awesome episode of LOST! I expect I was merely one of an entire nation of malaised LOST-watchers after Thursday's installment. It took me back to my fond memories of being a young German major in Berlin (though I am confident that Naveen Andrews and crew did not actually shoot on location there). And, as always, raised more questions than it answered. Aaaah, LOST.
Not sure what all I and the 'rents will be doing this weekend, but I'm sure there will be some shopping involved. We can't possibly abstain from Lowe's forever. I expect there will also be a few more viewings of the Harry vs. Charlie bitefest video, as my father seems to be quite a fan.
Well, it's about time to take the granola out of the oven and stir it. Happy Friday and see you tomorrow!
I woke up feeling pretty cruddy today--my sinuses were killing me, and I was suffering from general malaise (aka "the don't-wanna-do-nuthin's"). Basically, I think I was just wiped out and run down from the busy week, especially the being in Indiana four days ago, and 13 hours of babysitting yesterday. And don't forget last night's awesome episode of LOST! I expect I was merely one of an entire nation of malaised LOST-watchers after Thursday's installment. It took me back to my fond memories of being a young German major in Berlin (though I am confident that Naveen Andrews and crew did not actually shoot on location there). And, as always, raised more questions than it answered. Aaaah, LOST.
Not sure what all I and the 'rents will be doing this weekend, but I'm sure there will be some shopping involved. We can't possibly abstain from Lowe's forever. I expect there will also be a few more viewings of the Harry vs. Charlie bitefest video, as my father seems to be quite a fan.
Well, it's about time to take the granola out of the oven and stir it. Happy Friday and see you tomorrow!
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Happy Hallmark Conspiracy Day!
No, I'm not really bitter about Valentine's Day. I mean, I do really think it is a "holiday" completely oriented around consumerism, but which of them aren't at this point? I promise that if The Man could figure out a way to turn a profit on Armistice Day, people would start putting giant inflatable doughboys out on their lawns. (Yes, I realize that it is now called Veterans' Day, but "Armistice" is a better word, and who doesn't love a good WW I reference?)
Not much to report today. I just got home a bit ago from my regular Thursday babysitting job, and will be heading out again momentarily for a special Valentine's Night gig with one of my favorite families. My house still smells of smoke from the fire I had in the fireplace yesterday--mmmmm. Better than Glade, in my opinion.
Mom and Dad should be in Cincinnati tonight, and arriving here in the early afternoon tomorrow. Hooray!
Happy Valentine's Day, and watch out for those cream-centered chocolates (yuck).
Not much to report today. I just got home a bit ago from my regular Thursday babysitting job, and will be heading out again momentarily for a special Valentine's Night gig with one of my favorite families. My house still smells of smoke from the fire I had in the fireplace yesterday--mmmmm. Better than Glade, in my opinion.
Mom and Dad should be in Cincinnati tonight, and arriving here in the early afternoon tomorrow. Hooray!
Happy Valentine's Day, and watch out for those cream-centered chocolates (yuck).
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
. . . and then a pig flew by.
We actually experienced a semi-legitimate snowfall in Nashville this morning!!!
There was a bit more snow initially than you can see in the pictures, but the sun came out and started to melt it before I made it outside with the camera.
Part of what was remarkable about this event was that it came as a fairly sudden surprise. I don't think it is unique to Middle Tennesee that the local media outlets start to freak out a bit anytime there are freezing temperatures + the possibility of precipitation. But this time, I didn't hear or see a thing, not even on weather.com. As a matter of fact, just prior to snapping those pictures, the Weather Channel website was still reporting the current conditions as "Mostly Cloudy." So much for the up-to-the-minute accuracy of los Interwebs.
There was a bit of confusion about whether the Bible study I sit for on Wednesdays would be held or not, stemming from the fact that the church is in Brentwood, a municipality that is located in two different counties with two different school systems. Apparently last year, they determined their schedule based on Davidson County schools, but this year are going with Williamson County.
Anywho, I checked the Metro Nashville Public School website to see if the schools were closed, fully expecting they would be (I'll tell some other time about the so-called "snow days" when the Southeast library would be filled with kids off from school who could instead have been playing outside in the 60 degree temperatures). However, this is what I found when I got to the site (you'll probably need to click on the image to read it):
Okay, so school is in session. Considering that there was no real accumulation and, in fact, most of the snow was melted by 9:30 a.m., this seems like a good call. But what does the part about "driver discretion" mean? A bus driver gets to decide whether or not your child gets picked up for school? Or maybe where to take them once they are picked up? The driver can take the kids to Sonic instead if he's craving a coney and some tots? Metro schools have plenty of problems to begin with, and vague, confusing policy statements (or perhaps just the accurate statement of vague, confusing policies) like that certainly aren't helping things any.
Well, it's about time for me to grab some dinner and then head out to Kickin' It Night (TM) with the NFG-ers, where we are scheduled to watch the 2nd half of the "Battlestar Galactica" movie. Whoo-hoo! More tomorrow.
There was a bit more snow initially than you can see in the pictures, but the sun came out and started to melt it before I made it outside with the camera.
Part of what was remarkable about this event was that it came as a fairly sudden surprise. I don't think it is unique to Middle Tennesee that the local media outlets start to freak out a bit anytime there are freezing temperatures + the possibility of precipitation. But this time, I didn't hear or see a thing, not even on weather.com. As a matter of fact, just prior to snapping those pictures, the Weather Channel website was still reporting the current conditions as "Mostly Cloudy." So much for the up-to-the-minute accuracy of los Interwebs.
There was a bit of confusion about whether the Bible study I sit for on Wednesdays would be held or not, stemming from the fact that the church is in Brentwood, a municipality that is located in two different counties with two different school systems. Apparently last year, they determined their schedule based on Davidson County schools, but this year are going with Williamson County.
Anywho, I checked the Metro Nashville Public School website to see if the schools were closed, fully expecting they would be (I'll tell some other time about the so-called "snow days" when the Southeast library would be filled with kids off from school who could instead have been playing outside in the 60 degree temperatures). However, this is what I found when I got to the site (you'll probably need to click on the image to read it):
Okay, so school is in session. Considering that there was no real accumulation and, in fact, most of the snow was melted by 9:30 a.m., this seems like a good call. But what does the part about "driver discretion" mean? A bus driver gets to decide whether or not your child gets picked up for school? Or maybe where to take them once they are picked up? The driver can take the kids to Sonic instead if he's craving a coney and some tots? Metro schools have plenty of problems to begin with, and vague, confusing policy statements (or perhaps just the accurate statement of vague, confusing policies) like that certainly aren't helping things any.
Well, it's about time for me to grab some dinner and then head out to Kickin' It Night (TM) with the NFG-ers, where we are scheduled to watch the 2nd half of the "Battlestar Galactica" movie. Whoo-hoo! More tomorrow.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Is it the next day already?
AAAAAAARGH! I really need to go to bed, but before I can I remembered I needed to post something for today. So I wrote this whole entry about my activities, and then accidentally deleted it. Because I am tired and dumb. And now, frustrated.
In quick recap form: finished St. Pat's Day scarf, babysat, went to book club. Panera (aka the Bread Restaurant) ran out of bread bowls for their soup. Shoddy. Weather was lousy today, but hopefully will be better tomorrow because I'm getting up early to hang out laundry before I go babysit.
And now, since I have no photos to share with you, my two current favorite YouTube videos. Another thing I did today was watch each multiple times.
You will appreciate this one if, like me, you are a fan of LOST:
You will appreciate this next one if you have functional eyes and ears.
Happy Tuesday . . . I'm hitting the hay.
In quick recap form: finished St. Pat's Day scarf, babysat, went to book club. Panera (aka the Bread Restaurant) ran out of bread bowls for their soup. Shoddy. Weather was lousy today, but hopefully will be better tomorrow because I'm getting up early to hang out laundry before I go babysit.
And now, since I have no photos to share with you, my two current favorite YouTube videos. Another thing I did today was watch each multiple times.
You will appreciate this one if, like me, you are a fan of LOST:
You will appreciate this next one if you have functional eyes and ears.
Happy Tuesday . . . I'm hitting the hay.
Monday, February 11, 2008
Pre-Coma Telegram
HOME SAFE FROM INDIANA STOP
HAD AN EASY SAFE DRIVE STOP
WENT TO TRADER JOES BEFORE HITTING THE ROAD YIPPEE STOP
AM VERY TIRED AND TEETERING ON THE BRINK OF CONSCIOUSNESS STOP
PROMISE TO POST SOMETHING BETTER TOMORROW STOP
HAD AN EASY SAFE DRIVE STOP
WENT TO TRADER JOES BEFORE HITTING THE ROAD YIPPEE STOP
AM VERY TIRED AND TEETERING ON THE BRINK OF CONSCIOUSNESS STOP
PROMISE TO POST SOMETHING BETTER TOMORROW STOP
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Best Kroger Ever and Rachael Ray
Last night, Grace and I offered to make dinner for the family this evening. So after we got home from church today, we pulled out the Cooking Rocks! Rachael Ray 30-Minute Meals for Kids cookbook she received for Christmas and picked out some recipes. We settled on mini "muffin" meatloaves and potatoes mashed with cream cheese. Mmmmmmm. But before the cooking could commence, we made the obligatory trek to Carmel's magnificent Kroger.
One of the most compelling features of this location is that they MAKE THEIR OWN POTATO CHIPS RIGHT IN THE STORE! And, THEY HAVE FREE SAMPLES!!! Unfortunately, they were out of the barbecue flavor today. But here is Grace making the best of the situation alongside the flavor of the day, vinegar and sea salt.
William woke up this morning bound and determined that we should have another game of Monopoly this afternoon. I was pretty surprised, considering that the two of us had been jointly massacred the previous night. However, today he teamed up with his sister to much more success.
Just look at this fat wad of cash and property!
I didn't realize it at the time, but I caught that last picture mere minutes before the game ended with Tom's ignominious bankruptcy.
I forgot to get any pictures of our dinner prep and serving, but it came out really great. That Rachael Ray really knows what she's doing! And for dessert we made caramel-peanut butter apple dip, that was SO easy and SO good.
Back home tomorrow, then busy days on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday (babysitting jobs in the morning and evening for Valentine's Day) before my parents arrive on Friday. Whoo-hoo!
Well, about time to turn in, I guess. Thanks for reading and check in again when I'm back in Nashville!
One of the most compelling features of this location is that they MAKE THEIR OWN POTATO CHIPS RIGHT IN THE STORE! And, THEY HAVE FREE SAMPLES!!! Unfortunately, they were out of the barbecue flavor today. But here is Grace making the best of the situation alongside the flavor of the day, vinegar and sea salt.
William woke up this morning bound and determined that we should have another game of Monopoly this afternoon. I was pretty surprised, considering that the two of us had been jointly massacred the previous night. However, today he teamed up with his sister to much more success.
Just look at this fat wad of cash and property!
I didn't realize it at the time, but I caught that last picture mere minutes before the game ended with Tom's ignominious bankruptcy.
I forgot to get any pictures of our dinner prep and serving, but it came out really great. That Rachael Ray really knows what she's doing! And for dessert we made caramel-peanut butter apple dip, that was SO easy and SO good.
Back home tomorrow, then busy days on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday (babysitting jobs in the morning and evening for Valentine's Day) before my parents arrive on Friday. Whoo-hoo!
Well, about time to turn in, I guess. Thanks for reading and check in again when I'm back in Nashville!
Saturday, February 9, 2008
Saturday on the Monon Greenway
It's supposed to be very cold here tomorrow, so today we took advantage of the sunny and (relatively) mild weather to take a little excursion around downtown Carmel and along the Monon Greenway. Downtown Carmel features quite a few alarmingly lifelike statues, and these are the ones right where the Greenway comes through the downtown arts area.
The ones dressed appropriately for the weather are actually Grace and William (the statues aren't THAT alarmingly lifelike).
Graffiti along the trail, striking an interesting balance between being quite politically correct and simultaneously not at all:
The following photo was taken for posterity. I have promised eight-year old William that, should he ever become a father some day, I will bring this photo to his offspring's bassinet and start lobbying that day for lifelong piggyback rides. I may even have to relocate to wherever he and his family happen to be, so as to maximize my impact.
Maybe it's the cold, but the time sure does go by fast here in Indiana! I can't believe that tomorrow is my last full day here. Grace and I are planning on making dinner for the family, so I'm sure there will be some stories to report (hopefully not involving the fire department).
The ones dressed appropriately for the weather are actually Grace and William (the statues aren't THAT alarmingly lifelike).Graffiti along the trail, striking an interesting balance between being quite politically correct and simultaneously not at all:
The following photo was taken for posterity. I have promised eight-year old William that, should he ever become a father some day, I will bring this photo to his offspring's bassinet and start lobbying that day for lifelong piggyback rides. I may even have to relocate to wherever he and his family happen to be, so as to maximize my impact.
Maybe it's the cold, but the time sure does go by fast here in Indiana! I can't believe that tomorrow is my last full day here. Grace and I are planning on making dinner for the family, so I'm sure there will be some stories to report (hopefully not involving the fire department).
Friday, February 8, 2008
LOST in Indy
Some of you know that I am a bit fixated on the TV show, "LOST." The term "obsessed" has also been applied (affectionately, I think). So it's an obvious display of how much I love the Hahns that I was willing to sacrifice seeing the newest episode air last night, opting instead to watch it when I get the chance in streaming video online.
So last night, right about the time "LOST" would be coming on, I was just circling Indianapolis on I-465, on my way to Carmel. For reasons too complicated to go into, I had abandoned my iPod in search of tolerable local radio. And right at 9 PM (8 Central), my radio stopped on something that wasn't a commercial or a song--what it sounded like was the audio of a TV program. I figured I was projecting, seeing as how I was thinking about my favorite show coming on right then and all--but as I continued to listen, it became apparent that what I was hearing was the audio for that night's episode, as it was premiering to the world! WHA-HOO! It took me about twenty minutes to get to the Hahns' from there, but I listened through the first two commercial breaks and was delighted to have had the opportunity dropped in my lap. Seeing as how all the east coast people have turned in for the night, I may actually watch the episode after I post this--if I can stay awake that long myself.
The day got off to a slow start with my unintentionally making a pot of decaf coffee instead of regular. This fact was discovered around lunchtime, when I decided I was going to need to make a 2nd pot, since I couldn't seem to wake up. WHOOPS. Joseph Heller should have written about the whole "needing a cup of coffee in order to produce a cup of coffee" dilemma.
In spite of my fatigue-induced incompetence, we had a fairly productive morning of unpacking, followed by an afternoon of errand-running. Carmel has what I now believe to be the World's Greatest Kroger, and believe me that this is not an insignificant accomplishment. They make their own potato chips in the store!!! And boy howdy, are they ever good.
Grace would not get on the "Muppet Babies" ride at the front of the Wal-Mart, even though I promised to take her picture and post it here on the blog. Spoil sport. It would have been awesome.
Tomorrow will be "family fun day" where there will be no moving-related work allowed. Hopefully the festivities will yield some entertaining and/or humiliating photo ops.
So last night, right about the time "LOST" would be coming on, I was just circling Indianapolis on I-465, on my way to Carmel. For reasons too complicated to go into, I had abandoned my iPod in search of tolerable local radio. And right at 9 PM (8 Central), my radio stopped on something that wasn't a commercial or a song--what it sounded like was the audio of a TV program. I figured I was projecting, seeing as how I was thinking about my favorite show coming on right then and all--but as I continued to listen, it became apparent that what I was hearing was the audio for that night's episode, as it was premiering to the world! WHA-HOO! It took me about twenty minutes to get to the Hahns' from there, but I listened through the first two commercial breaks and was delighted to have had the opportunity dropped in my lap. Seeing as how all the east coast people have turned in for the night, I may actually watch the episode after I post this--if I can stay awake that long myself.
The day got off to a slow start with my unintentionally making a pot of decaf coffee instead of regular. This fact was discovered around lunchtime, when I decided I was going to need to make a 2nd pot, since I couldn't seem to wake up. WHOOPS. Joseph Heller should have written about the whole "needing a cup of coffee in order to produce a cup of coffee" dilemma.
In spite of my fatigue-induced incompetence, we had a fairly productive morning of unpacking, followed by an afternoon of errand-running. Carmel has what I now believe to be the World's Greatest Kroger, and believe me that this is not an insignificant accomplishment. They make their own potato chips in the store!!! And boy howdy, are they ever good.
Grace would not get on the "Muppet Babies" ride at the front of the Wal-Mart, even though I promised to take her picture and post it here on the blog. Spoil sport. It would have been awesome.
Tomorrow will be "family fun day" where there will be no moving-related work allowed. Hopefully the festivities will yield some entertaining and/or humiliating photo ops.
Thursday, February 7, 2008
One tired Oyster
Just a quick post to report my safe arrival in Carmel, Indiana, where I am happily ensconced in the fancy digs that are the new Casa de Hahn. Turns out one's real estate dollar stretches considerably farther here in the great midwest than in the Garden State.
I made the drive after sitting for my regular Thursday buddy Larsen, which made for a long day. From Brentwood to Carmel took me almost exactly five hours, including a short rest/fuel break. But once I post this, it's off to the Land of Nod for me . . . and then I'll have pretty much the whole day tomorrow to help Nancy with unpacking.
No pictures from today's travels, so instead, here are some from what I hope to make a new tradition at my house: post-church Sunday dinner for my Midtown peeps. There were lucky thirteen of us altogether.
The library end of the table:
The "kitchen" end:
Liz loves hot beverages.
Extremely serious cake-cutting face.
New friend Scott--he is actually from Indianapolis, which is basically where I am right now, although I did not know that at the time.
Yay for friends! Suzanne and Stefani--and yes, I made my friends wear nametags. That is precisely how dorky I am.
Sarah loves being photographed.
Mmmmm . . . pineapple upside-down cake.
Enough blogging for this sleepy girl. More Carmel-rific antics tomorrow!
I made the drive after sitting for my regular Thursday buddy Larsen, which made for a long day. From Brentwood to Carmel took me almost exactly five hours, including a short rest/fuel break. But once I post this, it's off to the Land of Nod for me . . . and then I'll have pretty much the whole day tomorrow to help Nancy with unpacking.
No pictures from today's travels, so instead, here are some from what I hope to make a new tradition at my house: post-church Sunday dinner for my Midtown peeps. There were lucky thirteen of us altogether.
The library end of the table:
The "kitchen" end:
Liz loves hot beverages.
Extremely serious cake-cutting face.
New friend Scott--he is actually from Indianapolis, which is basically where I am right now, although I did not know that at the time.
Yay for friends! Suzanne and Stefani--and yes, I made my friends wear nametags. That is precisely how dorky I am.
Sarah loves being photographed.
Mmmmm . . . pineapple upside-down cake.
Enough blogging for this sleepy girl. More Carmel-rific antics tomorrow!
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
A Lentastic Blogstravaganza
Well, as promised, here I am! Irrespective of whether or not I actually have anything blog-worthy to report, I am determined to record the next 40+ days as a kind of Lenten discipline. Sounds like it's going to be a fun seven weeks, right?
So, here's what's been going down here in OysterGirl's neck of the ocean: babysitting, knitting, and music-making. Hmmm, sounds familiar. I am now fully back into the swing of my weekly babysitting jobs, which have been going great. At this point, I am mostly sitting for families that I know, which is really nice.
On the music front, I have been working on some new songs, and hope to do some recording at some point in the next couple of months. More on that as it happens. In the meantime, I have two more library programs coming up on March 6 and April 19--mark your calendars!
Before I get into what's been happening with OysterGirl knits, a brief hiatus to share some fun photos from last weekend. It was Michael's birthday, and we celebrated at the Strike'n'Spare bowling alley (no, not the one in Green Brook, New Jersey . . . there's apparently more than one! What a shock!) Karen and I didn't exactly bowl, but we did partake in . . .
. . . skee ball! Karen is very good at it.
I am very bad. (Shhh . . . don't tell the Jersey Shore or they might revoke my Garden State cred.) Of course, the best part of skee ball is really . . .
. . . the tickets, of course!
Ooooooh. Aaaaaaah. I wish I had pictures of what we redeemed ours for: two really stylish friendship bracelets (I'm pretty sure that makes us BFF), and five plastic army men for Michael.
The bowling alley is way out in West Nashville, and to get there you have to pass by this car dealer with a big pink elephant out front. We had to retrace our path in reverse to get back to the Hall, but we certainly weren't going to pass it by a second time:
And now, the knitting knews. In spite of the horrendous weather last night, a bunch of friends came over for the 3rd installment of "Knit Together," the knitting/fellowship group I am hosting at Casa de Lynn on alternate Tuesdays. Try and guess how many people were present by the remaining peanut butter rice krispie treats:
Speaking of which--I feel like every time I bring PBRKT to a gathering, I always end up explaining how simple they are to make in the microwave. But even as I'm explaning, I simultaneously fret that people aren't going to remember. So, for posterity, here is the recipe.
Microwave Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats
1/4 c. peanut butter (or substitute 1/4 c. margarine for regular RKT)
10 oz. mini marshmallows
6 c. rice krispies
cooking spray
Scoop peanut butter from jar with a microwave-safe rubber spatula. Place spatula in large, microwave-safe mixing bowl, and nuke on high power for 1 minute. Add marshmallows and stir with spatula until completely covered with melted peanut butter and mixed evenly. Return bowl to microwave, and cook 1 minute on high. While mixture is cooking, spray a 9X13 pan and a piece of waxed paper with cooking spray. Using spatula, stir cereal in to melted peanut butter and marshmallows until mixed evenly. Press into prepared pan, using sprayed wax paper to spread out evenly. Cut when cool.
It is not an exaggeration to say that if you have all the ingredients, these can be made in under 10 minutes from start to finish. And they are SOOOO good.
During last night's knitting session, I finally finished up a Valentine's Day-themed scarf that I have been trying to finish since Friday last week. I got it up on the store last night while the storms raged outside. Here it is, hanging off my nifty new coat-rack:
Tomorrow (Thursday the 7th), some of my items will be featured in Etsy's "housewares" showcase. This will be the first real advertising I've done, but it wasn't very expensive to buy a slot in the showcase for one day, and I figured it would be worth it to see what kind of response I got (if any). The only hitch is that I am going to the Hahns' new house in Indiana this weekend, so if anyone *does* place any orders as a result of the increased exposure, I won't be able to do anything about them until I get back on Monday. However, I'm hoping that Murphy's law will apply and the fact that I am not home to fill them immediately will ensure that I *will* get some orders . . . weird, I know, but that's how my mind works.
Here's one of the things that will be featured--my most recent tea cozy. I really love this yarn, and as you can see, it matches a bunch of my table linens.
Well, I guess that's it for today. I'm assuming that I'll be able to post from the road, in which case--see you in Indiana!
So, here's what's been going down here in OysterGirl's neck of the ocean: babysitting, knitting, and music-making. Hmmm, sounds familiar. I am now fully back into the swing of my weekly babysitting jobs, which have been going great. At this point, I am mostly sitting for families that I know, which is really nice.
On the music front, I have been working on some new songs, and hope to do some recording at some point in the next couple of months. More on that as it happens. In the meantime, I have two more library programs coming up on March 6 and April 19--mark your calendars!
Before I get into what's been happening with OysterGirl knits, a brief hiatus to share some fun photos from last weekend. It was Michael's birthday, and we celebrated at the Strike'n'Spare bowling alley (no, not the one in Green Brook, New Jersey . . . there's apparently more than one! What a shock!) Karen and I didn't exactly bowl, but we did partake in . . .
. . . skee ball! Karen is very good at it.
I am very bad. (Shhh . . . don't tell the Jersey Shore or they might revoke my Garden State cred.) Of course, the best part of skee ball is really . . .
. . . the tickets, of course! 
Ooooooh. Aaaaaaah. I wish I had pictures of what we redeemed ours for: two really stylish friendship bracelets (I'm pretty sure that makes us BFF), and five plastic army men for Michael.
The bowling alley is way out in West Nashville, and to get there you have to pass by this car dealer with a big pink elephant out front. We had to retrace our path in reverse to get back to the Hall, but we certainly weren't going to pass it by a second time:
And now, the knitting knews. In spite of the horrendous weather last night, a bunch of friends came over for the 3rd installment of "Knit Together," the knitting/fellowship group I am hosting at Casa de Lynn on alternate Tuesdays. Try and guess how many people were present by the remaining peanut butter rice krispie treats:
Speaking of which--I feel like every time I bring PBRKT to a gathering, I always end up explaining how simple they are to make in the microwave. But even as I'm explaning, I simultaneously fret that people aren't going to remember. So, for posterity, here is the recipe.
Microwave Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats
1/4 c. peanut butter (or substitute 1/4 c. margarine for regular RKT)
10 oz. mini marshmallows
6 c. rice krispies
cooking spray
Scoop peanut butter from jar with a microwave-safe rubber spatula. Place spatula in large, microwave-safe mixing bowl, and nuke on high power for 1 minute. Add marshmallows and stir with spatula until completely covered with melted peanut butter and mixed evenly. Return bowl to microwave, and cook 1 minute on high. While mixture is cooking, spray a 9X13 pan and a piece of waxed paper with cooking spray. Using spatula, stir cereal in to melted peanut butter and marshmallows until mixed evenly. Press into prepared pan, using sprayed wax paper to spread out evenly. Cut when cool.
It is not an exaggeration to say that if you have all the ingredients, these can be made in under 10 minutes from start to finish. And they are SOOOO good.
During last night's knitting session, I finally finished up a Valentine's Day-themed scarf that I have been trying to finish since Friday last week. I got it up on the store last night while the storms raged outside. Here it is, hanging off my nifty new coat-rack:
Tomorrow (Thursday the 7th), some of my items will be featured in Etsy's "housewares" showcase. This will be the first real advertising I've done, but it wasn't very expensive to buy a slot in the showcase for one day, and I figured it would be worth it to see what kind of response I got (if any). The only hitch is that I am going to the Hahns' new house in Indiana this weekend, so if anyone *does* place any orders as a result of the increased exposure, I won't be able to do anything about them until I get back on Monday. However, I'm hoping that Murphy's law will apply and the fact that I am not home to fill them immediately will ensure that I *will* get some orders . . . weird, I know, but that's how my mind works.
Here's one of the things that will be featured--my most recent tea cozy. I really love this yarn, and as you can see, it matches a bunch of my table linens.
Well, I guess that's it for today. I'm assuming that I'll be able to post from the road, in which case--see you in Indiana!
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