Again.
There was a big old traffic jam and I didn't get home until late the other night. Later than McButter *thinks* I should be home. So she shunned me the rest of the night.
Really - you'd think SHE had the opposible thumb!
Whatever.
Mom and I went to see my uncle. He looked pretty rough at first but as we were there and started talking to him, he perked up. I was surprised that a lot of people had dropped off food and done some cleaning for him. So he needs much less help than we thought. That's good eased mom's mind. And he does seem to be recouperating ok altho his feet are still pretty swollen from his heart attack earlier this year.
I picked up the fresh turkey I ordered from the local farm. The smallest bird they had was 21 lbs. There are 4 of us to eat it. Yeah.
Mom is still horrified at the gigantic thing (it's bigger than McButter) and is freaking out because she thinks we'll have to start cooking it today (yeah, well, we probably should). It's in my extra fridge in the garage right now because there isn't room anywhere else (and my stupid fridge still freezes everything. Ugh).
I don't know why she's getting all worked up about this stupid turkey. Not like she's going to cook it. My brother wants to smoke it so he's going to be dealing with it. All she has to do is make the mashed potatoes and the biscuits. I'm making the casserole and the pumpkin pie.
My bro said it would be easier and faster to cook if we cut it up. I'm thinking the only thing I have BIG enough to cut the thing up is the chainsaw.
The worst part is, I'm seriously considering it! (Hey, after all that brewing, I have the sanitization thing down to an art and I can use olive oil to grease the chain). There shouldn't be much blood and if I do it in the cellar it'll be easy cleanup.
I wonder what the neighbors think - I'm dragging those blue 55 gallon barrels into the house along with a chain saw. Deep in the night, the sounds of the saw going can be heard. There is about 5 gallons of bleach in the garage (with an extra refrigerator) and 3 gallons of it in the cellar.
That's rather creepy when taken out of context, you know?
And all totally innocent (well, for the most part. I'm not committing murder at least. You can't "murder" a dead turkey).
My new blades came for my skates. And all of my Xmas shopping is DONE except for some socks for mom. That's it. DONE. Jealous, bitches? I think so!
Ebay, Amazon, Overstock. Found everything quick and easy. No fighting traffic or crowds. So nice to just sit back and let stuff come to ME. All I have to do is wrap it.
Of course, I had to restock my library and right now I'm reading "Dungeon, Fire and Sword" by John Robinson and also "The Holographic Universe" by Michael Talbot.
I've read Robinson's book before but I just wanted to read it again. And in the car I have "I, Clauduis" playing. Love that one! Got the DVD for myself also. It's one of my most favorite movies/miniseries.
That should keep me busy for a while! That and painting my new digs and planning for my garden next year.
Labels: books, Turkey
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The Rogue Goddess saw shadows dancing at 10:26 AM
Finally! I was planning on going in to work today but I don't think I will.
I have some things around here I'd like to get done - mostly cooking. And hanging more pictures and putting up my new blinds that finally came in. That will be nice to get those up.
The dog is sitting on her new pillow watching SportsCenter and growling at the TV. She likes watching the TV. And she likes her new pillow which is good for me. I looked long and hard for a pillow that was big enough for her but not too big. It took me a while to find it but I did and she really seems to like it (it's where she lays most of the time).
I'm finally getting some things done around here altho I still haven't gotten the load of wood I need for the stove. I called this guy but he never returned my call so I guess I'll take my business elsewhere.
We're not going to Vegas this year for Thanksgiving but that's not a big deal. It will be nice to stay home and just do nothing (sort of nothing, anyway). After all of this stupid drama at work, I need a vacation. Seriously.
Tomorrow mom and I are going to visit my uncle. Apparently he is pretty ill and hasn't let on. A friend of his called mom and told her he is a LOT worse off than he is letting on. Apparently he's having trouble getting around (short of breath, etc) but won't let anyone know he needs help to get groceries, take out the garbage, clean, etc. So mom and I are going to go over there and clean up a bit and go to the store for him.
Kim was the one who would come over and stay with him when he was not feeling so well but since she died, he's sort of been on his own. I know she's there now in spirit just disgusted with him because he won't ask for help! Hopefully once mom and I get there he will tell us what needs to be done and let us do it for him.
I just don't understand that. Dad goes over there at least once a week to check on him and he doesn't live that far away. He just won't tell mom or dad that he needs help. And God forbid any of the "boozers, users and losers" (as Kim referred to them) that leech off of the man would actually DO anything for him. They've all become scarce since he's gotten out of the hospital. But as soon as he is ok, they are back over there wanting money, a place to stay, food, etc.
It used to drive Kim NUTS that the leeches would show up as soon as he is well and are nowhere to be found when he needs something. I guess he figures that's what the family is for.
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The Rogue Goddess saw shadows dancing at 9:24 AM
The brewing is mostly done. Mostly. I have two more flavors I'd like to try then we'll call it a season.
The dog had a cold in mid-October. Poor thing. She didn't want to go outside or anything. Just lay around and sleep. I think she caught it at the vet's office when we went in to get her shots updated. She started feeling pretty bad a few days later and her eye got all full of nasty stuff.
I gave her some baby aspirin and that seemed to help her. I felt so bad for her but I know what it's like to have a cold and just want to do nothing but lay around and sleep. So I pretty much let her sleep. I DID make her go out and potty in the morning and in the evening. I'd pick her up and put her in the yard. She would do her business and walk back to the porch. I'd pick her up and put her back inside and she'd climb into her bed and stay there.
She did drink and eat a little but she was pretty sick for about a week.
Now she's fine. Running me all over the place. Last night her allergies were bothering her again - the snoring is just incredible.
My allergies have been bothering me as well but at least I can take some benedryl for it.
There was a Great Horned Owl in the backyard last night. He was so close I could hear him in the living room. It was really neat. I went out side to look for him but I couldn't see him. I could still hear him, tho.
Since the condo sold (and I got the $$ in my hot little hand), I've gone on a one-woman mission to stimulate the economy.
I bought new blades for my skates (the only time I could spend that sort of $$ and not get heart palpitations); new blinds for the kitchen windows; a new rug for the fireplace (fire retardant); a new pair of shoes; a new pillow and water bowl for the dog (I dropped a wrench in her old bowl and broke it); new curtains (because I love curtains); one of those curving shower curtain rods (it's GREAT!); a TV tray for my embroidery stuff (so I don't have to keep bending over to get a new color thread); a bar chair for the kitchen so I can cook and set my sorry ass in a chair at the stove; one of those outside portable firepits (yay!); a duvet for my down comforter (yes, I've been living with a NAKED comforter all of these years); The DVD of I, Claudius (my favorite!) and I bought dinner for a few friends and my family.
So I've been on a "spending spree" (well, as I see it, anyway). AND - since I finally have some "disposable income" I've started skating more! YAY! It really sucked not being able to skate very much.
Oh, and I also got TV altho I find I'm not watching as much as I thought I would. Usually I'm just watching football. I probably should have got Sunday NFL ticket but I think 3 games a day on the weekends is enough. That's about 9 hours! (Not that I actually "watch" it - I keep it on and glance at it. The dog watches it and growls).
Work is draining as hell. I seriously need a vacation and I can't wait for the holiday next week. I'm just tired of stupid shit from morons who act like the End Of The World is nigh because *I* haven't done something.
Lemme tell y'all something - I don't have a damned thing to do with your "Apocalypse" so STFU and get a life.
Really - we get blamed for everything (the patchouli harvest crash about 2 years ago was *my* fault) and have no control over any of it. Incredibly frustrating. I just can't understand why this company treats some of their employees like we're the fiends of hell. Really. We're doing the best we can within the crippling limitations YOU (the company) have set for us.
If you want your Byzantine Bureaucracy changed - CHANGE it and stop trying to place blame on the people who can't fix the damned thing. Seriously, the bureaucratic mentality is the ONLY constant in the universe.
So I feel like a lone voice crying in the wilderness except I'm more like cursing like a drunken sailor.
It's just a daily annoyance that makes me feel like I can never get anything productive done. I'm so busy jumping thru bureaucratic hoops for dumb crap that by the end of the day, my actual "work" is still waiting. UGH!
Really, I need a vacation. I need to just lay around and do nothing for a while. No work, no brew, no cooking, no cleaning, no putting away of stuff - just lay on the couch and read until my eyeballs fall out (or I fall asleep). Lather, rinse and repeat until I get bored.
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The Rogue Goddess saw shadows dancing at 9:14 AM
I can't believe it's mid-October already. Crazy, man! Just crazy!
The condo finally sold (I think I mentioned this before but I'll say it again because it's great news). I haven't heard when the closing date is but it should be fairly soon I would think. Next week I'm having a guy come in and clean the furnace and also hook up the electric for a garbage disposal but those are the only two things the buyer wanted done.
It will be nice to have that monthly condo payment back to put toward the house payment.
The Odious Scumbags at Time Warner Cable (the stupid fucks) sent me a bill saying I owed them money from "pre May 2009". WTF is that? So I sent a nasty gram back and told them that if they didn't give me SPECIFIC DATES, they weren't getting squat. And they won't, either. I'll take their greedy asses to court before I pay them a CENT. Fuckers stood me up TWICE and I'm going to forget that shit.
They'll be lucky if I don't sue them for continued harassment.
The rain has finally stopped by my old granny hands and my abused back are still aching and stiff like it's going to rain again. I guess it's supposed to get pretty cold tonight. I'll have to make the dog sleep with me so I can leach the heat off of her.
I also need to order a load of wood. But I want to make sure I have some $$ to pay the electrician and the HVAC guy next week. I guess I'll have to pick up that wood at my parents and use what I cut last weekend and make it last.
Last weekend I brewed and got a washer and a dryer delivered. I also picked up five 55-gallon plastic barrels for storage and other nefarious purposes.
Man, what a difference having a washing machine and a DRYER makes! I was hand washing everything (after the first washer broke) and hanging it out to dry. With the rain, it was taking stuff 4-5 days to dry out. Ugh.
Now! I put the wash in then stick it in the dryer and it's DONE in about an hour! WOW! Modern conveniences are pretty cool!
The cider is fermenting in my cellar as we speak. I have put it in the old coal bin (yes, my house is old and I like it that way) and hung up a curtain in the door to keep out the light. Those little yeasties are just going to town on all of that brown sugar!
The temp seems to remain at a constant 68F with 60% humidity. I'd need to get it a little cooler if I wanted to make some cheese down there but it's the perfect spot for it. All dark and stays at a constant temp/humidity.
I'll have to check on the fermented product tonight or tomorrow. Once the yeasties stop scarfing on the sugar, it will be time to "finish it off" by back sugaring, adding the spices and honey. YUM! That's the FUN part!
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The Rogue Goddess saw shadows dancing at 1:32 PM
Some rambling and disjointed thoughts -
I sold my condo!!!! YAY! Finally! I'm very relieved at this. VERY.
And just in time to brew cider! Ah! I am thankful.
I've managed to find a plastic food grade container to put the final product in and I have gathered all of my ingredients. Now I just have to wait for the moon to give the sign (Friday). So I'm taking off on Friday to brew.
Also my new washer & dryer is being delivered. YAY! No more hand washing and line drying! (Not that I mind the line drying but the hand washing was getting a little tedious).
It will be so nice to just throw in a load of laundry and forget about it. I have to say that I was shocked and disgusted at the prices on some of those machines. I mean, really.
And I discovered I don't like those front loaders at all. Too much bending over to pull the wet clothes out. I'd prefer that the dryer have a lid that pulled down instead of opening to the side but they didn't have one of those. AT ALL. Kinda bogus.
But they are new, under warranty and have a large capacity so I am happy.
Now I need to get a load of firewood delivered for the winter and get the satellite hooked up. Wow. TV. It will be very strange. Like when I when to college and had cable for the first time ever in my life. I was mesmerized by it. lol!
That's pretty sad, I know, but it's the truth.
I've also realized that I feel so much better after I skate. It doesn't matter how crappy I skate as long as I do it. I just feel so much better physically, mentally and emotionally.
That's another thing I'll have to do now that I have the money - rejoin the skating club and start hitting more sessions! I really miss that!
The Yeti has decided to take ANOTHER vacation (I guess a week off and three days of seminars were too much for her - eye roll). So she's out until early next week. Then the following week she's gone again for more "training".
I swear, all that moron does is boondoggle and spend money. It's pathetic. I don't even know why she has a job. She certainly doesn't do anything aside from expense all of her nonsense and act like a complete barrier to getting anything done.
Maybe I'll just start disappearing for weeks on end and see if anyone notices! HA!
And since SHE is absolutely useless everyone has been coming to ME and wanting to know what's going on.
Like the evil fiend I am, I just send them to her and say, "it's her job. She hasn't been in the office since she started so call her cell phone and ask her."
Apparently it's starting to sink in to her thick head that I'm not going to do her work nor pawn it off on someone else. She's been getting some nasty calls from our customers wanting to know why she isn't doing her job.
Her excuse has been "I've been on vacation/in training/in meetings" but ya know what? Nobody is going to give her any slack. During the first 6 weeks, ok. Yeah, you're new and learning. It's been FOUR FUCKING MONTHS and you're STILL unable (unwilling is more to the truth) to function? Nope, nobody gonna cut you slack on that BS!
She's finally started to get called on her crap and it's about time. I'd sure like to know who in the hell is protecting her - it's got to be somebody pretty high up the food chain for her to still have a job and not actually show up.
Anyway - enough about that fugly hag.
I'm thinking of having a Halloween party but I'm kinda torn. I'd like to invite God & everybody but then that would mean kids. And I'd just like to keep the kids and my hard core drinking friends separate. That's just me.
The optimal would be to have TWO such parties. Maybe both on the same night. Kids ok before 10pm and after 10pm I let the fang face killer loose on 'em! heh, heh!
I dunno. Fangers will probably wonder WTF is going on but she'll recover quickly enough. I'll have to keep her in my bedroom so people don't step on her.
So we'll see. I'm still contemplating this. It would be a lot of fun. And nobody would mind the overgrown lawn! lol!
My fang-faced killer is doing just fine. I think she has some eye allergy or something because she has scratched her one eye raw. Poor thing. It seems to come and go.
She loves having the yard and likes to lay at the end of her rope watching the street and "buffing" at the squirrells.
That's kinda like between a bark and a snort. It's just a soft "buff". Some times she gets all indignant and huffs and puffs and buffs (that's kind of amusing to watch). But mostly she just likes to lay on the sidewalk by the house or near the herb garden and watch the street.
I've brought all of the plants in that I want to overwinter. It is getting cold and night and that is bogus.
That and with the days getting shorter it makes me want to just sleep all of the time. I'm not alone - everyone here is just dragging along.
My upstairs bedroom is actually nice and toasty and I love it. The dog climbs up to see me some nights and hides under the bed. Her snoring is enough to wake the dead but I find it oddly comforting. And it helps me locate where she is so I don't accidently step on her in the morning.
Speaking of the dog, she still likes her long walks and has even taking to making me run (gasp!) on occassion. You know I don't like this very much but I'll do it. Fortunately for me she doesn't run very fast so I can just trot along and keep up with her.
Labels: fall, randomness
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The Rogue Goddess saw shadows dancing at 12:15 PM
