Frost on the Pumpkin...

Usually Halloween in Washington State, at least in the Puget Sound region, is a wet drizzly night. You wear your costumes, and then cover them all up with sweatshirts and coats and mittens. When we were little, we lived out in the country, so Dad would drive us in to Navy Housing in Oak Harbor, and we would go through Victory Homes and fill our pillow cases with all the candy.

Mom and Dad would stay at a friends house while we walked all over the housing area, then walk across the street to the regular civilian houses. Oak Harbor was really small back then, and we could trick or treat for several hours and walk back to the house where mom and Dad were waiting for us.

there was no checking our candy to make sure it was safe, we knew it was. There was no throwing out the homemade cookies and popcorn balls and apples because no one thought of hiding razor blades or ex-lax in them.

We wore old clothes and usually dressed like hobos, or pirates or a princess. Sometimes Mom would cut holes in an old sheet and we would be a ghost. We always wore our costumes to school, and after school we would hurry home, eat dinner fast and then go to the church for a Halloween party and then the trick or treating would begin.

Hardly any time were we rained out totally, and only a very few times was it cold enough to freeze.

This year it Froze. It froze hard! The past two nights the temps have been way below freezing, down in the low 20's F. The newscasters were talking about having to really bundle the kids up good so they would not get frostbite. It is COLD!

the nights are clear, and the stars are twinkling brightly. Yesterday morning at 630 I was up and looked out the front door in time to see the sun rise and shine it's purple/pink/mauve light onto the Olympic Mountains. It was gorgeous! The same this morning, only there was a low fog on the sound, so the fog was turning pink. The frost on the car was pink from the reflection, and the birds were all huddled on the telephone lines trying to get as much warmth out of the rays as they could.

Soon the sun had cleared the alder trees out back and the frost started dripping off the poles on the deck, and the branches of the peach tree were clear. The frosty morning was waking up. I LOVE it!!!

Fall...

adak baby

This is a picture that I took 14 years ago when I was stationed on Adak Island in the Aleutians. The Eagle pictured here is an immature eagle, probably about 2-3 years old. Eagles are to Adak, like crows are to the Mainland. EVERYWHERE. They sit on Dumpsters out side the commissary, and wait for the garbage to be thrown out. They beg. They will swoop down and steal your hamburger out of your hands! Pesky critters they are, and thriving on the island. You can tell when the salmon are running, because they sit along the banks of the streams, creeks and lakes, and pick out their breakfast, lunch or dinner. They are fascinating to watch, and I got tons of eagle pictures while I was there, just not too many in a picturesque setting.

Last night I went to bed and the wind was blowing like crazy setting off the windchimes. It increased during the night, and by day break this morning it was bending the alders over. The sun was brightly shining in the bedroom window at 730! OOOO I like that! But by the time I got up, fixed and drank a pot of coffee and was ready to head outside, the dark clouds blew in with a ferocity, and then it started to rain, then sleet, and finally hailed!

Sadie and I decided that we would sit inside and watch it hail, and finish up some of the projects I had on the agenda for this weekend. I put up 10 jars of Applesauce, and baked a double batch of Oatmeal Scotchies cookies, with choc chips too. Then I stuck the picnic shoulder in the oven and cleaned up the kitchen.

Fall makes me want to be a homebody! I want to bake, I want to cook substantial meals, I want to have a fire in the wood stove, I want to prepare for winter. I should have been born in a previous century, as I LOVE to camp and read by lamp light. Not good for your eyes though.

This afternoon Suzie had three of her babies to the feeders. She was trying to get the suet feeder and everytime she tried, one of the babies would jump on her and try to get to her titties. She has weaned them, but I think this one must be a boy. You know how males are fixated to boobs! I took all the apple peelings and cores out to the feeders and they LOVE it! There was a lot, so I put most of them into the compost garden, and followed them with the tomato stalks, after I got all the green ones off for chutney!

Tonight's dinner is baby red potatoes roasted with the picnic shoulder, gravy and cornbread, with a side dollop of cranberry applesauce. Any takers?

YAWN.....

fall

Our first real storm of the fall blew through this week. Monday and Tuesday were dark and wet, and today was windy and wet. These are the types of days that I LOVE. I love the wind, I love the rain, I love watching the birds at the feeders, I LOVE listening to the wind chimes in the storms. I sit on my bed with my elbow on the windowsill, watching the critters at the feeders. ANd smelling the fresh wind and rain. The smell of the first fresh wind and rain of the fall is so intoxicating. It makes you sleepy. it relaxes you.

It also gives you wheezy lungs! I sleep with my head hanging out the window every night of the year, and I woke up this morning with a heavy weight on my chest. What woke me up first though was the noise I was making as I was breathing. Not snoring, just wheezing. I sat up and coughed up green cottage cheesey stuff, so I figures it was time for a Zyrtec. Have not had to take any in several months, but I did today. Man they work great, but they just flat ass knock me OUT! I slept most of today, and I will most of tonight too. I just know it.

The autumn leaves have been turning brighter colors than usual this year, brighter reds, oranges, yellows. It is like they are saying "enjoy the colors while you can, because Mama Nature is gonna dump on you this winter". We shall see.

I do know that we are in a cycle of really good weather. Last winter was record snows in the mountains, and this early spring we had tons of rain, and this summer it was the driest on record, and they are predicting drier and warmer winter for us.

I personally would love to see a lot of snow fallowed by a week of cold crisp clear weather, then more snow, then more clear weather. Then rain, to clear it all off and then start all over again. But Mama does not listen to me at all.

The grey squirrels are hitting the feeders several times a day now, and the woodpeckers and chickadees have gone through 3 suet blocks in a few days! I even have two Stellar Jays that are appearing at the feeders, and they are rare up this far on the island. THey are all over the south end though.

It feels good to not have to go anywhere for a few days. I can just hunker in, turn up the electric blanket and hibernate. I LOVE fall.

An Apple a day...

Tomorrow, among the other things that I should be doing, I need to make applesauce. My dear darling most beloved daughter LOVES her Mom's applesauce, and I am out. SO I mentioned getting apples, and Judy my new friend from the light booth, brought me in two bags of them. They are really small apples, but My bloodsugar was crashing last night and I needed to grab something quick, so I grabbed one of those red apples and bit into it! It was the SWEETEST, JUICIEST, CRUNCHIEST apple! SO I had two, and a glass of milk. Brought the glucose back to the staying alive levels.

There are green ones in there too, so I will have to see how they cook up. I make spicy applesauce with cloves, and cinnamon, and whole cranberries. YUMMY. I do not puree the apples either, just leave them really chunky. Basically I peel, core and slice them all at one time with the magic little machine I have, then dump them into the pot, cover with water until they are tender and then drain and stir really well with the sugar and spices.

I Love to can! I don't know why, it must be that feeling of pure accomplishment that comes with putting something in a jar and on the shelf and having it sit there for the rest of the year. I made a ton of pickles one year, and had to give them all away when I moved!

Today was another jewel in our crown of gorgeous days stuck in the middle of autumn!
It was not hot, just warmish, and the fog lifted about noon so the grass dried out enough to run the lawn mower over it so Sadie has a place to pee. Tomorrow if it doesn't rain, I need to get the rest of the back yard done, and save the apples for a rainy day chore.

Know anybody close that has an over abundance of apples? I'm looking!

Another one in the bag...

We struck OUR TOWN tonight. Easy set to strike! We only had the five back flats and 3 side flats to remove. We had minimal scenery and props, so I vaccumed the balcony where Me and Judy spent our time with the show, and straightened it up for the next show, and then I cleared off the bulletin board and boogied. My back was in such pain again. I seriously think it was from that nasty old chair I had to sit on for 6 shows.

Last night I almost had a heart attack because Fil who was playing the Stage Manager, jumped a few pages in the 2nd act and started right in on the soda fountain scene, meanwhile everyone else was cued in for the breakfast scene. SOme how he pulled it out and we went right on as if nothing had happened. THen He skipped the most important part of the play, in the 3rd act where he is expalining how the dead people are waiting for something eternal. Just jumped right over it, and into the next scene. We made it though. THestage helpers put the soda fountain in the wrong place totally out of the light I aimed on it. SO I am putzing through the light board finding lights that put the two actors in good light. I did it, but it was an obvious goof!

THat is one of the things that is fun about COmmunity THeater, We are all volunteers, and no one gets paid any money. So we have to learn to laugh at the boo-boos.

We closed it down with a great show tonight, only one or two minor goofs, and a great audience. That is what makes it all worth while, the audience! Last night I swear the 37 or so people that did not go to the last home football game of the season all fell asleep during the show. THey were DEAD DULL!

I am going to sleep in tomorrow. I am wound up right now, and probably will not go to bed until 3 or 4. I have to try and figure out what is wrong that my computer does not recognize my dvr drive! I need to copy 20 cd's full of cast pictures and I can not get it to copy at all. Says the F drive is not accessible!! arrrghhh. Like I said before, I know just enough about computers to know that I dont know enough! I am sure it is a simple fix. I think I will just bite the bullet and call the Computer Clinic and have John come out and take off what I dont need, and re partition my hard drive, and install a new modem and optimize it. THen I can save money for the next two or three yearil I have enough to by a new one!

Next show is FOREVER PLAID, in June, so I will have a few months off. Have to read quite a few plays for the season committee for next year. SO I will be here and there, and if you need me, I am at dreamer (at) galaxynet (dot) com and of course posting on here when I can.

HAve a great Sunday everyone.

Raining cats and dogs...

cd

One of the things that most people think about when talking about Washington state is the rain. We have Rain forests, where the rain falls equal more than 150" a year. We never use umbrellas, They just get blown inside out in the wind. We always know exactly where our sunglasses are, because when the sun DOES break through, it is blinding.

We have been so very fortunate, (or not) to have just gone through the driest summer on record. We had very little rain from May through Sept. However it is now October, and man do we have RAIN! It has not stopped in a week! It has rained and rained. We need it though. Our reservoirs are very low. We also need the snow pack in the mountains to keep those reservoirs and lakes full during the next dry spell.

I was very worried about the critters being able to get enough water, as there are no creeks, puddles or lakes around here, just the sound, and it is salt water. SO all summer long, I have kept the birdbaths full. I have tow of them with a board between the two for the squirrels to perch on. Now the bird baths are overflowing, so I guess I need not worry any more.

this morning I heard the very distinctive EEK, EEK, chu chu chu EEK, coming from the alders, which means that the grey squirrels were heading down from the canopy. They are a very social animal, unlike Lola, the Douglas Squirrels, who are very territorial. The grey ones made their way in a train like fashion, down the trees, along the fence top and up into the feeders. 2 young ones and an older one. The young ones are skitterish yet, but the older one knows that when the door knob turns, it means Sadie is loose, so she yells, and runs, and the little ones run up a tree and hide. Sadie was sitting in the window just quivering at them. Tough!

the rain has not curtailed the critters, in fact if anything, they have increased. Maybe they know something we don't. Maybe We ought to take heed and store up for the coming winter. Sposed to be warm and wet, but the way these guys are scarfing it all down, I'm putting my money on COLD and dry! Well maybe...

Technology...

I bought a new printer last month. An HP photosmart 3150, and it is an all in one, scanner, copier, printer. It really is nice, the printing is crisp and the photos are really sharp. BUT the stupid thing SUCKS down a color cartridge in 1 day!! I printed out 36 pictures 3X5 and it is almost 3/4 gone! It was brand new yesterday! My Photoshop 1000 was great too, but I could print forever with one cartridge. COst me 59.00 a shot but It would last. THese are teeny tiny little things, and only cost 21.00 but if it only prints 36-40 pictures, it aint worth it! My other one had over 20,000 pages through it, and the rollers were getting worn out. I had to push the paper into it to get it going. Still works though, may go back to it.

I notice that blogger is really pushing its new version of beta blogger. Has anyone out there tried it? I read it all, and they said if you convert, you cant go back, and I am not sure it will take haloscan. I like my haloscan, I like Blogger, and if they would just get the one they have to work correctly all the time, and take jpeg files like FTP, then it would be perfect! ah well. Let me know what you think if you have tried it.

I stayed in bed until almost noon today. I went to bed early last night, and could not sleep, so I laid there and read, laying on my stomach. My back did not hurt as long as I did not move. I finally fell asleep around 330 AM. Bob said he came in at 845 and Sadie and I were both snoring so loud, that he didnt want to wake us up. Turd did not even make a pot of coffee for me either!

He finally has his stove in and working, but now he is trying to figure out how to build the fires for the different jobs he needs it to do. Cook, heat soup, warm the house, bake biscuits, use the wok, etc. So since he is working with this new toy, I will probably not see him for the rest of the winter. He is worse than Rube Goldberg! comes in handy at times though.

Well the trash is at the road, for the first time in three weeks, (I keep forgetting), the floors are swept, the rugs are vaccumed, The kitchen is fairly clean, SO tomorrow I can do fun stuff. I took on the responsibility of making the kids program scrapbook, so I have to put Alladin in it, then I will be done until Christmas. I still have SHerry's scrapbook to do, but it is really hard when you dont know the people. I will leave her lots of room to put in her own journaling.

I need to go see Tim, probably the weekend of the 28-29! He is on bedrest right now as He got bit by a nasty spider, and his knee is all messed up. Poor baby!

Simpler Times...

In doing the play OUR TOWN, we thought we could put it on fast and cheap, as there is very limited scenery, and all the props are imaginary. The story itself is a plain and simple story of life in a gentler time, life in a small town in upstate New Hampshire, in 1901.





It starts out with a man called THE STAGE MANAGER, walking on stage and telling us to use our imagination and see the town as it is laid out, with the drug store over here, and the bank and post office over here, and the jail and the library over here. Then he takes us down stage, and asks us to imagine the Gibbs’ house and garden with Julia Gibbs’ heliotropes giving off their strong aroma. And then Editor Webb’s house with his wife’s garden just like Julia’s but with sunflowers instead.

The factory whistle blows, and the school bell rings and the kids all run to school before the 2nd bell. The Train whistle blows to let us know that the train is on time. The milkman comes through carrying his imaginary milk bottles, and leading his imaginary horse, 17 yr old Bessie, who wants to keep stopping at the Carter’s, even though they quit taking milk.

The Town Constable does his early morning walk through town, and his late night walk to assure all is well, the Newsboy delivers his imaginary papers, and the Doc delivers twins across the imaginary tracks to an imaginary family in Polish town.




THE costumes are real, the people are real, and before the 1st act is even underway, your mind has taken you there, and the props are all real, the French toast is real, and you can smell the heliotropes and Lilacs blooming. Life was simpler then, There was no Television, no electricity, no telephones, very very few fords, and lots and lots of LIFE!

I sit in the light booth every night running the light cues, while Judy runs all of the Sound cues. We bring that town to life. So much so in fact, that I really put myself right into the story. I start thinking back to when Life was so much simpler for me. Back when I played outside every day, rain or shine. We would play red light green light, until way after dark; we would play Simon Says, Red Rover, Red Rover send Sally right Over, and we would ride our bikes until the tires wore out!



We came in for Supper every night, and sometimes we could go back out to play, but mostly we would play games or listen to the radio until 8:00 which was bedtime. I am not going to tell you that we woke up every morning to a home cooked breakfast, not with our Mother! We would get our own cereal and get our selves off to the bus stop, where we would wait for the school bus to stop and load both high school and grade school children in for the ride into town.

The second act is all about falling in love and marrying, and during one scene Julia and Doc Gibbs are talking and Doc remembers his wedding day, when he saw Julia for the very first time in his life. Julia said it was awful for her too. Mrs. Webb, then tells about crying while thinking about Emily getting married and what she did not know yet, and how innocent they all were, and how awful it was to put our daughters through this ritual.



Imagine, not knowing what was going to happen on your wedding night, and imagine not even KNOWING your husband! Times really have changed, as now days, most couples have actually LIVED together for a few years before they married.




When I first came to Oak Harbor, the population was under 3000, and now it is closer to 45000! We had Parks, and schools and Churches and the Farmers co-op, and a bus station, and three cafes, and an ice cream parlor. We had a jewelry store, and a pawn shop, and two groceries and not much else. Today we have the typical electronic Menu up and down the high way, with both a K-mart and a Wal-mat, a Home- Depot and 4 big box grocery stores. Not to mention all the strip malls and businesses, and car lots! Times really have changed, and not always for the better.

I liked living in a small town where everyone knew everyone, and looked out for each other. There was not much in the way of crime, a few drunks and the local bad boys, that’s it.

The play ends in the Cemetery where life is chronicled on the tombstones, and the Dead all help each other cope with the newness of being no longer alive, and watching their loved ones grieve over them. They have no emotions, and look at the stars and wonder at the beauty of them. No more sorrow, no more joy, just stars. And memories.

You all need to see it!

stuff and such...

WHEEE! WHat a week this is....I have lights to finish, bios to write, lobby wall to decorate, lawn to mow, bulbs to plant,(if Bob ever comes back to finish the bed), a floor to clean, a poster to compose, letters to write, bills to pay, laundry to do, a Day long Dr.s appt. and a son that I should visit.

When can I breathe? The lights are taking more time than I thought they would, as I keep trying different effects to acheive the look on stage that I need. THere is no scenery or props, so all of the DRAMA needs to be done with the lights. I need to go in 2 hours early today to try and get them ready for tonight. We have our first audience, FAMILY night, which is the free show for all the family members of the cast. And we open on Friday night. (BIG SIGH)

One of the bad things about an Off season show is that where you would usually have 6 weeks on stage to finalize everything, we have 7 days! We will make it though, and then I will relax and get through Christmas, and the holidays, and staagain in March when We audition for FOREVER PLAID!

I have been so busy, that I have not had time to watch all the shows that I am recording with my DVR. Cool gadget, but when do I fit it in? I suppose I could watch it between 2 AM and 6 AM huh?

I have also been so pre-occupied that I have totally forgotten to write to my son! I promised him I would write him 2 times a week. and I have not! (not that I am getting many letters either though) I need to go visit him, but I cant until the show closes on Oct 21. So maybe on the last weekend of the month I can take a day and go over.

THe weather has been GORGEOUS this week. COLD at night, and foggy in the morning then up into the high 60's low 70's during the day. S'Posed to stay this way for another week or so. A real Indian Summer! I still need to get over the top and buy a case or two of apples for apple sauce.

So if I am absent for a few days, me time to get things done around here and I will be back blog walking real soon.

Pissed Mommie...

So I am getting ready to go to the playhouse and work on lights, and Lint decides that he wants to play "let me out". This game consists of Lint going to the front door and screaming, so I get up to the door and he runs away, this goes on for two or three times.

Finally I am trying to get Sadie ready to go bye-bye, gather up my gear and slip on my shoes when he wants out again. I told him to wait just a minute. He goes to the door and yells and then runs under the desk.

I get everything ready, and reach down for my purse beside my desk and I notice a puddle. I wiped it up and chewed Sadie out, really chewed her out, because she has not done that in a LOOOOONG time. I grab my purse, and open the door, and Lint damn near knocks me over getting out.

I get everything in the car and drive on in to Oak Harbor. I stopped at the COffee drive thru and order a cup of coffee and a cookie, reach into my purse for my wallet, and right into a purse full of cat pee!!!! THe ASSHOLE BASTARD backed up to my purse and proceeded to fill it with piss, just because I told him to wait 30 seconds.

I pulled out a dripping 5 dollar bill, paid for my coffee and proceeded on my way to the playhouse. When I got home, I took everything out of my purse, and what I could wash off with lysol, I did, and then I threw the purse still fully usable, into the garbage!

I paid my mortgage payment with the last two soaking wet checks in the checkbook.

Sometimes there are no words...

Shine on Harvest Moon...

Last night, The moon was shining big and bright as it came over the alders and lit up the back yard. I had just let Sadie out for her before bed pottie, and decided that wsince it was so still and cold, I would just stand on the deck and drink it all in.

Sadie was lost behind the peach tree, so I was loving the sight of the moon. I started singing, "Shine on , Shine on HArvest Moon, up in the sky" and so did Sadie. I just laughed and sang at the top of my lungs while she did the same. I knew the young family next door was gone, and Lea is dead and her house is empty now, so I seranaded the critters in the woods. Sadie is getting real good at singing with Mommie! She sticks her little nose straight up in the air and puckers her little mouth and howls like crazy! I love it! It is soooo funny!!!

I am just very glad the neighbors were gone, I know they think I am a tad bit strange anyway, and this would have just suitcased it!

THe moon sure was pretty though. THen the clouds came in and about 400 AM the moon was shining through the clouds and had a ring around it. I know it was getting cold, SO I shined my flashlight at the thermometer on the bird feeder, and it was already at 38 degrees! Time to start thinking about bringing in the wood for a fire. And also start thinking about putting the electric blanket back on the bed.

I do love cold crisp clear nights! ahhhhhhh! you can breathe so easy!

Our Town keeps me busy...

emily

Well I am back in the saddle, at least for a month or so. I have been very busy setting lights and doing cues for the play. Yesterday I spent almost 12 hours at the Plyahouse, all the while with strep Throat! I dont have time to be sick

Emily Webb is a young woman who lives next door to George Gibbs, and through the first Act, they are falling in Love, The second act they Marry, and this is a picture during Act 3, where Emily has died during childbirth, and she is at the graveyard, talking to her dead relatives, and trying to understand why she has to be there.

Candice Baker is playing the Part of Emily, and she is only 16, but does it so convincingly! She has been on stage since she was tiny, and now is able to hold a starring role all on her own!


fil

Fil Baca plays the part of the Stage Manager who talks the audience through the whole story, using their imaginations. It is a wonderful story, and Fil is a wonderful actor in the part! He also played Capt. Qweeg in my last play, Caine Mutiny COurt Martial.

So if you do not see me for awhile, come on down to the playhouse, and see the play, and look up in the light booth, I will be there setting cues, arranging things and trying oh so hard not to give in to this damn sore throat.

Update on "Flax"

Several of you know and read Carolyns blog AKA Flax...Well January was the last entry and I sent her several emails and FINALLY got a reply. She has said that I can post it here for everyone who knows her to read. She may come back to blogging soon.


Oh, my sweet Mary Lou You are a dear, dear friend.

There have been a lot of things going on around here so my absence has been caused by a combination of issues. First of all, I am still having problems with my back. The medications the neurologist has given me cause problems of their own. If I take a high enouse dose of Neurontin to control the pain, it affects my concentration and I have no desire to do anything that I once enjoyed. They've tried Lyrica which caused shortness of breath and heart paplitations.

I suppose it goes without saying that I've had a bad case of depression going on because of all of this. My family physician prescribed Lexapro for depression and it worked pretty good except for the fact that I was still in pain.

My neurologist took me off the Lexapro and gave me a prescription for Cymbalta. Thus far, I'm still depressed and I'm still hurting. So..... life goes on.

As for mother, she is still healthy except for pain in her knees. However, her mental condition continues to deteriorate. Her short term memory gets shorter and shorter day by day. A memory of anything that has just happened lasts no longer than 3 to 5 minutes. The questions are constant and I always know what a converation with mother will consist of before we start the conversation.

A recent development in mother's mental condition has me very concerned. She has begun to see children or a child in her home. She frequently asks, "Where is that child I was keeping today"? I know that she is halucinating and it's just another sign of her continued deterioration.

I still handle mother very well but I know that I am sufferng from it. I allow her to do the activities she can still do and I answer her question all day and way into the night without getting irritated. I simply can't get irritated with my mother. She can't help the way she is. But it's not easy.

My sleep schedule is all messed up and I tend to sleep late in the mornings after a late-night session with mom. I take frequent naps during the day either due to exhaustion, depression or from the effect of the medications.

Blah, blah, blah, blah..... I could write a book.

On a happier note, we found a little stray kitten back in May. She was about 5 weeks old and had a terrible eye infection. I took her straight to my veterinarian and started treating the eye infection. However, after the infection cleared, she was left with a lot of scar tissue on her eyes and is partially blind. Nevertheless, that little kitten has worked her way right into my heart. It has been amazing to watch as she learned to get around inside my house. I am convinced that she has some limited sight. After a few near-mishaps, she can now jump up on the couch, run across the back and jump back down just like an ordinary cat.

I named the kitten "Bren" (short for Brenda) and since I am her constant companion she is really smart. A couple of my other cats have helped to socialize Bren into the cat world but most of her socilization into the animal world has been accomplished by our little dog, Sadie - a lab mix. I have spent a lot of time watching those two interact with each other. Sadie allows Bren to jump on her face and bite and scratch but once Sadie has had enough, Sadie will hold Bren down with one big paw and thoroughly wash Bren with her big, soft tongue. *smile*

Another big change in our lives is that fact that my husband's employer moved from Montgomery (a 30 minute trip to work) to Birmingham, Alabama (over a 2 hour trip to work). As an incentive to keep Rick with the company, the company pays the cost of a motel room so he won't have to travel to and from work. Rick leaves on Monday mornings at 3:30 a.m. and I don't see him again until Friday night. Although we talk on the phone and on the Nextel every day, it's not like having him here.

I hope to get back to blogging sometime soon. I just don't seem to have much good to say lately and I don't want a blog full of my moans and groans.

It's 2:00 a.m. and I've done it again. I've stayed up too late but my hips and legs are aching so bad right now, I doubt I could sleep.

Yes, you can post my email and let everyone know I'm still alive. *smile*

Your remedy for easing your pain sounds pretty good. tub. I hadn't thought of trying an epsom salt bath. I'll try that tomorrow night.

I'm going to confer with my family physician regarding the medication my neurologist gave me for depression/pain. It doesn't seem to be working every well. I'm still depressed and the pain hasn't improved. The Lexapro my family physician prescribed earlier seemed to help more with the depression.

By the way, I'm not scoffing at the things mother has begun to see. Maybe her mind is working on a different level and she IS able to see others that exist on a "higher" plane. Interesting, isn't it?

I am so sorry to hear about Chitters. I love all my critters and it always hurts when I lose one. The three mice are due to see the vet this week. Quinn, one of the white mice, is still "king of the running wheel." Miss Twitters, the other white mouse, takes over as soon as Quinn wears himself out. Miss Twitters has developed an abscess behind her right, front paw and should have seen the vet late last week. However, the only vet in this area who handles "pocket pets" has been out of town and is due to return tomorrow.

As for Mr. Pipps, he is his charming self. If I don't spend some playtime with him almost daily, he can get a bit testy. Since he is not a domesticated mouse, he can deliver a nasty bite when he feels he's not being treated fairly. But I've learned how to handle those occasional bites. First of all, don't jerk your finger back. I've learned that by taking the bite without jerking my finger results in just a pinch instead of a full-blown bite. He is still my sweetie and I do enjoy playing with him.

Bren, the little blind kitten is due to see the vet again soon. I hope the eye drops have helped to reduce some of the scar tissue caused by that terrible infection.

By the way, I took the dogs, Ashley (a Belgium Malinois) and Sadie (a Lab mix) for their nightly walk a while ago. Sadie surprised the big, fat o'possum who has been gobbling up all of the cat food lately. Oh Heck!!! I really don't mind the possum. I'll feed him too. *grin*

Mom had a pretty good day today until about 5:00 p.m. She kept wanting to ask me a question and each time, she forgot the question before she could ask it. I've had to tell her numerous times that I've talked to my sisters and they are all doing fine and I've had to tell her many times what day it is -- and the list goes on and on. But all in all, I'm blessed. Mother's condition could be much worst. I must learn to recognize when I'm being blessed.

Love to all
"Flax"

Foggy Day...AGAIN

Friday as I left the house to go into Oak Harbor, I passed the road that goes the backway along the beach, and instead of going Uphill towards the highway I turned sharply to the right as I saw that a fog bank was forming, and the pictures would or COULD be spectacular.



Can you imagine being on a ship in the middle of the strait, depending on the numerous lighthouses to keep you off the rocks, and seeing them all fogged in. We do have backups with horns though.




You can see off to the right how the fog was coming in off the water and crawling up off the land. You can be driving along in full sun and WHAM!! you are in the thick dark grey fog and can not see!



More fog kinda of creeps you out looking up from the beach at this 160 yr old house. This was one of the first ones built by the white man in Washington. And the owner, Isaac Ebey, lost his head to the indians here.

spooky!



This is the same house from up the hill on the prairie, this house was used in the film "Snow Falling On Cedars" GREAT movie!

I LOVE the fog! it shows so many different aspects of the same scene. When You see this house in the sun light, it looks so harmless, but when the crops are gone and the fields are overgrown, and the fog is swirling, it is really CREEPY!