Yes I am one of THOSE pet owners. I bought her a sweater but it was a bit snug so I doubt she'll be wearing it much. ;) but it is cute, even though she is hating me really bad right now. 

Happy Crazy-Psycho Shopper Day!

Today is the day they come out. Stalking dark parking lots in the pre-dawn hours. Lurking about ready to pounce. Claws bared and ready to fight. Day after Thanksgiving shoppers!

Run! if you can! Be scared! Afraid is in order! hee hee hee.

I didn't go out this year, though I do admit some of the prices are wonderful, it just suxs that you have to get up at 4:30 to be at the stores at 5-6 am. Ugh that is a terrible notion. So instead a stayed home with my dad, gramma and uncle and relaxed, knowing the turmoil I went through last year when I did go. Remembering that any moment I expected to hear

Attention Wal-mart shoppers please take care to avoid the brawls on isles 4, 7, and 12. Also please refrain from stealing items from other peoples carts it is terribly rude, and please accept our apologies for not stocking nearly enough of our advertised sale items, unfortunately we will not be offering rain checks. Next year you might do well to come a little earlier, we tend to sell out by 7 am.

However I did get ALL of my Christmas shopping done in one 5 hour period last year. So there are perks if you are willing to risk the psychotic denizens of the local mall. I don't know about you but I'll take sleeping in, my slippers, and leftover turkey sammiches anyday over the crack of dawn sales. For those of you who went I hope you came home in one piece, you brave brave BRAVE souls! ;)

For this I am Thankful

I am thankful for more than I show proper appreciation for everyday.

I am thankful...

...for every breath I breathe, and how my chest feels when I take in a lungfull of cool crisp air.

...that I never had to choose between my parents because they are still together and still in love more deeply than any other couple I know.

...that I have two older sisters who really were looking out for me while they tormented.

...for the Grandmother who is still in this world with me and whom I know would lay down everything she has and is to see me well.

...for each of my nieces and nephews for the joy (and drama) that they bring into my life everyday.

...that I always have a safe harbor within a family that will hold me up when I am at my lowest.

...that there is no end to the possibilities of words.

...that I have the warmest ball of fluff to purr me to sleep every night.

...for chenille socks.

...for every second that my laptop is functioning correctly.

...that God granted me skills and abilities that make my life full and lead me to opportunities I otherwise would have been without.

Oh and I am thankful for catching that little black mouse (wild field mouse) that has been bedding down with Puff. Though I let it go and it still sneaks into his cage to sleep.

I hope you all had a safe, warm, and filling Thanksgiving, I know I did.

Cleanfest 04 has officially begun

Tis the holidays and it's time to get to cleaning. Gramma's coming to town so the house needs to sparkle! That and it will soon be time to decorate for Christmas so we need to make some room. So I have spent the day clearing the extra room/office of the copier and treadmill and my guitar and book after book of CD's to make room for the airbed. Then scrubbing the bathroom and bleaching all the porcelain. And now I am going through all my clothes, packing up the summer stuff and getting some other items ready for donation. It seems like I never have anything to wear but my room is overflowing with clothing. Going through clothes proves to be a pain in the ass when you have a cat that is fascinated by stacks of clothing. One day she is gonna end up taking a tumble in the dryer, cuz whenever she hears the dryer open up (it has a loud squeak) she makes a mad dash for it and jumps in to all the warm clothes.

I went outside to feed the hamsters again this morning and low and behold there is a little black squeaker in Puff's cage. I am pretty sure it is a mouse and Puff doesn't seem to worse for wear but I am gonna watch it carefully. So my Puff appears to have a girlfriend (or boyfriend I haven't gotten close enough to tell yet) hope he's having fun! ;)

I know I promised the raccoon story but I haven't had a chance to scan the pictures yet, I will try to get that done this evening. Gotta get back to the clothes for now. Ta~

alien rodents

My hamsters live outside in two cages on the back porch. I cover them up with a blanket to keep them warm. This morning I went outside to feed them and when I lifted up the blanket I noticed a foriegn rodent in the upper cage that Puff has to himself. (there are 9 hamsters in the other cage) Anyway I look into a cage which should contain one little siberian hamster that resembles a tiny snowball and I see a little black rodent looking back at me. I am not sure if it was a baby rat or an adult mouse but I scared the shit out of it. It zipped around the cage like a speedfiend. I tried to catch the little buger but it finally slipped through the bars of the cage and I chased it around the porch for a while before it eventually escaped. I probably looked really stupid. When I went back to get a better look at Puff it looked like his ear had been bitten. So I moved their cages higher up and left the blanket off until it got dark outside and have checked on him twice as much as usual.

It all reminds me of the time my sister and I caught a racoon in the back yard to give my dad for his birthday! I'll tell that story tomarrow, and I have pictures to go with it.

lazy weekend

It has been a quiet weekend around here. Friday night I drove up to Eugene to pick up my nieces and we met my mom and went to a movie. We saw SAW , it was an ok movie but there were a couple times I wanted to put Cary Elwes out of his misery. He didn't cry very well. But it was otherwise a decent movie.

After the movie we split up the girls and one rode home with me and the other rode home with my mom. J picked riding with gramma cuz she drives a Z28 Camaro (way cooler than my sonota) and S picked riding with me cuz I let her listen to the music loud and let her pick the CD's and gramma just doesn't like punk music. So we go our seperate directions in the parking lot and poor S is cold so I give her the key and tell her she can run ahead and get in the car. Bad Idea. She gets lost and runs almost all the way out to the rode. I stop next to the car and ask her if she wants to maybe ride home in the car. She runs back giggling the whole way (she kinda has a dweeby little giggle) and says she forgot what my car looked like in the dark. That was entertaining.

Then Saturday was the Civil War game YYYAAAAAAAAYYY Beav's we won! 50-21 victory over the Ducks! That was essentially an all day event. My ears are sore from all the yelling though, my mom and sister can be very very loud.

Today was a day to vegitate. I still can't get the computer fixed, though I have tried and tried. I have gone through pictures and whatnot and found some things I forgot I had. Maybe tomarrow I will get some work done...nighty night.

friday feast & more

Let the feast begin

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Appetizer

What do you think is the perfect age to get married? To have a first child? To retire?


I think 25 is a good age to get married, and a first child would be anywhere from 25-30. As far as retirement, for me I would prefer top work later into life so 1) I could have more money to retire on and 20 so I wouldn't get bored. Like I am right now. ;)

Soup

If you could change occupations tomorrow, what would you want to do for a living?


I would love to own a bookstore. That would be the ideal thing for me, though if I could also own a petstore I would be even happier.

Salad

What does the color green make you think of?


Trees. I do live in Oregon you know. But I am sure the season starting up effected my thoughts. I also live in a tree city USA.

Main Course

What is something that has happened to you over the last year that you didn't expect?


Losing my job. I felt so secure there and when we were let go the rug was snatched out from under me. Things like that make you feel naked and exposed, as if everyone could see it coming but you.

Dessert

How old were you when you had your first kiss?


I was in third grade, how old does that make me? 8 or 9 I guess.

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So I am at the other computer again cuz mine went to shit again. It didn't crash this time it just doesn't want to go online. Very irritating. So now I want to throw it again, cuz, well that would make me feel better. But since I am still paying for the damn thing I will be a good girl and not throw it. Though urge is overpowering! Have a good Friday.

We really are very weird you see.

I am going to start my Christmas cards tonight. I think this is the earliest I have ever done it. I still probably won't get them mailed out in a timely way. I am terrible at that stuff.

I send a piece of writing with my cards each year. Some poem or letter celebrating the senses of awe and wonder that accompany the holidays. This year I haven't even thought of what I will write. But I thought I would post the more goofy one I did last year since I am starting to think that this years will be a sequel to last years. Note that this is dripping with inside jokes that make it funny if you are a part of the family, but probably make it sound all dorkish if you aren't.

Christmas At Our House

Dad's in the kitchen
Brewing up some food
alcohol has done it's part
to lighten up the mood

Mom's in her bedroom
wrapping presents on her bed
I'm snapping pictures
a camera strapped to my head

Lynn is sitting with Bert
whispering in his ear
wondering what's beneath the tree
and if there's a scavenger hunt to fear

Roberts being goofy
he's just a great big kid
he's always been in touch with
the little boy within

Erica's doing someones nails
While her children drive her mad
hollerin and yellin
telling them to go see their dad

Wades watchin TV
no other sounds can be heard
he's watchin Mr. Hankey
That jolly Christmas terd

Baby Danes doing a snazzy jig
with the musical Santa Claus
His mommas trying to figure out
how to make him pause

Rainas so happy
running to and fro
she just wants to show you
her micro pet Coco

Jordans attached to Brittnie
they love each other so
they won't leave each others side
until it's time to go

Kevins running rampant
his feet are just a blur
sometimes I wonder if that monkey
should have been born with fur

Ky's down with the horses
at the end of the road
Shea is tormenting Jordan
She sure knows how to goad

Aunt Evies giggling about something
she brought buckeyes to keep us fed
She knows that if she didn't
Jessica and wade would have her head

Grandmas in the rocking chair
quietly watching all the chaos
wondering if its about time
she decided not to claim us

We each make this time special
even though we may get loud
you haven't had a holiday
till you've had one at our house!

~Merry Christmas~

...oh i'm drivin my life away...

Ok so I am a really nice Aunt. I have been teaching my oldest niece, K, how to drive early on (she is only 14) so she will have lots and lots of practice by the time she gets her permit. First of all I think I should note why I am the one doing this. Well their mom, my Sissy , tried to teach our other sister to drive and after the experience vowed to never EVER try to teach someone to drive again. So I decided I would take the job. So anyway I was dealing with a moping teenager last night so I was trying to bribe her into better spirits by taking her to the school parking lot and letting her pitter around the parking lot a few times.

It takes all of two seconds before her 12 year old little sister, B, starts to grumble that K gets to drive. So I let K have several loops, practice with the blinker and getting a good feel for the clutch, I let her park and reverse, and all of that fun stuff. She doesn't scare me and she doesn't peel out. She seems to be calmly driving about. So out of the blue I tell her to park the car and trade places with B.

The car immediately breaks out into pre-pubescent bursts of giggles. B gets behind the wheel and after a couple minutes of nervous snickering I take her through the steps of taking off. Foot on the brake, clutch in, go from neutral into first, let off the clutch while SLOWLY giving it gas. I make her repeat this back to me. After she repeats it to me I am confident to let her give it a go (while my hand clutches the e-brake). She guns it. Everyone squeals as the car lurches forward. BRAKE, CLUTCH IN! I yell, STOP! She tries to stop and in the process kills the engine. We do this over and over for about as long as I can stand (10 minutes)

Then K wants another turn so I tell her she gets 5 more minutes. She must have been all hyperish after her little sisters turn cuz all of a sudden she is plowing her foot into the accelerator and we are going like a bat out of hell with its ass on fire, straight for a curb, I ended up grabbing the wheel and yelling TURN! As we park she says she didn't hear me say to slow down or to turn, I shake my head in utter consternation. B gets another quick 2 minutes which she did a good job of, but I just couldn't put my heart through anymore.

I drove home with two girls with face breaking smiles on their face and their little brother whining about being soooo hungry. In my mind I was wondering how his stomach could think about food after the rollercoaster ride we had just been through.

Now they want to know when they get to go again! I am so skeered!

getting into the spirit

Since the season is getting started I thought I'd show you my kitties favorite place to be...under the Christmas tree...;) 

So Happy!

I am sitting here at my OWN computer! I am not sure what I finally did to fix my problem, (though I think it may have been all the "PLEASE GOD PLEASE"'s) I tried everything I knew to try and then I left to babysit for my sister and when I got back, voila, it worked! I was near the breaking point were I was ready to throw the damn thing out the window. So now I am back online and ready to get back all of my other programs and files, though this time I will be backing things up every chance I get. But at this point my back up method is emailing things to myself and using the other computer to back up onto floppy's. But first I need to try and recover as much as I can of what I lost.

I went and saw the Grudge and I enjoyed it, though not as much as I had hoped to, but I did like it. the Ring was better but, the grudge was more shocking. Anyhoo, I am beat from thinking so damn hard about fixing this possesed machine so I will save the story about taking the nieces on a driving lesson tonight, for tomarrow, besides I need the time to recover from my life flashing before my eyes. ;) Night!

I am Lost

Life doesn't feel right without my computer. I reinstalled everything and it still does not want to work right. I think it is supremely f*cked up. I am not sure I am gonna be able to fix it. *sniffle* *wimper* *moan* So I am using my moms computer raelly quick to make a post. Hopefully I will be able to get on long enough to catch up on my blogg roll, but it is rather sucky that I can't do it from my own computer.

I had a job interview yesterday. I could have had the job if I wanted it but the lady said I was over qualified in her opinion and the hours sucked almost as much as the pay. So I passed and will keep looking.

Went and saw Friday night Lights and drooled over all the pretty boys, it was a pretty good movie. Right now I am gettting ready to go see the Grudge. I hope it is good. I was a huge Buffy fan and a Horror movie buff so hopefully it will be a good fix.

Back later with more. ~Love ya's J

I want to Break Something!

THANK YOU!

Thank you Veterans! I appreiciate your sacrifices and courage in defense of my country. You are the ones who have made it possible to be free. Yours are the backs on which this country stands, and that is not forgotten.

And Thank you Dad, your sacrifices did not end in Vietnam, you came home and have sacrificed for your family ever since. I love you!

Today I Was Productive

I got my write on. I got a total of six pieces ready for submissions and wrote five pages in the book and am still at it. My toes got cold so I had to take a break to look for my chenille socks. I love it when I just let go and write, I am amazed at how much I accomplish, when I stop thinking and just express without a plan or a direction.

I am afficially past 45,000 words in the book, and am hitting the part of the book I was most anxious to write. I thought I would post the tiniest of snippits here just to give you a taste of my other home.

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The company rode on into dusk, coming onto the sea once again, and weaving amongst the cliffs that broke her waves. She stopped and watched the sun sink slowly, as if being doused by the water. In her moment of reflection she did not hear Raoul come up beside her.

"It's a thing of beauty isn't it?" he asked.

Sabra sighed, not looking up at his question, a faint smile touching the corners of her lips, "The sunset or the water?"

"The sunset, it's beautiful."

"Yes it is, but isn't it interesting that you chose the placid beauty of the setting sun over the fierce beauty of the angry ocean?" she answered still not facing him.

"Why do you think it's angry?" he asked watching her profile in the fading light.

"We are sisters. I understand her rage. She wants to break past these cliffs that cage her, but no matter how hard she crashes against them she can't break free and she just falls back into herself. Her pain is one I know." she told him.

"I think I'd be a fool to ever claim to know your heart. At every turn you surprise me again. I but wonder sometimes if you try to confuse me. I would never have thought to liken you to the sea, but I do see it. You are filled with rage."

She kept her eyes on the water still, but knew he had left her side because she was able to breathe again. She was never sure what he brought with him, but when he was near her the air felt heavier in her lungs. Sometimes so heavy she feared she might suffocate beneath it.

Turning to rejoin her companions she noticed that Raoul hadn't gone far, obviously waiting for her to follow. She obliged knowing that he'd make the entire company stop until she did and she meant to keep no man from a warm bed for the night.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ok bear in mind that this is taking place in 1514 and that it is the roughest of drafts, me just zipping through a story I will flesh out later.

OK back I go while the muse is still whispering.

Miss Mesh of Stuffs to Say

Whew, I am not sure how in the heck I am able to look at this screen as I spent four hours today staring at my Aunts computer, rebuilding her corrupted registries, scratch that, trying to rebuild her registries and trying to get her modem to function correctly. I was successful, so now I do not have to go back and try some more. Now I just have to go back for the tutoring, which I tend to enjoy much more. Going to my Aunt's also means I have to drive to Rice Hill and back which is a beautiful drive this time of year. Everything is all orange and red and yellow, the wild Turkeys and the horses and cattle and sheep. Just really pretty.

I applied for another job today, cross your fingers for me, I need the help, I am going insane not working!

I also found out the Unemployment took my side and said that the stooooopid evilllll ex employers are wrong and I get my benefits......So HAHAHAHAHAHA In your face you scangy bastards! I wiinnnnnn Kiss my boooootay. Wait don't kiss my boootaaay you might give me coootie bugs!

OK well I am beat so until tomorrow!

Early Resolutions

K, so I am thinking ahead. Deciding now what my 2005 New Year's Resolutions will be. All the things I want to do to better my life. All the things that have always seemed to elude me in various degrees.

1. As always there is the get into better shape thing. Yup and it is always number one on the list too.

2. Then there is the thing that always graces number two on the list and that is to finish the book. I care not if I ever sell it or make a single cent off of it's completion, I just want to be able to say I did it and I did it well and it didn't suck too much.

3. Get Organized, With all the writing I do and what not my files are just in shambles, Books are scattered about and clothes are strewn, CD's and data disks lying about. It's a tidy type of clutter, but it isn't organized at all.

4. Cut my caffeine addiction by at least half. Half is something I think I might be able to do. Though at my neediest I can't stand to drink coffee.

5. Finish crotcheting the blanket I started for my dad.

6. Get Health insurance. That and somehow find the money to renew my contacts perscription.

7. Save up enough money to get the camera I want.

Those are my goals for 2005. Do I think I will make them? I hope so, but it is silly to make a relolution that you don not honestly think you have a shot at right? So I think I will do them, and if I do not suceed, well then I will always have 2006 to give it another shot, but by then these may not even be what I want for myself, so I won't think that far ahead

Perdy trees

Do you get the impression that I like the trees this time of year?

I couldn't resist posting this picture. I took it yesterday a few blocks from my house. Believe it or not the red tree is a LOT brighter in person, The sun and the angle of the picture sort of wash it out, and the yellow tree stands out more right at dusk but I forgot to go back and snap off another one. I just thought it was to gorgeous not to share with you all. 

dreamin...

I had a dream about my old house last night. It was vivid. The whole dream was anchored in the house, the house that I spent my most formidable years in and the one that we all think about when we reminisce. Throughout the dream there were pieces of my current life. Though sometimes they weren't things you would think would stand out, they were prominent aspects of the dream. No real event or action of significance took place in the dream, just every day odds and ends. It was really bizarre. When I woke up I got to thinking, I have been dreaming about that house a lot lately. Probably at least twice a month. I wonder why all of the sudden I am dreaming about that house. I haven't lived there since I was probably 14 years old. I don't know but I will post a picture of the house tomorrow so you can see what I am talking about. But right now my toes are cold and I need to find some warm socks.

On a mission....

Oh the things I become obsessed with. I have a friend who I just got back in contact with. We had lost contact for a good ten plus years. Well she doesn't really have any pictures of herself from when she lived here and was my best friend. So I told her I would find the few that I think I have and email them to her. Well easier said than done. I have torn my house apart looking for stashes of pictures. My room and closets are now in shambles and what did I come up with?

One measly picture. hrmph! So I am gonna keep up the search and hope it doesn't lead me to tearing apart my storage shed. I better get back to my mission before I lose my momentum. Wish me luck!

Inside Joke

Hey Sissy how'd them cars get parked like that? Hee Hee Hee.....Won't they fall? 

Isn't it Perdyful?

I Love November in Oregon. Took this picture while I was in Eugene today. The trees look so vibrant against the stormy sky. Tomarrow I am gonna go out and get some shots around the skirts of town so you can see how gorgeous it is here. ;) 

Results...

Ok so no one weighed in on the Myth vs. Reality post, with the exception of .:A:. who said he couldn't decide. So I will tell you it was number 1. Gross I know, but true. The other two options were based loosely on real events but very loosely.

I was a drone today. Flipping back and forth between news channels watching the election coverage. I started at 9 am and it is a little after midnight right now and I am still watching. It's close, but I think we all knew it would be. We'll just have to see what tomorrow brings now won't we? Anyway I better get back to drooling in front of the television waiting for some form of result. G'night All!

Obligatory Election Post

Ok so I have never really posted anything that reflected my political standing. I still won't because that is not what this blog is for. What I will do is Bitch about all the canvassers and the people who man the phone banks. No offense personally to these people, but I just think it is a bunch of crap. I mean if you are going to be convinced by some stranger on the phone, who may or may not be who they say they are, to vote one way or the other, I don't think you should vote at all on that issue. I have counted a total of 37 phone calls to my home this year. That is ridiculous! I make up my mind based upon the facts that I seek out on my own, I never consider anyone who solicits me. They aren't biased, they wouldn't be soliciting me if they were. So I drudge up info on my own, and use my brain to determine my own opinion. So the phone calls serve one purpose, to annoy the piss out of me. Especially the recorded ones.

Then something new started this year. Oregon is a mail in ballot state, so we get our ballots a week sometimes two weeks before Election Day. So I usually have my ballot filled out a week before I turn it in. This year was no different in that respect. What was new was the 6 different people who knocked on my door and asked if they could turn in my ballot for me. I do not think so! With all the ballot tampering BS going on out there, I will hand my own ballot in on Election Day.

So please do vote, but try to vote how you want to and not how other people say you should. You have a mind, use it. And if you can't make a decision, I don't think you are ready to be a responsible voter. But that is just my opinion and you have every right to disregard it completely. I just think this country deserves a little time and consideration when it comes to something like electing a President.

Oh and all you canvassers and phone-bank people, please leave me alone next time, or your likely to find my foot up your ass! Happy Voting!

Halloween Pictures of the Munchkins!

Niece B and "adopted" niece Ashley as a hooker and a cheerleader. Don't ask me who picked B's costume... 

Nephew Kevin who did not dress up, with his little half-sister Cassidey, thought this was a cute picture. 

My little cousins Zach and Sara, she is an All American Cheerleeder and he is a soldier who "had a bad day" according to him.