I've moved

My boss hooked my up with a new blog.

Here's my new address

Goals for 2008

This year I have set a goal to read 100 books by the end of the year. I've never kept track of how many books I read and I just joined a Book Club on Ravelry.

I started the year off with Slash a Christmas gift from my son, Sean which I am still reading.

Later, I will post my list of books I plan on reading. And I'm not going to re-read any books this year. I do that often. Just new books. Well, not necessarily new books, but new to me.

I'm so freakin excited!

Adventures of Sandy and Becky

John, Sandy, Marty and I all went to the Ghetty museum today. It was Sandy and Marty's first time.

We saw the photography of Graciela Iturbide and the Medieval Treasure and then toured the gardens where John was more helpful than the tour guide.

I think John and Marty were more entranced with the travertine than most of the artwork, but I must admit, the travertine is beautiful.



I'm sure this has been photogaraphed a million times, but I couldn't resist myself.




Here John teaches Marty how to text message. Silly boys, can't take them anywhere.



Today I learned that the Center was designed to coincide with the axis of the San Diego Freeway and the grids of Los Angeles. Here, you can see an example of the two axis' with the layout of the travertine.



And the trees are just beautiful.




Then we were exhausted from all the walking and shopping and my back was killing me from all those stiars. So we went to Father's Office for the best damn burgers I have ever had. Marty had read a review so we tried it out and I will definitely go back.

Then Sandy, bless her heart, walked into Subtle Tones to ask for directions to a coffee shop. Well, one thing led to another and John bought me a beautiful sweater to go with my Christmas present. what a guy.

For My Children

The Mother Night

This is the night of the Winter Solstice, the night of Yule, "the Wheel."
For thousands of years, the celebrations of this season have been those of gateways, the magic of passages--journeys of the folk from one year to the next, journeys of the spirit from one world to the next, the magic of birth and death and of rebirth. And because life deserves more than mere survival and continuance, the magic of this season has always been that of peace and plenty as well.

In the North, the months we know as December and January have long been called Freyja's Nights of Darkness. The year's longest night is the Mother Night, and in darkness the Lady labors to bring the Light to birth once more. The Young Sun is born at the Winter Solstice--Freyr the Lord, the Lady's consort, who controls the work of sun and rain and brings fruitfulness to the fields. Freyja the Lady is reborn of herself at Yule. Her blessing was invoked on all birthing women. A white candle that last burned on Mother Night is a charm for safe childbirth.


In the North Yule logs were burned because they were believed to “magically” make the sun burn brighter and Minstrel poets would sings about ancient legends.

“Listen my children come gather ye round
For I have a fine story to tell
One of Vikings and Lords and mystical fjords
And woman (how appropriate), named Hel

Of the Yggdrasil tree ever pure ever green
With leaves that never wither or die
Look closely tonight, in that darkest of nights
Can you see the Norns weaver your fate in the Sky?

In honor of Freyja put a Yule log on the fire
For fallen Berserkers let them hear your proud screams
And the Bilfrost Bridge just over the ridge
Will lead you to the land of you dreams

Keep holy always the Mother night
Winter Solstice, the Return of the Sun
Why even the Christians who stole our traditions
Partake in this glorious fun.” ---Love Mom

What A Freakin' Day

My day started out as complete madness at work because we are preparing to shut down for two weeks. My boss can't access the Internet from home, so he's instant messaging me wanting me to check my IP address dot com, the IT guy is on the phone, I get hold of the purchasing manager because Verizon has switched us from static to dynamic again on our IP address, I'm trying to balance the backlog, the new guy is having problems preparing a data package, the controller didn't show up AGAIN so I assist the president in obtaining a document for a banker. I have a lady clogging in the office next to me, it rained so hard my window leaked and all my binders of invoices, procedures and MSDS sheets are swollen from rain and I missed the truck and didn't get my freaking Dr. Pepper. I guess, what I'm trying to say is I needed a monkey and a football by noon.

So, I put out the metaphorical fire and managed to get home without killing and some guy even showed up dressed like Santa with an elf in tow and wanted to take a picture with me. WTF? He was from some temp agency and he's drumming up business and he had candy for our controller who didn't show up so I passed out truffles to everyone. Made my day. Quite honestly, I hope Santa shits in his stocking.

And two people brought me Dr. Pepper's because they knew I needed it.

That's why I love this place, madness and all.

Then I come home and sit down and realize I didn't deposit Mom's check at the bank. Mother is a stickler about these things and she wont rest until she knows I haven't lost it. Apparently, she still thinks I keep money in my shoe. So, I decide to deposit the check and go to Smart and Final for some last minute supplies for the Christmas eve party.

You know how those pesky ATM's never have envelopes when you need them? Well, I had put in my ATM card and started my deposit transaction when I realized there were no envelopes. So I go to the next ATM retrieve an envelope and walk back and the ATM that took my card now reads:

TEMPORARILY UNAVAILABLE, PLEASE USE ANOTHER BANK OF AMERICA ATM

I hear the drawers clanking around and I can hear people so I yell through the slot that took my card, "Hey, give me my card back, please." Which alarmed the man two ATM's over. I wait for several minutes and then I go to the bank door and it's locked, yet there are people in there and I wonder if perhaps this is a bad dream. I'm banging on the door and a man comes to the door and TALKS TO ME THROUGH THE CRACK! As if I was a bank robber or something. I explain to him my situation THROUGH SAID CRACK and he looks pissed like I've inconvenienced him.


So, I'm standing there waiting like an idiot trying to make idle conversation with anyone who wandered up because I know I would be nervous at someone just hanging around an ATM and the more I explained my real story the more nervous people became. Then I just acted crazy for shits and giggles, plus it was freaking cold. I told one man I thought Ted Kazinsky was on to something and another that I was at that ATM every night between 6 and 8 performing stand-up comedy.

The cranky man from the bank starts talking to me from the other side of the ATM and it appears to others not in close proximity that I am now having a conversation with an inanimate conversation, arm gestures and all.

My card had somehow managed to fall between the drawer and the slot I placed it in and the cranky man retreived it with a long piece of wire and mass quantities of scotch tape. He was quite pleased with himself and this cheered him up.

So, how was your day?

Family, The Ties That Bind and Gag

Went to see Mother today on my lunch hour. I had worn a dress to work so I wanted her to see me as I looked ever so pretty. So, the one freakin day of the year I wear a dress and she's got me climbing a freakin ladder to replace a light bulb. All I could think was "don't fall and ruin your epidural". Mother was quite pleased that the light bulb hadn't been changed in 14 years. Which gives you an idea as to how often she uses it and how many dead bugs were in the fixture. Which she had to wash and I had to remain on the ladder, for some insane reason. As if I wouldn't remember where the screws went, I guess. Forty seven and she still treat me like a kid.

And before I engaged in ladder climbing and told mother not to climb on the chair my brother had called so we started to get caught up with each others lives and she takes the phone from me and tells Michael, I've got a job for Becky to do so she'll call you when she gets back to work and I had to say bye. I felt just like Elaine on Seinfeld when she couldn't go with Jerry because she had to buy Mr. Pitt some SOCKS!

But I had a great weekend. My knitster sisters came over and John taught Cheryl how to bowl. And to be honest I think she's hooked! She's probably out buying bowling shoes as I write this. And John gave Terry some pointers for Jesse and I caught Sean checking her out, again. My boys came over and we had a house full so I didn't get a chance to bowl with Cheryl but we will do it again because in two days I will be off for two weeks! I won't know what to do with myself.

John promised that the tile would be laid by Sunday before the girls arrived so naturally, the last tile was laid today. There it is in all it's glory. It hasn't even been grouted or sealed yet and he thinks this place will be ready for a Christmas Eve party.



I have my reservations, but what I want to know is



Does this Central Park Hoodie make my ass look big? Yes, I actually finished it.

Well, I better go check on John he's doing something in the attic and either he's hurt or he's turning Japanese.

Just Another Thursday!

Called Mom today to check in with her as is my usual morning routine. Last week there was a drive-by in her neighborhood and this week she got an obscene phone call. Never a dull moment with this woman.

Who, makes obscene phone calls in this day and age? That is so 80's. But any who, the caller was mumbling and breathing hard and mother asked "Who is this?" "What do you want?" The caller replied with a question, "Do you like dick?"

Mother replied, "You mean, Dick Chaney? Is this some sort of Republican Poll?"

That woman cracks me up and I want to be just like her when I grow up.

And speaking of whack jobs, we had an individual walk into the office this afternoon who was out of his mind on drugs. He had on green cowboy boots and shorts and claimed to be on heroin, cocaine, marijuana and alcohol. He said he fell and hurt himself. I don't know how you could feel anything with that in your system, but then again he looked to be in his twenties and said he was ten. So, I'm thinking mental illness because, really, green boots and shorts! I mean, come on!

The police were called and the individual kept asking the president if he was a police officer. The police arrived and they in turn called the paramedics and the Fire Department. What must the neighbors think? The police officer actually knew him on a first name basis and with all the commotion I tried to see if the paramedics would front me a morphine drip. I'm kidding! No, I'm not! Shut up and finish the story.

Suddenly, every employee in the plant had to come to the front office and were placing wagers on who bit the big one. Big money was on a certain someone who is retiring this month. And every one had to see those green boots!

Man, I love my job.