my 2008 theme song

thursday evening

almost 9PM...where the hell did the damn day go?

i DID get my drivers license renewed.

and NO, that pic will NOT be posted!

wednesday

so, we made it through THE DINNER.

i was good and well behaved. ya'll would have been proud. we took a ton of pics which still have to be downloaded, so it may be a day or 2 before they show up here, but they will...as will, the fairy tale or as we've taken to call it: mama's bad day blues and cautionary tale

happy day after, sugarpies! ;-)

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

yikes!

sorry, m'loverlies...i've been remiss!
yes, yes, i know i left you with a cliffhanger.
yes, yes, i know that isn't fair.

BUT, here's the deal...

small town readership.

but, seriously, i'm sure EVERYONE can relate...EVERYONE has probably had the same situation...EVERYONE has one &%^#$@* relative who, as doc maroon said, knows how to push your buttons and does!


but i will continue working on my fairy tale (wink, wink, nudge, nudge)

in fact, that might be my contribution to the storyteller's blog next year!

working title

some things are far too insane to write about...we all know this...yeah, that's right FAMILY stuff...not the MITM or the rest of the corleone crew...the extended family.

i'll say no more

not right now anyway. . .




BUT, i will be writing about what happened today soon!

saturday morning in savannah

big excitement in my little town! check out the local coverage. . .

IMPLOSION!

how does it happen?

friday?

already?

sorry, i've been so out-of-touch of late. i've read a few blogs, perhaps even commented, but i've yet to respond to your comments here. i apologize. i will try to correct that today!

after a very harrowing week, the MITM & i have finished a project and all we can do is wait for the results. my contribution is nowhere near as great as his, but we share the burdens and the rewards equally, so it's done and we can relax. last night was the first real break...we watched movies! one thriller and then, one comedy...it was good to laugh again.

i am reminded of how good my life is in the grand scheme of life.

i am thankful every day.

more later.

mid-week

i had a long, thoughtful post in mind, in fact, i wrote it out last night (mentally, of course) and now, in the clear light of day, it is gone.

i'll be back with something later.

it's not as bad as it seems, right?

turn off the news.

update:

ya'll are always good for a laugh...

somebody tell a joke

(i won't ask which movie cos we all know where the line is from)

you reap what you sow. . .

yes, it's true... super nana sent this card! she is coming home for the holidays! there will probably be some guest blogging.

but you never know

december countdown...

almost the end of the year.

almost my birthday.

what does that mean?

movie time!

our personal family favorite:

the ref

nothing like denis leary for holiday cheer, darlins!

and your favorite seasonal flick?

you know what day it is....

AND anon boxer is having a weekend-starting-today-and-going-until-monday-or-you-passout BLOG PARTY!

go on over...i'll meet y'all there at some point!

i am alive

sometimes life grabs hold and all you can do is tread water to keep from sinking!

regular posting will resume shortly.

thanks again for all your kind words and also, emails asking "wtf am i/was i?"

thank you

i know it's about words, but these were too good to not post (sorry, e@l)! last year on this date i started this blog and everyday has been an adventure with all ya'll, not only here but on every blog that's listed on the blogroll. james lipton wrote that blogging is like walking into a room and finding friends you didn't even know you had!

and for that, i am eternally grateful!

anticipation

tomorrow marks one year.

28nov update and public thank you for reading!

indy
tc
merisi
anonymous boxer
fresh hell
have the t-shirt
tony
ellie
paddy
istvanski
manuel

istvanski said it most perfectly...we're meeting for drinks later at the bar! ;-)

part 2

abandoned courtesy of waiter rant

here we go again. . .

another week. only this time the MITM has jury duty. he's sitting over at the court house waiting to see if he'll be chosen or dismissed for today. i've been called, but never chosen. the last time i was dismissed during the voir dire because i knew the prosecuting attorney, the judge, her clerk and three of the bailiffs, socially of course! anyway, for me, jury duty is like voting, one of the requirements of a civil society and certainly of a democracy. i know, we could debate the concept of our particular judicial system and how it has been perverted by (fill in the blank) BUT considering some other systems being used around the world, ok and in other states here in the usa, there is still an opportunity for justice and judicial reform.

it's monday, i'm in a reformation frame of mind. yeah, it's reformation, not revolution, we need to look at for our salvation. there is some value in the system, we still have the capacity for change and growth.

or am i just a pollyanna?

sunday

newspapers & football.

that's pretty much the day here.

well, there's been more, but nothing exciting,
in fact, barely interesting.

thank you for reading this far.

down I-95 . . .

and through the swamps to see family. the MITM's brother's family is there, yes, visiting the in-laws for another thanksgiving dinner and bringing my mother-in-law, too. a two hour trip....

why am i humming the theme song from gilligan's island?

the day after

give thanks you're alive and for those you love and who love you, don't wait for a congressionally approved holiday to be grateful. try that every day.

give comfort to those in need.

share what you have.

be nice.

oh yeah, almost forgot

my fellow americans. . .

happy day before black friday!

or for you traditionalists. . .

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

close, but no cigar

i missed yesterday!

damndamndamn.

that's the way i like it...

the MITM has settled back into being at home.

he fixed prince edward island mussels steamed in white wine with a fresh baguette on the side for a late lunch.

and all because i asked him to go the grocery store with me.

(i'm making lamb shanks for supper tomorrow.)

if you ever see this...

buy it! great wine for a quiet night or with food...

*aren't cellphone cameras a novel invention?*

sunday

woke up

decided i wasn't doing anything that required dressing up or going out

read some of the paper

had breakfast

read some more of the paper

watched the sunday morning show on cbs

watched nfl sunday on fox

had lunch

watched american football

(the saints lost, we are very sad)

had supper

decided against watching the 8pm game

decided i'd tell all ya'll what an exciting day we had while the MITM is talking to his mama on the phone.

what did you do?

the week in review or no smart e cards today

i had this plan to blog every day during the month of november, but informally not as part of a planned/signup/put major pressure on yourself deal. turns out it was just as much pressure anyhow! anyway, instead of a meme, i used e-cards. funny, sure, but isn't blogging supposed to be about words? so, now at almost 8am, with the sounds of yo yo ma and his incredible cello floating up the stairwell and saturday morning on cnn chatter a strange counterpoint to the beauty here i am trying to explain my lack of words.

i could give the events of the week a dramatic flair because drama played a part in the unfolding of events, certainly comedy happened, including a funny bee sting scene straight out of a sitcom or i could just say. . .

~~~~00~~~~

back...it's now 1243...i got sidetracked. breakfast, phone calls, the paper..you know, saturday stuff.

and i forgot where i was going with this post.

damn, i hate when that happens

~~~~~~~~00~~~~~~~~

found this over at anon. boxer's:

“Don't spend time beating on a wall, hoping to transform it into a door.”

~Coco Chanel

you know what they say about pictures...

thursday or back at work

this bit of banksy sums up today for the MITM...work, work work...i'd only add...what's next? locusts?

he's been really busy!

back in the high life again...

you know you've been married too long, but to the right person when after a discussion on who was right about downloading firefox months ago and you (meaning ME) made the right decision and your fellow conversationalist (meaning HIM) didn't and is reduced to spurting "well, well, well..i mean...well..ok, i didn't" followed by, "ok, are you gonna blog about this now?"

life is good...and he really is such great material!

what i'm doing now

internal clocks. . .

funny how they work. it's 3am here and 8am there. he wouldn't wake me, but i knew he'd be packing...so, of course, i called! some traditions must be upheld.

he's home tonight.

i'm going back to bed, i'll be back later.

~~~~00~~~~
1710 update

well, i did finally wake up, finished some errands, yes, bought some MORE flowers AND now, just kinda waiting for his plane to land in atlanta..and then the short flight home. i am a hopeless romantic, but then, so is he...we just play the cynics on tv! ;-)

hope

the MITM sent me this yesterday (one of the joys of technology - file transfer via IM) anyway, after yesterday and before today's parade, it seemed a good thing to start the day with hope.

now, let's get this party started!

11th hour, 11th day, 11th month

everyone knows the poem, but not everyone remembers or even knows the story behind the writing of In Flanders Field. i had planned on posting this tomorrow, but given world events, it seemed the right time.

i celebrate life by not forgetting the dead.

happy birthday, sonny

today is #1 son's birthday...36 years old TODAY!



of course, i was just a child when i gave birth to him

another test...but then again, it is saturday

courtesy of the good cap'n dyke

What Your Handwriting Says About You

You are a fairly energetic person. You know how do pace yourself, and you deal well with stress. You are somewhat outgoing, but you're not a natural extrovert. You think first before you act. You tend to be independent, rational, and logical. You are extravagant, over the top, and indulgent. You set trends and influence people. You need a bit of space in your life, but you're not a recluse. You expect people to give you a small amount of privacy, and you respect their privacy as well. You are somewhat traditional, but you are also open to change. You listen to your head and your heart. You are a poor communicator. No one really knows exactly what you're getting at.

What Does Your Handwriting Say About You?

i do take exception to the last bit, i must say!

~~~~~~00~~~~~~~~

ok, i figured i owed ya'll an explanation for days of tests and lots of pictures taken by the MITM, instead of writing a real post. i thought i might try posting everyday during november, but without the pressure of being part of the NaBloPoMo thing, so there it is, my explanation and sort of apology...go read fresh hell, she's seriously posting...and good stuff, too!

friday follies!!! or date night with savannah

thanks to the adorable miss frou frou i am pleased to submit for your approval find your movie genre!

The Movie Of Your Life Is An Indie Flick

You do things your own way - and it's made for colorful times. Your life hasn't turned out how anyone expected, thank goodness! Your best movie matches: Clerks, Garden State, Napoleon Dynamite

If Your Life Was a Movie, What Genre Would It Be?

~~~~~~00~~~~~~~~

this is so not working out well...i'm still in my robe and fuzzy socks (yeah, ain't that the glam image ya'll have of me?) it's friggin cold outside and i have to do the right thing. i want to be irresponsible or barring that, incompetent? inept? insane? just not ... me today

groovy, baby

london calling

images courtesy of the MITM

oh, yeah, there are more...

Oh, the questions of a thousand dreams, what you do and what you see. . .

technorati ratings: how? why?

Authority: 46

Rank: 170,597

what does this mean??????

it's a Q&A type of day

next question

why wasn't this taken seriously? i saw it on the cnn crawl and then spent 20 minutes trying to find the story!

statement of fact:

conversations that begin with: "i've got good news and bad" never have either, nor do they end with any positive resolution. fortunately, none of this is personal, it's all business..but rather than rant and rave outloud i thought i'd just pound the keys and share with all ya'll! i mean, what the hell is going on? did everyone take some sort of goofy pill this morning and forget to share?

how did i miss these guys?

thanks to the good doctor maroon, i'll finally get to see them!

day 2

i can't even bear to think of this day. just the name alone makes me want to crawl back into bed and pull the duvet over my head. it's too early to be checking mail, looking at the news, blogging/whining (can you tell i am so not a morning person?)

save yourselves, come back later!!!

~~~~~~~~~00~~~~~~~~
0952 update

can i tell you just how wonderful this blog community is? this group of far flung friends? within this past hour, i sent an email off to someone in london and within minutes, not only had she replied, but had called to get specific info for me to give to the MITM (he's in london on business) anyway, he's on his way and hopefully, everything will be ok. thanks, romo, you're a peach, sugar!


~~~~~~~~~~~~~00~~~~~~~~~
1023 update

i hate waiting, but then ya'll already knew that. i have both phones with me, i've been up and down the stairs at least 4 times and i'm on my third cup of coffee. i think i need some toast. or a yogurt. or a BIGFATGOOEYCHOCOLATEBROWNIE or not

and it's been barely 30 minutes.

1047 update

everything's a-ok!

fall back

i hate when this happens...all the news reminders to remember to set your clock back 1 hour before you go to bed. since last week they've been reminding everyone...not this weekend, but next weekend yes, yes, of course, i'll remember, but did i? noooooooo, of course not!

i'm going back to bed.

~~~~~00~~~~~

nfl sunday update:
only one game to concern yourselves about today, darlin's! new orleans saints over the jacksonville jaguars..yeah, i know the saints are 3-4 and the jags are 5-2...not a concern...the saints are playing at home, baby! it's week 9 and the saints are gonna take it!

yeah, babyeeeeeee! and the final score 24-41 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS!!!

another day, another post

conversations with a certain teacher last night were most enlightening. said teacher turned a corner in her professional life and has emerged stronger and more resilient than she knows right now. but what saddened us both, was the fact that some things don't change in a community, they just adopt a new disguise/persona, but it's still the sos, dd. we might discuss this further here later, but not now. she's ok and bottomline..on monday, she still has a job and the respect of her peers...i'll say no more, but not everyone involved can say the same *wink, wink*

i'll be back later...time for a little walk

~~~~~00~~~~~
1226 update: sunny, bit nippy outside, so i did a bit of tidying up outside instead of a walk. i think i'm going to have to replace all the plants on the back porch, my convalescence seems to have spelled the death of all things living out there. we'll see if anything recovers by tomorrow. if not, then it's a sunday at the garden department of the home depot for me.

any suggestions for easy care gardening? i'll have a coffee while you consider your answers!

friday

first , i want to tell all ya'll thank you for your words of support yesterday. i did, indeed, turn off the news, tossed aside the newspapers and news magazines, journals and assorted pamphlets of doom and despair. i drank free trade coffee, had a lovely chocolate croissant, bought some fresh flowers and came home refreshed.

good things did happen yesterday and will again today. i mean, hell, gimme found his beloved hardcore motherfucker and rose up to her rescue! tc wrote yet another installment of her engrossing tale for 3 word wednesday (which doesn't always happen on wednesday) and that's just 2 good things, but i think you see where i'm going with this...sometimes, we just need to let go and revel in joy and just be like the water.

i'll see ya'll later.

~~~~~~~~~~~~00~~~~~~~~~~

later has arrived... it was really a gorgeous day out here in savannah. perfect strolling weather. we wandered down the main drag and did a bit of shopping. had lunch out and just enjoyed the day!

take some time this weekend to see things with new eyes...i promise you, it will be a delight!

my day of the dead offering

~~~~~~~~00~~~~~~~~~

so, i've been reading and wandering and generally, not doing any work for the past couple of hours and it seems to me that i am not alone in looking forward to the end of this year and the beginning of the next. it's been hellish for more than a few people of my acquaintance. i can't even begin to talk about the larger global calamity 2007 has been. where's the good news, people? i am starting to lose hope and faith in the future. not to the edge of despair...yet


maybe i just need another cup of coffee.

don't get off the boat...

at some point, you just have to follow that dictum! when events align against you, when roadblocks/stumbling blocks occur with a regularity that is to be unbelievable, you just have to stop and reconsider your next move...do not pass go, because you will not collect $200, you will not ease on down the road and you most definitely will not follow the yellow brick road!

the beginning of the holiday season

ok, so there it is, my contribution to the beginning of the insanity.

regular posting will resume eventually

thought for the day

monday morning madness

yesterday: the boston red sox swept the world series with a victory over the colorado rockies.

yesterday: the new orleans saints rolled over the san francisco 49ers 31-10.

today: the MITM is stuck in paris because of the air france strike.

guess which one is my highest priority today. . .

update 0842:

so, he got up to the af counter and yep, that's right...at that very moment, the terminal went under alert and had to be evacuated! so, he's still at cdg trying to find someplace to grab something to eat that doesn't have a 45 minute wait.

so while i'm hold with af, i'm listening to istvanski's depcast 9 go have a listen, yeah, i'll be here...on hold...on the phone...again

1336 update:

AIR FRANCE PUT HIM ON A PLANE! he's on his way to london as i type!
point of clarification:

the MITM isn't on his way home yet, he's stuck in paris on his way to london...it's business, not personal!

sunday

i have one word for ya'll today:

O-U-C-H!!!!!!

no one said walking would be so difficult and painful two days later!

and you wonder why i blog. . .

because some days, you'll come across a comment that literally makes you laugh out loud...for a long time!

from kim ayres on reading friday's entry: So does this mean we've seen you beyond naked?

ya'll are too funny!

*back to saturday chores*

update at 1508...

who knew that being able to take care of your own house would be such a gratifying piece of business? i wonder how long before THIS bit of domesticity wears off?

*moving right along*

because dr phil asked for it, you're now looking at yet another beyond naked view of me.

i'm free to do what i want any old time!!!!

yep, it's fine! tiny bit puffy but, doc said it healed perfectly! the boot has been retired and i am wearing my own shoes...both of them! thanks for your good thoughts/vibes!

oh, hell yeah!!!

dance with me, henry!

something new to listen to!

the wonderful kim, the rambling bearded one put this lovely site up recently. go over and hear bloggers reading their own stories, fables and high tales out loud! 'tis a most pleasurable experience!

it's a sign...

of what, i don't know, BUT...

it's raining.

it's 0353.

i'm awake.

my appointment is at 1345.

this ain't right!






(i am the biggest worrywartchickenlittlewimp in the world!)


(it's ok, feel free to laugh!)


(i am.)


(and now with that, i am going back to bed!)

here's what's going on down heah

..this weekend...

light, camera, action

not a bad place to be sometimes, but i'm starting to get restless. maybe it's the isolation and inability to move around as i'd like when i liked. or maybe because i'm tired of being alone in this house. or maybe just it's my day to be sad/down/unhappy/depressed...or maybe it's just the fear of what tomorrow might bring..that the doc will say i need more time with the boot on...

i need a movie/chocolate/a good cry...and maybe not in that order.

because dive was talking about it...

(thanks, dee dee)

...and that's what these people heard



and sometimes they listened.

guess who?

it's super nana in the green bin with the groucho glasses!

today is her birthday!

and this is what she got...



and yes, she'll be getting a birthday present eventually

today a good man passed away

take a moment and consider this: a 36 year old man who was someone's son, father to 2 children, a friend to my daughter and teacher to many students at her school went to work and had a heart attack in front of his students this morning. his family is devastated, his children are fatherless and his students, colleagues and friends are reeling from the loss.

take care of yourselves, don't put off seeing your doctor, examine your habits and correct what you can now. you don't know what tomorrow will bring.

and please, stop by super nana's and read her tribute to chris price. she could use your kind words right about now. . .

UPDATE:

from Super Nana said...

Thank You all so much for your words. I tried to explain to my students that people all over the world were mourning the loss of this man. I love you for your kindness and you all help me stay strong. And thank you for your continued love and support of my mother. Without her I am nothing.

tv, teachers, and hey, that's my kid!

last night i received an email from super nana. ok, so what's new about that, you might be asking yourself...well, it was a videoclip from a certain television station out in lalaland...and yep, there she was being interviewed at her charter school, in her classroom, with her 9th grade english class, discussing a neruda poem she'd snagged from my blog! now, why isn't this clip or at least a link posted here for all ya'll to see?

because, as the reporter took pains to explain..it was 80's day at the school which meant that students AND teachers dressed up...and whoa, standing at the front of the class, there's our favorite teacher dressed like a siousxie and the banshees wannabe and somehow, i just can't be the one to put that image out there...unless, of course, all ya'll twist my arm and make me do it. . .

here's siousxie

week 7

just because it happened! yep, that's right, the new orleans saints took it 22-16 over the atlanta falcons! and next week they play the san francisco 49er's...it could happen for the saints...they could take the rest of the season!

nina says it all...

south africa won the 2007 rugby world cup!

and it's an excuse for me to post some more smartass e-cards!!!




now, in the spirit of friendship and hands across the seas...save these and use them after super bowl sunday (february 3rd, 2008) because you know i'll tell you which team i'll be rooting for!

sounds

one of my favorite reads has spun off a new site, yep, dear kim and his ramblings of the bearded one has started an audio site! now you can hear other bloggers read their favorite stories here at the story tellers blog! what with the vlog's that are happening over at tony's and that cynical bastard, jay's place we'll soon be able to pick each other out in any crowd, just by the dulcet tones of all our lovely accents, sugar!

another find today was over at dh's a really cool video he nicked from tony anyway, ya'll have probably seen it already since we seem to be an incredibly close lot sometimes, but in a good way...

back later. . .

~~~~~~~
let someone far away hear the sound of your voice today...if there's a chance to say something nice to another person, do it. make someone smile today!

in anticipation. . .

of the weekend!



there will probably be another post today...after i get some sleep

~~~~~~~~~~

it's raining here, has been since last night. not a hard, pounding rain, just a constant drizzle and it's warm, yep...78 degrees and climbing! hot, humid and overcast...perfect day for movie watching.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~
late post and guess what showed up from netflix? three dorothy sayers mysteries..yep, besides shoes, i'm a sucker for english who-done-it's...lord peter whimsey and miss harriet vane! and a slice of death by chocolate cake (courtesy of a dear friend) and my gloom lifted and i am truly inspired!

for now. . .

so, of course, the weekend question is...what's your secret delight? i promise i won't tell a soul...but, come on...

dish, sugar! you can tell lil ole me

thursday or the begining of the end...

i've started the countdown! yep, in eight days i go back to what will, hopefully, be my last visit to the orthopedist! so, no more gloom, the end is in sight, there is a light at the end of this tunnel...or not...i mean, what if he says it's healed improperly? what if he has to actually do something to my foot? what if i have to wear some other type of bondage apparel? (sounds kinky, but trust me, it ain't)

O-H-M-Y-G-A-W-D!!!!!!


even worse...

what
if
i
can't
wear
high
heels

anymore?????????

i'm faint,
i am not well,

i am going to die!!!!

my beautiful shoes...have i told you about my shoes?

*sighing* yes, i am a shoe freak...shoes are the only things i LOVE shopping for..they are my downfall, yep, i've got them all...kitten heels, slingbacks, mules, strappy sandals, CFM pumps, ballet flats and more...i'll stop anywhere any time to gaze at a display of shoes, ask the MITM, he'll tell you...we can be walking down a street having a lovely conversation and then poof...i'm gone...he'll turn and yep, there i am, a few steps behind him..gazing lovingly at a display...i mean, i'll even look at mens shoes, childrens shoes...orthopedic shoes ...shoes fascinate me...but i do draw the line at crocs! back to shoes...i have to decide which left shoe to wear today...

i'll be back later.

~~~~~~~~
i knew it..yesterday was post 300...i didn't look until just now. appropriate topic for the milestone.

~~~~~~~~

go over right now and read this! manuel has found yet another story that needs to be shared! and while you're over at his place, check out his new tv show!!!

(go on...i'll wait)

hump day...

as in middle of the week, you silly monkeys! (i fell asleep last night while watching craig ferguson)(ya'll know how much i adore him, i mean , his voice)

anyway, today whilst talking to super nana i found out that she was inspired to use a poem i had posted here in her english class! neruda is absolutely the best for sparking the imagination/mind of teenagers or anyone for that matter...and that's what it's really all about in the end lighting the fire.

here's to teachers across the world!

ps. there's a popular bumper sticker that shows up around election time. it says: "if you can read this, thank a teacher!"

minor set back...

i've spent pretty much all of today (currently 1639h) slightly loopy, i.e. legitimately medicated...bad night full of dreams - the last one caused me to wake screaming! twisted my foot when i woke and it seems i somehow jerked my right side out of line...i really don't do well with little pain. i know, it could be worse, i'm 10 days away from the seeing the orthopedist and a full and complete recovery, so what's my problem? besides the fact that i'm completely dependent on others and that i have a major case of cabin fever...any ideas? suggestions, anecdotes?

channeling scarlett now

1847h update:

thanks to adjility! forget scarlett, it's all about christopher walken!

for mago

time

as i started this post i saw a note from blogger saying "scheduled outage at 4pm pdt" so what did i do? check my watch? check the computer clock? no, mac gurlie that i am...let's open the widgets! which is what i did..and there they were all of my little clocks for time around the world on my screen! i love my mac!

i know there are a few of you out there on macs (hey, that's what the sitemeter says) so what about the rest of you? why haven't you converted to the glories of all things MAC? ;-)

look what i found!

found this over at rhian's and she found it someplace else, but bottomline....we now have a new place for smartass cards!!!

it was in the garden of eden

*taken by the MITM*

looking at numbers

milestones come and go.

sometimes we acknowledge them and others we let slip by quietly, only noticed mentally and then forgotten. i am 7 posts away from 300 and that surprises me! i looked at my early posts and the comments that were left...always supportive and encouraging and probably why i'm looking at 300 soon.

thanks indy and expat@large. and thanks to all of YOU for reading, commenting and sharing.

so, of course, i'll totally forget the actual number, but then would you expect anything else?


BUT, more importantly....tonight it's new orleans @ seattle ...that's right saints v. seahawks ...i'm hoping that week 6 brings the saints a victory.

the pause that refreshes or . . .

thanks to all ya'll for not only stopping by, but for leaving notes of support/good cheer!

anonymous boxer
tony
paddy
tallulahbloom
mago
dive
kim ayres
tc
super nana
ellie
dr maroon
manuel
istvanski

and also, thanks to those of you who didn't comment, but dropped by during my hiatus ;-)

things are on track, work has been completed and even though i'm still sporting major hardware...i feel so much better!

BUT, something did happen while i was off daydreaming, i mean working, our fellow blogger and wit has decided to step away, so drop by paddy's and leave him a farewell note! i hope even though he's taking a blogging break, he'll still continue to read and comment! his swan song today:

miss otis regrets

ok, so it's late tuesday...and here i am posting...posting to tell all ya'll that i'm taking some personal days...

i'll be back in a couple, or so..or maybe just 1.

i'm just not sure.

be well.

and be nice whenever you can.

it all started with neruda

If You Forget Me

I want you to know
one thing.

You know how this is:
if I look
at the crystal moon, at the red branch
of the slow autumn at my window,
if I touch
near the fire
the impalpable ash
or the wrinkled body of the log,
everything carries me to you,
as if everything that exists,
aromas, light, metals,
were little boats
that sail
toward those isles of yours that wait for me.

Well, now,
if little by little you stop loving me
I shall stop loving you little by little.

If suddenly
you forget me
do not look for me,
for I shall already have forgotten you.

If you think it long and mad,
the wind of banners
that passes through my life,
and you decide
to leave me at the shore
of the heart where I have roots,
remember
that on that day,
at that hour,
I shall lift my arms
and my roots will set off
to seek another land.

But
if each day,
each hour,
you feel that you are destined for me
with implacable sweetness,
if each day a flower
climbs up to your lips to seek me,
ah my love, ah my own,
in me all that fire is repeated,
in me nothing is extinguished or forgotten,
my love feeds on your love, beloved,
and as long as you live it will be in your arms
without leaving mine.

Pablo Neruda

to whom it may concern

taking today off to continue vegging out in front of the tv watching football (yeah, that's right OUR GAME/OUR NAME) and design shows...

(yeah, hunt for red october and any given sunday are on the movie rotation, too!)

finally...

a google search that brought someone HERE...guess what the words were:


saturday stuck inside with broken foot


i am sooooooo feeling it...only thing going for me today is that it's RAINING AGAIN!


...ok, i'm done, back to reading...and watching movies....

and


listening to james taylor

urban eye or what i read in the new york times

george clooney yep, the gentleman has a new movie out today...and this review is stunning! the writing has to be some of the best i've read in ages.

a capital idea for women micro loans for women here in the us! actually, this is a variation on the grameen bank developed and used to assist the very poor in undeveloped and developing countries. the difference is in the amounts of the micro loans.

and finally, on the the kite runner draw your own conclusions...there is no simple answer and it's just a movie! nothing is ever as easy as it seems.

~~~~~~~~~*******~~~~~~~~

she was one of the first blogs i read and now, thanks to tallulah, i've found her again. stop by petité's blog and read her new found literary discovery (you know the drill, you have to go look..i'm not telling)

early risers lament

sitemeters at 0345 are not a good thing to look at...you wonder how
someone in new delhi found you, but even more about why more familiar locations/people haven't shown up in ages...damn, i liked it better when i was going to bed at this hour, rather than waking up.

wandering

i've been visiting and reading and commenting..but mostly reading. today has been one of retrospection not only for me, but it seems many of you, too. is it the change of seasons, as nemoo/enrique said the other day? or is that we're all on some sort of cosmic brainwave? you know like minds sort of thing? i haven't a clue at times...about anything. indy is posting his 5 maxims of life, (an aside, t shirt gal has a great post on writing)...i could go on, but you get my drift ( i hope) oh yeah, then there was knudsen going on about his hypothetical question (go take a look) and almost all who answered had the same response...(go read it, i'm not telling) anyway, so here i am/we are...is it seasonal? beginning of fall/winter or spring/summer depending on your location...or are we all just tuned into the same radio show? or is this all part of dh's novel?

oh yeah, stay away from the media...talk about depressing. but if you must read/watch/listen to the news...go over and read swf42! talk about a hoot & a half (which is southern for really funny!)

2000 update
drop by tallulah's SHE'S ENGAGED!!!! i love weddings. . .

new material

i have none...that's it...total and complete mental breakdown/failure.


talk amongst yourselves.



i

need

to


go

back


to



bed.


i've got nothing


BUT the cap'n does!

1548 update:

my house is clean!!! i love merry maids

well, ok, then...

Who Should Paint You: M.C. Escher

Open and raw, you would let your true self show for your portrait. And even if your painting turned out a bit dark, it would be honest.

What Artist Should Paint Your Portrait?

been a busy day, but a good one...stopped by rhian's and found this! give it a try...

what next?

found this on daily candy and had to share it with ya'll!

Whimsy Press Greeting Cards

Can a line of greeting cards do justice to the breadth and depth of real human emotion? Yes. Observe a recent scene between a husband and wife, using only text from Whimsy Press’s new line of cards …

Interior, suburban home. WIFE enters.

WIFE (wringing hands): My children are sucking the life force out of me.
HUSBAND (rolling eyes): Save the drama for your mama. Seriously.
WIFE (frowning): What the F? Bite me.
HUSBAND (slamming door): Build a bridge. Get over it. Holla!
WIFE (yelling after him): There are other fish in the sea … and they have better jobs.
HUSBAND (yelling back): Shut up.

Silence. Door opens. HUSBAND enters.

HUSBAND (sheepishly): Have you lost weight?
WIFE (blushing): Shut up.
HUSBAND (more confident): You look so well rested.
WIFE (punching him playfully): Shut up.
HUSBAND (catching her hand): Seriously. I swear.
WIFE (tearing up): Could you be any sweeter?
HUSBAND (gazing into her eyes): We shall overcome.
WIFE (gazing back): That’s how we roll.

Embrace.


Available online at whimsypress.com.

this is going to be a good day and a great week... right?

~~~~~~~~

Buckaroo Banzai: Hey, hey, hey. Don't be mean. We don't have to be mean because, remember, no matter where you go, there you are.

the best government we had. . .

was on television.

sunday follies

drop by dick's place to see julian beever at work! talk about perspective!

early start to a long day, we'll chat again later.

0954 update

everyone wants to know about yesterday's real 1158 update....not yet.

1503 update

(you know we love the parentheticals, don't you? must be a family trait)(and the need to be precise about time, as well)

so, it's another nfl sunday (FOR MY ACROSS THE POND READERS: american football, i know, don't say it...sissy game, not REAL football) but i digress, anyway, conversations with family literally around the globe this morning/afternoon talking about where the SAINTS stand (if you're interested look it up, i don't want to jinx it... NO) and what else is going with this tribe. the MITM is in africa, not fredo is in madrid, and the others are out in lalaland....and here i am stuck in the middle, literally and metaphorically. so where am i going with this? no clue, but it is kind of nice to revel in the sweet sounds of my family, even if for only a few moments on the phone and then read their words on the screen. i really do miss our fall traditions...

*being paged...back later*

cellphone technology

taken yesterday while i was on the phone...who knew you could do such a thing? i really should read the instructions that came with my razr...

~~~~~~~
1158 update

it's a good thing you can save posts to read after you've calmed down...then they serve as a reminder to always think before you hit send/publish...
trust me on this one key thing

it's a family affair...

la petité creole aka super nana...she might be doing a guest blog here sooner or later

friday night lights

if you happen to be in town this weekend...

the coastal jazz association is hosting the 26th annual "savannah jazz fest" it's one of the few free jazz concerts in america. a great outdoor party...we do live well here!

holey moley, it's friday!

wow, i'm glad yesterday is done and i get another chance to do this right! i know it's just a broken foot, but, bless my heart, i'm freaking myself out! yesterday, i was really depressed about this healing process (i know, it's only been a week) spinning all sorts of scenarios about it not healing properly and having to have corrective surgery to what if there's a hurricane and i can't get out in time? what if i fall again and this time it's worst..who'd find me? and when? see what i mean? so, yes, today is another day...

Slow down, you move too fast.
You got to make the morning last.
Just kicking down the cobble stones.
Looking for fun and feelin' groovy.

ok, so maybe that is a bit much to hope for...


i'll be back with my update from the orthopedist

or maybe sooner.

1630hrs update

sooooooooo, it's healing perfectly, the doc is pleased and i'm to see him again in 4 weeks. i also found out i don't have to sleep with the boot on (it was covered with a pillowcase and propped up on 2 pillows), so i'm looking forward to sleeping normally instead of as if i were in a body cast...flat on my back, i mean...

i think i'll look for some ribbons to decorate this boot for the concerts in the park tomorrow!!

things you must learn to say when you've broken a bone...

yes.

ok.

that will be fine.

and always remember: thank you


it's really hard sometimes to let people help you....when you're used to being the helper.

later on that same day....

so, i've been racked out on my couch watching documentaries, but guess where? on the travel channel!!!! in anticipation of halloween we're being treated to all the haunted places in the world! scotland, england, ireland, of course..then turkey (who new?), various and sundry south american sites and yep, good ole savannah...but then i know all the ghostie stories hereabouts...but, honestly? i still cringe..and wonder...beneath my house are shanghai tunnels...the first words of treasure island were penned nearby....the shutters and doors on my house are painted haint blue to ward off evil....at night the gaslight out front flickers casting shadows along the brick sidewalk...the dim light shrouds the yard in a yellowish fog.

every light will be on inside this house tonight.

*insert witty title here*

somebody tell a joke

please.

1044hrs

it's the template...i need to change it...we'll try another color (rather than a black background)

why not...

sweet jane cowboy junkies

Anyone whos ever had a heart
Wouldnt turn around and break it
And anyone whos ever played a part
Wouldnt turn around and hate it
Sweet jane, sweet jane
Sweet, sweet jane

Youre waiting for jimmy down in the alley
Waiting there for him to come back home
Waiting down on the corner
And thinking of ways to get back home
Sweet jane, sweet jane
Sweet, sweet jane

Anyone whos ever had a dream
Anyone whos ever played a part
Anyone whos ever been lonely
And anyone whos ever split apart
Sweet jane, sweet jane
Sweet, sweet jane

Heavenly widened roses
Seem to whisper to me when you smile
Heavenly widened roses
Seem to whisper to me when you smile

La la la la, la la la, etc...

Sweet jane
Sweet, sweet jane

no idea why, but this song has been on my mind all evening...

one week ago

at this moment i was feeling fine and getting ready for a luncheon ...both feet on the floor and trying to decide which shoes to wear...and then it was downhill from there...the "things come in threes" scary stuff was beginning...but here we are, a week to the day later...and it wasn't as bad...we're all ok...and i am climbing out of my funk, (ok, hobbling out, but with a very stylish black cane!) and looking at the bright side...

thanks to paddy for finding van for me!





one of my friends is coming over to have lunch with me and do my laundry! how sweet is that?

The Smart Woman's Conference

Hello Everybody,

Mr. Moose here, filling in for the recently injured Marshmamma. Let me begin with two things right off the bat. Number One, she's going to be just fine. I love the fact that you guys all showed your love in the comments sections, I do. Very heart-warming. But she is going to be o.k. It's a broken foot, it hurts like hell, and it sucks being on crutches: but don't buy any of that "poor crippled old woman" nonsense. Noo, noo, noo. My mom is a tough one - old school.

Number Two, does it strike anyone else as odd that helping an injured loved one these days now includes keeping up their blog? What happened to just making dinner and picking up their dry cleaning? Yes, I'm only thirty-three but even I remember when life was lived much differently. Is it just me, or is the world getting more and more surreal by the day? Although, from what I gather, many of the readers of this blog lived through the Sixties, so maybe you've seen stranger days...

Anyway, the point is this: family is the most important thing. Whether it's your blood family, your adopted family, your internet-blogoverse-disembodied voices family, it's all the same. Someone you love needs help and you help 'em. (Okay, full disclosure here. "Help" in this case has mostly involved cooking large dinners, making coffee, and sitting on the couch watching movies. But hey, I do what I can!)

So yes, I flew out from the sunny, smoggy City of Angels to the rainy, flooded City of Pirates. Yes, flooded. Wrath of God rain falling from the sky and my first task is to help my crutch-laden mother walk across wet, slippery bricks to the car so we could take her to the doctor's. And it was a VERY long walk to the parking lot. We couldn't pull the car up to the door because Lake Pontchartrain decided to relocate in front of the house. But the mission was successful and Marshmamma ended the day in a brand new boot. (Part ski boot, part astronaut shoe, part superhero accessory, the boot has it all. Forget that plaster cast, the future is now!)

Okay, I'm rambling, (but what kind of guest blogger would I be if didn't ramble here of all places?) (and abuse the parentheticals) (!) so I'll wrap it up. Final wisdom? Count your blessings, keep in touch, and watch out for that last step, it's a doozy.

Respect,
Mr Moose

notes from the infirmary

today is sharing day here in the marshland...

this was left by e@l

Happy hobbling: I know it sounds lame, but my sense of humour is very limp. It's like I've got one foot in the grave and no leg to stand on. I've only a toe-hold on reality so give me a kick up the butt and I'll pull my socks up, put my foot down, dig my heels in and hop along casually...

...stay smiling...

the witty fecker! bless his heart!

AND, i said yes to ellie, so i'm taking the liberty of doing a cut & paste on the intsructions...have at it if you'd like and i'll hobble on over to the post and pay it forward

There is a book written by Catherine Ryan Hyde called "Pay It Forward", that has been adapted into a film starring Helen Hunt and Kevin Spacey. The premise is simple. When someone does something nice for you in any way you don't pay that person back, you "pay it forward" by doing something nice for another person. It's kind of like the gift that keeps on giving.So here's how the Blog world version of PIF goes.

I'll send a handmade gift (although my gift may not be made by me I will try to make it personal to the recipient )to the first 3 people who leave a comment on my blog saying they want to play. The only thing you have to do in return is "Pay it Forward" by making the same promise on your blog. If you don't have a blog you would be on the honour system of paying it forward in your day to day life. Of course, eventually I'd need your address to send you your goodies, so you'd need to be willing to part with that.

soooooo, there ya go...first 3 to sign up will help me to share the kindness and generosity of spirit that has been shared with me....or how can you say no to a sad, lonely crippled woman....all alone, and sad, and reaching out to you?

*snickering* hey, at least i didn't go for the cute puppy picture like ellie did!

oh yeah...we might have a guest blogger today...

day 6 or why are joni mitchell lyrics in my head...

0822h and i'm up, cleaned up and dressed...sure, no big deal for all ya'll..but try that on crutches...ain't fun or easy. hey, i'm excited about little things/accomplishments right about now! thanks for the emails of encouragement and comments here. between my friends and family here and then all ya'll out there...i am one damn lucky woman!

thank you.

not sure if i'll post again today, but i'll try..or maybe, i'll ask mr moose to let ya'll know what happened! (wow, he could be my first guest blogger!)

i've fallen and i can't get up...

that feeling of helplessness is overwhelming. i'm here upstairs in the office., yeah, last night or maybe it was this morning, i decided i wanted to sleep in my bed, so being slightly drugged...and alone and having a bazillion steps to climb..i did the old butt walk up the stairs...and here i am telling all ya'll...i have no shame, i know, but isn't it better than a pity party woe is me? anyway...i'm looking at half done projects that i had planned on finishing after i got home from the luncheon yesterday...i guess they'll just have to wait (trying to not freak out here about things not done) and i guess i'll do as ellie said and let others help out because

i
really
have
fallen
and i can't get up....

alone.

i'll be back later...

2327h

so, i made it upstairs using my crutches and in an upright position...and yes, i am very proud of that small accomplishment!!! mr savannah, otherwise known as the MITM called mr moose and asked if he could fly out here and take care of me for a few days after the cast (tomorrow at 1300 EDT) is fitted/whatever the doc decides, so for a few days, i'll have a keeper/caretaker! this has been a crazy week for our family...i feel as if we're going through a really bad spell, so if the old adage is true about bad things happening in threes...we MIGHT be on our way out of the darkness...i swear, you can't make up stuff like this...

what next? locusts?

it's broken...yep, my right foot has a "slight" fracture...i see an orthopedist on friday (day 6), until then i have a splint. now why might you ask do i have to wait until friday? why wasn't it done asap? wellllllllll, because i have hardware, as the doc said, already in my leg from a break 14 yrs. ago and he wants this really, really good ortho to handle this...don't ask, i have no idea why the two are connected, other than it's the same leg and the plate/pins are above the ankle and the fracture below.


this is going to be fun

day 4 or i think it's already wednesday

so, this is an early post from yours truly 0142h here and i'm still awake and marginally laboring in the fields also know as my office. as the MITM said, it ain't like i'm punching a timeclock...minutes, hours, days...they no longer seem to matter. a task/job/assignment has a deadline...i meet it and then it's "NEXT" a crazy life, but my life...and hey, i work from home and some days in my jammies...or with a green facial mask on...ok, only if i KNOW i won't have to talk on the phone...

this day will be an ongoing blog-o-thon

i can feel it already happening

0922h update

going to a luncheon where ellen burstyn is the keynote speaker. it will be interesting to hear a favorite actress speak about her personal journey. has anyone read her book lessons in becoming myself"?

1456 update

great talk by ellen burstyn...in fact, s great, as i was walking to my car afterwards and contemplatig all i'd heard..i tripped..yep...faceplant...scuffed knees..and i'm off to ER to have someone look at my foot...it don't look right!

(sorry, kids and MITM that ya'll are reading this here...i'll talk to all ya'll later)

carry on, questions

the end of my day...lost in the lyrics of another time...

One morning I woke up and I knew
You really gone
A new day, a new way, I knew
I should see it along
Go your way, I'll go mine
Carry on

The sky is clearing and the night
Has gone out
The sun, he come, the world
is all full of light
Rejoice, rejoice, we have no choice
We've got to carry on

The fortunes of fables are able
To sing the song
Now witness the quickness with which
We get along
To sing the blues you've got to live the tunes
Carry on

Carry on
Love is coming
Love is coming to us all


Where are you going now my love?
Where will you be tomorrow?
Will you bring me happiness?
Will you bring me sorrow?
Oh the questions of a thousand dreams
What you do and what you see
Lover can you talk to me?

Girl when I was on my own
Chasing you down
What was it made you run?
Trying your best just to get around.
The questions of a thousand dreams
What you do and what you see
Lover can you talk to me?

David Crosby, Stephen Stills, Graham Nash, & Neil Young

day 3

now i've confused myself! it's tuesday, not wednesday...i was excited thinking friday was almost here! BECAUSE a good friend is getting married on friday here in town and lots of good people will be there to share the joy and celebrate the happy couple. of course, knowing that it's only tuesday means i'm not in a panic because 1. i haven't purchased a gift and 2. i have no clue what i'm going to wear... but i have time ;)

more later...coffee time!


THE RANTING IS ABOUT TO BEGIN!!!

for the last hour i have been subjected to one of the most bizarre radio stations in savannah, not to mention the sounds of power saws, nailguns, swearing men (and none of it creative, i might add) yes, construction is back at full tilt next door...it's incessant, mind numbing and totally intrusive...

sweet jesus it stopped!

is it lunchtime?

1322hours update

dammit, dammit, dammit! it was just lunchtime..they're back

so the choices are: 1. turn up my speakers 2. ask them to lower their music 3. pull out a shotgun

any other suggestions?

BTW...just so we're clear..it isn't the music the guys are listening to that's bugging me...it's the volume and the fact that the sound is garbled because my windows are closed PLUS the powertools AND the GODDAMN YELLING!!! ok, maybe i'm just jealous, they get to work outside, i'm stuck inside (i don't have a laptop) or maybe i'm just grumpy...

but i don't think so...

evening update:

we've been talking about time today here and on other blogs...check out paris parfait two stunningly beautiful poems...

day 2

somehow thinking of monday as the second day of the week makes working slightly easier, but then i'll use any excuse. of the gazillion things on my to do list...5 have been taken care of, so as a reward, i'm taking a break with all ya'll...

no chance to read yet, so maybe i'll do that first.

(i'm working in three different time zones right now...not nice...)

day 1 and counting

today was SUPPOSED to be a chill out/watch the game(s) kinda day...but nope, couldn't do it...there was and is a sense of foreboding about me (that'll teach me to read gimme a minute when i have a impending job with a serious deadline)...but i digress, anyway...in order to start this task, i have to do some prep work totally unrelated to the task (calling my job a task is so much easier than saying w-o-r-k)...i have to clean up my office...yeah, re-organize after a whirlwind hunt-for-red-october search for documents...i think we have far more records/docs/pieces-of-damn-paper than we need...(i need the services of a professional organizer to help get this place in shape).


can you tell i'm already procrastinating?

there's more i want to say, but i think i'll check on the saints/bucs game...


evening update: ok, how funny is the "my blog is worth ..." down at the bottom of my blog? i found it over at simon's how is an amount fixed? anyone know?

day 1

one of my favorite political bloggers has returned! if you haven't read digging deeper you need to NOW! his last three essays should be published on every op-ed page until impeachment proceedings begin!

we'll talk later...

this is what paddy sent me



one of the comments about this was "if you impeach bush, then cheney is command" impeach them both...nancy pelosi would assume office...or we can wait until some rogue nation decides we need a regime change and they come in and take care of it for us...

but, hey. . . we still can discuss these things, right?

new things

music
books

i need to change things around here...again

an observation....are more of ya'll using comment moderation now? did i miss a memo? what's going on????

for merisi

tinto de verano this is one of my favorite summer/warm weather drinks! i still owe you a recipe!

saturday...

where to start, sugar?

long week....lots of things happening. we went to biloxi, mississippi, came home and then had a surprise visit from some of our kids....mr savannah left on wednesday, so there were lots of last minute things to do. it has been hectic.

thanks for the emails and for continuing to check in...your words mean a lot to me.

more later today

so, i'm back. did some tech things finally...loaded firefox, so there are more bells and whistles here, but of course, that means there's MORE tech stuff to learn. been checking in on all ya'll's blogs...prolific bunch, i might add, and fascinating, too! i read dh yesterday and i remembered a comment made ages ago by a colleague when i mentioned burroughs (i guess naked lunch had just hit the movie screen)"burroughs? oh yeah, he wrote the tarzan books" two things hit me again...one, the sad state of education and two, how fortunate many of us are to have received one that allows us to discuss/disparage/appreciate literature. we are privileged, but then i ask myself, does that make me an elitist? or a reader? of course, i don't know jack about nascar and my friends who do think only slightly less of me...which makes them elitists...i'm rambling...

anyway, in the grand scheme of things, w.s.b was a wild man with words...his imagery is still surfacing in my dreams at times...


i'm hungry....

later that evening...

a long nap and the realization that no matter what happens...i can only do the pages i'm given.