thebratqueen | Entries tagged with siam 2010

Snow came pouring down on the region last night. The kicker, though, was the wind gusts. Apparently regular wind was 35 mph and gusts went up to 60 mph. Given the woooooosh of air I kept hearing last night, I absolutely believe it.

Work is closed, not that I was going in anyway. Authorities are telling people to stay off the roads if at all possible. As I mentioned on twitter, I admire their restraint in not adding "You fucking morons."

Currently no snow is falling and the sun is out. I can even see bits of blue sky. I'll be heading out soon to do some shoveling, though some fairy has already cleared off my car. I shall have to find a way to thank said fairy.

They say it's hard to estimate how much snow fell, due to all the wind. The best measurement that they could get was 10 inches, but I can tell you just looking out my window that more than that fell. Something in the neighborhood of 15 seems a more reasonable number.

I spent yesterday knitting a hat and watching six hours of Tales From the Green Valley. I would lay very good odds on me doing similar activities with the rest of the hat and the DVD set once I get some shoveling done.

Current Mood: cheerful

It's snowing up here in the land of Siam. I'm told we'e going to get a blizzard. The first thing I did this morning was get laundry done, because the machines are in another building in the complex and I neither have a sled nor a cat willing to play reindog for me in order to get my clothes back in bad weather.

So clothes are washed and hanging up in my bedroom to dry. Afterwhich was breakfast with proper tea, clementines, and pancakes. As most of you know, normally snow means waffles but at that point I was too hungry to wait to make waffles. I'd made pancakes yesterday and had the leftovers in the freezer, so it was a no-brainer to heat those up instead of waiting for waffles to get done. If there's no work tomorrow I'll try to make waffles then.

Now there is nothing to do but relax. I have snow, I have new DVDs, I have craft projects with no particular deadline because I don't have any more gifts to make, I have cats to cuddle with - all in all a perfect day.

Current Mood: content

It's 86 and humid right now. It is also fall. WTF MOTHER NATURE??

Ahem.

Today has been productive so far, starting with me getting a much-needed haircut and then followed by taking Mac to the vet. We'll get the results of his bloodwork back on Tuesday, but the official word right now is that it looks like Mac is doing awesomely. He's eating, he's energetic, he's affectionate, he's gained two whole pounds since last month - all of the very, very good.

Which is part of why my next step will be to snuggle with him and take a nap. But obviously I had to share the good news.

Current Mood: bouncy

Breakfast today was almost entirely local farm food - honey wheat bread, eggs, apples, cheese, paired with cups of proper tea (the tea not being local). It is the simple joys in life, I tell you.

This meal kicks off my Day of Canning. I canned tomatoes for the first time last year and I have to say the yummy taste they gifted me with through the cold, out-of-season months was well worth the effort. Plus I like shoring up my skills so that when the apocalypse comes people will be willing to keep me around, since god knows with my eyesight there is just no way I'll be able to double tap zombies. I like to contribute, is what I'm saying.

Knock on wood but Mac continues to do okay. he's got a checkup on the 25th, so think good thoughts. Depending on how his health is, I may be able to make it down to the Stewart/Colbert rally on Oct 30. I mention this not as a reason to hope Mac feels well - healthy and happy kitty is reason all on its own - but to answer the question of if I'll be heading down there.

I've reserved a hotel room just in case 8)

Now to start taking care of the tomatoes. Hopefully they're not of the killer variety. Note to self: sharpen knives first.

Current Mood: productive

Today was cool enough that I could open my windows. Then when I got home it was so cool I had to close them a bit so I wouldn't be too cold.

Bliss, I tell you. Bliss.

In other news, Mac continues to be at home and taking meds and other things that we don't talk about too much for fear of jinxing things. There's ups and downs, is the short version. One day he's happily playing with a toy mouse, the next he's sending me into panic attacks because he's not eating.

Supposedly these ups and downs are to be expected, according to what the vet told me. Personally I'd rather not have them.

I'd also like to upgrade Mac and Luna to the immortal option, while I'm at it.

Current Mood: okay

Mac is now being let out of the bedroom. He and Luna are still getting reacquainted with each other and there's been some trial and error on how best to handle the food situation (both Luna and Mac felt more comfortable having separate eating spaces, instead of right next to each other like they did before). But I'm making sure to give everyone praise and individual love and snuggles, so so far so good.

I kept Mac in the bedroom with me last night and may keep on doing that until such time as he decides he doesn't like it. This way I know he's got a solid amount of time where he's the only one who can reach his food dishes, just on the odd chance that Luna starts sneaking some of his food when I'm at work. Not that she's shown any interest so far, but paranoia is my middle name.

Today is the annual BBQ at my co-op complex. Due to all my time and energy being poured into kitty related things I didn't get a chance to make anything. On the other hand I'm donating my grill for cooking purposes so that should hopefully even things out. Today so far is overcast and will supposedly not get too hot, so we lucked out with the weather.

I'll actually need to clean up and get changed to go to the BBQ soon, but at the moment Luna is cuddled in my lap so understandably I won't be going anywhere for a little while.

Current Mood: okay

First things first: 7 days left to sponsor me in my walk for the Bennet Cancer Center. Please? Pretty please? I'll look at you ever so cutely and adorably.

Second, I have land! Well sorta. The co-op I live in started a community garden, so I have a plot of my very own. I'm trying to limit myself to plants I've grown before with some success (tomatoes, herbs) while adding in some new ones just to see how it goes (cucumbers, onions). I figure this year will mostly be a learning experience and any food I get at the end of it will be a bonus.

So far I've put in good dirt, some wire fences to make it look pretty (and make sure I don't accidentally go into my neighbors' plots), and the seedlings. I still need to get cages or trellises or summat to help the tomatoes and cucumbers grow big and tall. (This is when folks who have more gardening experience and wisdom than I are encouraged to chip in on the topic of the best things to use for tomatoes and cucumbers being grown in a raised bed.)

That's the latest for now. I'm still catching up on everything from the week that I was away. In the meanwhile I relax here in my wonderful A/C and remind you that again there are only 7 days left to sponsor me.

*looks cute and adorable*

Current Mood: accomplished

Coming into this late thanks to work, but once again I am walking to support the Bennett Cancer Center. As I am ~~lazy~~ efficient, I shall simply cut and paste from previous entries on the subject:

[T]he Carl & Dorothy Bennett Cancer Center is a place for healing, where they like to say that science and soul come together. Their patients are provided with a superior level of clinical care and access to world-class physicians, skilled nurses and the latest in treatment options, research protocols and supportive services. A full-range of cancer services is available in both the inpatient and outpatient settings, with the oncology team working together to provide the best possible outcome for their patients.

The June 6 Walk, Run, & Ride is their biggest fundraising event. All money goes directly to the cancer center and is 100% tax-deductible.

Why do I mention this? So you can SPONSOR ME!!! You can donate online via that oh so handy and easy to use link and pay by credit card. If you would rather mail your donation in feel free to let me know and I can email you the relevant information.

I know the economy sucks, but every little bit helps. Even weetiny donations are welcome. The Bennett Cancer Center is where my Uncle Tommy got some of his treatment. It also does research so it's not like a donation here only benefits the center.

So please please please please sponsor me. Also please feel free to pimp this link and plea for help in your personal LJs or blogs or what have you, if you are so inclined.

Thank you thank you thank you!

Current Mood: optimistic

Today I got a pedicure and a massage. These were both good things, but what made them even better was that I went to a new-to-me nail place and the owner had teeny little muppet dogs! Okay technially they were miniature poodles (with shorter hair than in that picture, but same color) but I am telling you they were muppet dogs!

They came up to greet me when I walked into the salon, all "Hi! Are you friendly? We like meeting people who are friendly!" and then started licking my legs and hands with their tiny tongues. (I bent down to say hello, they didn't bring over a stepladder so they could reach my fingers or anything).

Then while the pedicure was going on every so often one or both of the dogs would wander into the pedicure room all "How's it going in here? Everybody doing okay?"

If this place wants to make money hand over fist they should charge for time spent cuddling the muppet dogs. I'd totally pay.

Clarence Starling (yes, I named the mystery bird) (yes, I think that name is funny) (shut up) is still around. I assume he's continuing to look for love. I'm puzzled as to his lack of success, since his offer of a home is inside of an actual home, and that's got to be impressive to other birds, especially if he's claiming to have done the roofing himself. On the other hand I worry that he'll settle down with a wife and kids and then they'll be evicted for not paying the homeowners fees. Then the babies would be all traumatized and turn to a life of crime. It'd be horrible, especially since it is really hard to get intimidating tattoos when you're covered in feathers.

In the meanwhile Clarence and the sparrows (which incidentally is the name of my favorite '50s doo wop band) sit on the roof and try their best come-on lines. Clarence: "What's your sign? Can I arrange the alphabet to put U and I together? Is Heaven missing an angel?" Sparrow: "CHIRP!" Clarence: "...dude." So at least there's bonding.

This week starts the busiest time of year at Primatech. This would be the time when I get so busy I have to multi-task going to the bathroom, and late nights are the norm. (Last year's record was about 11pm for me, 2am for my poor co-workers.) In theory we've gotten a lot of prep work done in advance and the next two weeks shouldn't be that difficult. In theory.

In the meanwhile, nice knowing all of you.

Current Mood: relaxed

The saga of the bomb-building birds continues. They're still working on their bomb, if the twigs and what have you that they carry up to the roof are any indication.

However it would seem that things have reached a stage where the birds are ready to advertise. I assume for a mate, because if Life has taught us anything, it's that animals only do things for entirely human reasons which just so happen to support a Disneyesque narrative about their motivations.

That brings us to the bird which is not a sparrow. I've been trying to identify him (I assume it's a him. I could be wrong.) and have not had much luck. So today I took some pictures in the hopes that perhaps one of you might know.

( Behind the cut, to spare the flist )

So... anybody know what kind of bird this is? And yes, I have paid more attention to these birds than Mac and Luna have at this point. Go fig.

Current Mood: curious

So I woke up at a reasonable hour unlike yesterday *cough* which meant I was able to get things done at a reasonable time. Things such as laundry which, thanks to the lovely weather, I was able to put outside on the line to dry for the first time this year.

This was when I realized the downside of the bomb-building birds. Their home is next to where the clotheslines are. I could not help but wonder if my laundry would prove to be a tempting target to them as they swooped to and fro (glideglideflutterSHITCARFLUTTERFLUTTERUPUPUPUPwhewglide) to get their bomb-building materials.

Luckily if my laundry was a target, it wasn't a tempting one and I was able to bring my stuff in hours later with no need to wash it again.

Ah nature.

Current Mood: good

I was going to do some gardening today - pulling weeds and such - but when I got home yesterday I found that this had already been done. Weeds pulled, my plants thankfully left alone, and mulch put down. I would say that this was done by house elves except I can't remember if house elves do gardening (for if they did, surely they would be called garden elves?) (and yes, the house/garden issue is what my brain stuck on in terms of the possibility of house elves doing the weeding for me and not, say, the issue of their being fictional).

I have discovered the reason why the birds are so loud this season. A handful of them (two different species, ergo my reluctance to say 'flock') have taken up residence in the roof of the building next door. They've been spending their time building nests, so when I look out my bedroom window I can see them going to the ground, picking up twigs and suchlike objects, and flying back up to then FLUTTERFLUTTERFLUTTERSQUEEEEEEZE themselves into the bit of space that allows them to get inside of the building. At least I assume the twigs and such are for nesting. They could be building bombs. Which might be wise considering I'm pretty sure there's a hawk that lives in a tree nearby.

While the nest and/or bomb building goes on, two to three birds stand on top of the roof and keep an eye out for trouble. I find it interesting that here we have two different kinds of birds (sparrows and something else I don't know off the top of my head. Little bigger than the sparrows and darker) and they don't have any problems sharing what amounts to a neighborhood, or teaming up for danger-watching duties.

Again, I assume it's danger-watching. Mostly I see them looking around and chirping a lot. They could be talking birdy smack to make sure nobody comes to take their home away. "Stay away!" they might be chirping. "You in no way want this home, because it has been hit hard by the recession and isn't in a good school system! Also we have a bomb made of twigs!"

Anyway, that's the Mutual of Omaha program going on outside of my bedroom window. The funny thing is that I've been more fascinated by this than my cats have. Maybe the birds told Mac and Luna about the bomb.

Current Mood: content

The day dawns bright and sunny with a breeze that's fairly pleasant once you've secured the things in the house that are liable to blow away when a stray wind hits them. Alternatively you can just make a note of where they've blown off to so that you can pick them up later when you're not trapped underneath a cat.

On a possibly related note, Mac says hi.

Easter plans are to do dinner with the folks with dessert being the Nutella cake I made. In the meanwhile I'll be relaxing and doing creative type things.

Outside the birds are chirping as loud as ever. Based on tone, I think we've moved past pick-up lines and onto birdy dozens as they attempt to defend their turf. If you listen carefully you can hear them:

"Your mamma's so dumb she migrates north for the winter!"

"Yeah? Your mamma's so dumb she takes dust baths in puddles of water!"

"Well your mamma's so fat that when she sits on eggs they come out scrambled!"

Tsk. So rude, really.

Current Mood: content

It is violently nice outside. Seriously. The sun tried to mug me when I was bringing my stuff to the recycling bin. I've always said you can't trust that big, glowing bastard.

Still, it's doing that thing where it's neither too warm nor too cold. All my windows are open, which the cats are thrilled about. Particularly as the birds are being quite vocal in their efforts to make it clear that 1) they are birds 2) they have the ability to make noise and 3) they would like to do so VERY LOUDLY.

Mind you that I don't speak bird. It's probably more likely that this is mating season and what they're actually saying is chirpy variations on "What's your sign?"

I have made dessert for tomorrow's dinner. It is Nutella cake, which if nothing else smells very good. I'll let you know tomorrow how it tastes.

Current Mood: content

Winter ends and spring arrives in much the same fashion: 70 degrees F. I LIVE IN NEW ENGLAND, WHAT THE SHIT IS THAT???

I suppose it's an improvement over the last weekend of Holy Crap, Wind! I've had power all this week, which is more than a lot of folks in town could say. Crews have been called in from all over to help with the repairs and cleanup. Every day you see multiple energy company trucks going around like small herds of yellow elephants as they head off to wherever they're needed. Sometimes you see folks waving or honking their horns at them as a way of cheering them on and saying thanks.

All my windows are open. The cats are very appreciative as they do enjoy their kitty TV. Though they also enjoy me as they take turns lying across my wrists as I sit here with the laptop. (Currently it's Luna's turn. She says hi. Though she pronounces it "PURRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR") It's nice to know that cuddle time with mommy can beat out watching birds and rabbits and squirrels. It lacks a certain thingness when the warmth and humidity means I am COVERED in cat hair, but it's sweet nevertheless.

Current Mood: cheerful

So yesterday was filled with WHAT? I CAN'T HEAR YOU OVER THE SOUND OF THE WIND! WHAT??? and many, many big kabooms. One of which was the awning being ripped off of my building and flung down into the clothesline area. Another was a huge branch cracking off of a tree and landing on the roof of the building next door. Yet another was this.

I have more pictures but I haven't had a chance to upload them yet due to the power outage. The power went out for a whole bunch of people last night because the bright flashes in the sky that I thought were lightning were actually electric transformers blowing all over town.

Even so I was one of the lucky ones to have power until about 9am this morning. And I had gone through all the trouble of resetting my clocks, darn it!

Electric company estimated days for getting the power back. I talked to various neighbors and everyone had tales of downed trees, blocked off streets, live powerlines on the ground and so on. They've closed schools tomorrow because of all the damage, and crews from as far away as Quebec and Ohio are coming in to help.

I still have work, which is fine. Esp now that my power is back so I don't have to worry about my alarm going off, or worry about getting a proper cup of tea. (Know what sucks during a power outage? Having an electric stove. Also realizing there's no hot water just as you step into a very much needed shower.)

Today was much calmer, weather-wise. Some wind and rain but nothing like yesterday, which often sounded like freight trains going past and had me wondering if my windows were going to shatter at any moment. Lots of sounds of sirens both yesterday and today, but knock on wood that those seem to have calmed down too.

So that's the latest here.

Current Mood: relieved

It's rainy and VERY WINDY here in the land of Siam (it deserves the caps, trust me). It's a good day for cuddling with kitties, knitting, and/or spinning. Perhaps I shall do all three. Mac's currently got me covered on the cuddling front. Quite literally as he's lying across my wrists as I type this. It's all fun and games until I lose feeling in my fingers.

Spring is in the air. Well thanks to the wind darn near everything is in the air. But amongst those things is spring. As you know I am more of a fall/winter fan (fall/winter OTP!) but it is nice to see plants coming to life. The heirloom bulbs I planted last year are starting to poke their heads up. And by "heads" I mean "leaves" because if it was actual heads coming up from the ground we would be having an entirely different conversation, probably punctuated by lots of screaming and the words "HOLY SHIT!"

I'm pondering what foods to grow in my container garden. I'm thinking of trying peas, in part because I've never tried to grow peas before. Yes, I'm thinking of giving peas a chance.

I make my own fun.