Nicole) I SHOULD be reading. Grate Lit-tra-tyurre can pretty much kiss my ass. Do I strike you as a reader of Grate Lit-tra-tyurre? I didn’t think so.
2002-12-31
An acidic and hostile place: since 1999
Nicole) I SHOULD be reading. Grate Lit-tra-tyurre can pretty much kiss my ass. Do I strike you as a reader of Grate Lit-tra-tyurre? I didn’t think so.
Fred’s dad and stepmother’s xmas tree. Tuesday morning was spent at Fred’s mother and stepfather’s house, and Tuesday evening was spent at Fred’s father and stepmother’s house. (My parents, sister, and Brian spent the day at my aunt’s house) We got lots of loot and visited with the family, and in between the two trips, I made sweet potato casserole (which was a tad soupy, because instead of baking the potatoes and then peeling them, I peeled them and boiled them, thus making them soupy, but it turned out pretty good anyway) and a poppy seed cake for us to have on Christmas day.
This picture 2. This picture 3. This picture 4. This picture 5. This picture 6. This picture 7. This picture 8. This picture 9. This entry, this entry, this entry, this entry, this entry, and this entry. 10. Several copies of US, the best damn magazine in the world, and one copy of Playboy magazine, with all the nudie pics torn out, because some of the best interviews I’ve read have been in that magazine (did you know I subscribe to Playboy? Yes, indeedy, I do).. 11. Hallmarks of Felinity. 10 things this past year has taught you 1. You cannot actually roll your eyes so hard that they pop out and roll across the floor, but you CAN roll them so hard that it makes you dizzy and makes your eyeballs ache. 2. Cats can be mightydamn expensive when they have to go to the vet all the time. 3. I really, really like my life most of the time. 4. I’m a better writer than I think I am. 5. But I ain’t no Stephen King. 6. I really, really, really wish that Debbie and Brian lived a lot closer than they do. 7. That if you’re not vigilant, old patterns and ways can come back with a vengeance. 8. That my feelings can be hurt more easily than I’d like. 9. That I can’t wait to turn 35 on January 9, because I have a feeling that it’s going to be the year when I really come into my own. 10. That fewer people are offended by bad language than you’d think. 9 things you could have done without [this past year] 1. The bullshit. 2. The petty crap. 3. The whiny bitchy losers who whine about me behind my back and then backpedal like big fucking wimps when they’re confronted about it. 4. The junky food. 5. The self-doubt. 6. That fucking Mulvaneys book (strictly speaking, I didn’t read it this past year, but the horror still lingers). 7. Getting my first real cold in three years the fucking DAY before my parents, sister, and nephew got here. 8. Having to blow my nose every five minutes for the entire time they were here. 9. [deleted] 8 of the best books you’ve read and/or movies you’ve seen [this past year] 1. Most of the Red Dress Ink books. 2. Good in Bed. 3. In Her Shoes. 4. Life as a House. 5. Two Week Notice (I laughed my ass off) 6. Unfaithful 7. In a Sunburned Country 8. Frailty 7 little things you’ve done to make the world a better place [charity work, donating time/money, making a point to smile at people, etc] 1. I feed the kitties and scoop poop at the pet store twice a week. 2. I helped Fred raise more than $300 for the animal shelter. 3. The Giveaway page. I think that winning something off that page has brightened the day of a person or two. 4. I do make a point to smile at people and ask how they’re doing. 5. I contribute money to the local no-kill shelter every month. 6. I contribute money to the spud’s school’s PTA instead of letting her sell crap to people who don’t want to buy crap, and that is an act of kindness in itself, I think. 7. Random acts of kindness as they occur to me. 6 things you’d like the New Year to bring [resolutions or whatever] 1. The inclination to get my ass caught up on my email. 2. The inclination to update in my diet journal at least twice a week (Uh, these aren’t resolutions, by the way. Just something I’d like to happen). 3. Serious weight loss. 4. Sunny, warm weather every single day (a girl can dream, no?) 5. The motivation to keep the house spotlessly clean (ha!). 6. Peace and joy and happiness to everyone all over the world. And all that crap. 5 gifts you’d like to give and to whom [tangible/non-tangible/if money were no object] 1. A million bucks to each of my friends, online and off. 2. The intelligence to have their pets spayed and neutered to every pet owner out there. 3. A loving home for every cat, dog, and animal in existence. 4. The love of reading, for the spud, who does not love to read the way Fred and I do. 5. The perfect man, a gorgeous house, and a great car for my sister. 4 non-tangible gifts you’d like get 1. The motivation to sit my ass down and write the stories that come into my mind. 2. Self-love. 3. Patience. 4. The cessation of yearning to be in Maine. 3 tangible gifts you’d like to receive 1. A yellow VW Beetle. 2. A house in the country with a big barn with plenty of room for lots of kitties. 3. A summer home in Maine. 2 favorite holiday memories [from any time] 1. I don’t remember what year it was – 1998 or 1999? – but the spud went to Rhode Island for Christmas to spend it with her father. We had a wicked ice storm, which knocked out our power so that we couldn’t cook. We drove into Huntsville, checked into a hotel room, and then had Indian food for dinner. We watched a movie in the hotel room, and when the power at home came back on, we went home (it was about 10 pm). It was just a great, relaxing day. 2. When I was 7 and we lived in Guam. We opened our presents, had breakfast, and then went to the beach for the day! 1 thing that surprised you the most [about this past year] That I still haven’t gotten tired of the whole journalling thing.]]>
Wishing a warm, merry Christmas to you and yours, from us and ours.
here. Enjoy!
The vet’s office called the other day to let us know that it was time for her to go back for a re-check of her puffy, deformed lip, and another shot of steroids. I made the appointment for this morning so I could take her, because Fred’s been taking the cats to the vet a lot lately, and I thought I’d give him a break. And since Miz Poo is one of the few cats (Fancypants being the other) that I can actually get into the carrier box, all the better. I got the carrier box out and left it on the bedroom floor about half an hour before we needed to leave. Spanky took one look at it and ran like hell down the stairs and out into the back yard, where he crouched behind the tree for quite some time. Miz Poo sniffed at it, then went and took a nap. I went and took my shower, got ready to go (I had already been out earlier, of course, to feed the kitties at the pet store, but I didn’t shower before I went out, because I come home with my hair smelling like stinky litter boxes), and then went over to pet Miz Poo. She looked up at me, her eyes full of love, and chirped. I picked her up, and she rubbed her head against my cheek and purred some more. When we approached the carrier box, she made a little whining noise in the back of her throat, but before she was fully aware of what was going on, I’d popped her in the box and shut the lid. Because I’m just that good. We were at the vet’s office less than ten minutes later, and spent maybe ten minutes talking to the vet, having Miz Poo’s temperature taken (it was normal. Unlike Miz Poo), and had her weighed (10 1/4 pounds. Which makes her less than half the size of Tubby, if you’re wondering). The vet said her lip was doing better (did I ever tell y’all that it was definitely not cancerous? It’s an ulcer, caused by her licking at it too much), popped her with some steroids, said he wanted to see her in another 60 days, and we were on our way home. Ever since we got home, she’s been needing the love, purring and rubbing on me, jumping up on the desk to lay down in front of me, jumping up on my lap to rub on me, bringing me her toys and looking expectantly at me (when I toss the toy in the other room for her to chase, she looks at the toy, then looks at me, and then just sits there, as if to say “What the hell was THAT all about?”). It appears that she’s not holding a grudge, in any case.
* * * When I was done at the pet store this morning, I walked around the store and picked up a few presents for our kitties. After leaving there, I went to Target to pick up a list of things, and to kill time while waiting for the mall to open. I’d been planning all week long to hit the party store and mall today and finish up my Christmas shopping. But is Christmas shopping ever really done? Anyway, I hit Target, and about halfway through my visit there, I started feeling sleepy. I thought about going into the Christmas section and laying down under one of the trees for a nap, but decided against it. I finished up my shopping, and bought a Diet Coke (for the caffeine) and a pack of M&Ms (for the sugar), and once I was back out in the Jeep, I ate and slurped, and almost immediately felt better. After Target, I hit Michael’s (and spent the aforementioned long, long time in the scrapbooking aisle), then went over to Bed, Bath, and Beyond (for new bath mats, because the spud’s was getting gross, and so was the one in the master bath). Upon leaving Bed, Bath and Beyond, I called Fred from the parking lot. He asked me last night if I had any suggestions for something he could buy for the spud to give me for Christmas, and I’d spotted something. I left the Target/ Bed, Bath and Beyond parking lot, and headed for the party store. The party store is a great place to pick up stocking stuffers, and I think that, aside from my dad, I’m all done with buying stocking stuffers for the year. And then? What did I do then? Oh, like an idiot, I left the party store and went to the mall. Yes, a week before Christmas, and I hauled my ass to the mall. Could I be any dumber, could I, huh? I think not! But it actually wasn’t, aside from the parking, all that bad. I bought a few things at the Hallmark store, and then headed to Dillard’s. See, we’re all doing stockings for each other this year, and I thought that a very small box of Godiva chocolates for each person would be cool. Don’t you wish I were stuffing YOUR stocking? So I found the display of Godiva chocolates, and I was disgusted. Chocolate coins, seven dollars? Fuck THAT. I was on my way out of the store, stomping my weary feet with disgust, when I saw another display with tiny boxes at a much, MUCH better price. Score! So everyone’s getting a (yes, one!) Godiva chocolate in their stocking this year. Because I rock. By the time I got back out to the parking lot, I had walked my poor, aching feet down to nubs, and all I wanted was to get my ass home and eat lunch. So I picked lunch up at Wendy’s, and home I am. Where I intend to stay for the rest of the day, resting my weary self. And tomorrow? Tomorrow, I get to go do the kitties again (which will be the bright point of my day!), then I’ll be coming home to scrub the floors, make sure the guest bedroom is up to Bitchy Code, and going around with the Swiffer to gather a million, trillion cobwebs from all corners of the house. If it’s not raining, I’ll run to Lowe’s to buy some mulch for the daffodil bed, and chop down some weeds. In and amongst all this, I will make chicken curry (which I’ve never made before – I hope it’s good!), and possibly wash some windows. Envy me.]]>
* * * Y’all are a crafty sort. If one wanted to make one’s own cards for Christmas 2003, using a certain picture (no, you may not see it. Mostly because I haven’t taken it yet), is there a place (preferably online), where you can buy, basically, blank cards that come with envelopes that you can decorate as you wish? (Note: I’m a dumbass. It never occurred to me to check at Michael’s! Duhhhhh…) Tell me, for I am clueless when it comes to these things.
* * * I ended up waiting until after ten to go out in the back yard with the drill. Why would I go into the back yard with a drill, you ask? Am I building a small barn to house all the kitties I want to kidnap from the pet store? Am I building a small barn to house Tubby’s tubby ass? Am I building a small building to which to banish Fred’s ass when he gets particularly gassy? Alas, no. None of these are being built in our back yard. I went into the back yard with the drill because years ago I bought a drill attachment (I see that it’s apparently called a “bulb auger”) to dig holes to plant bulbs – it’s an attachment for that very purpose, you see – and forgot that we had it when I planted the daffodil bed last Fall. The daffodil bed, which was really too small for 30 bulbs, and so the daffodils that grew there were all crowded and unhappy. So this time around, each daffodil bulb got plenty of space and it’s own little hole, along with a shot of fertilizer, and topped off with a nice little layer of mulch. If that don’t make ’em happy, nothing will. The entire time I was using the drill – it’s a very powerful drill, have I mentioned? – an obnoxious voice in the back of my head and yelling “LA LA LA. WOULDN’T IT SUCK IF YOU HIT A ROCK OR A PIECE OF CONCRETE AND THE DRILL FLEW UP AND THE BULB-DIGGING PIECE WENT IN YOUR EYE, AND YOU WERE TOO SURPRISED TO STOP PRESSING THE BUTTON, AND SO IT DUG INTO YOUR EYE SOCKET AND SHATTERED IT? WOULDN’T THAT SUCK? HERE, THIS IS WHAT I IMAGINE IT WOULD LOOK LIKE, AND THIS IS HOW I IMAGINE IT WOULD FEEL.” That’s the same voice that, when I’m walking down the stairs with a large armload full of stuff, whispers “Wouldn’t it suck if you fell down the stairs and landed on the top of your head and were paralyzed, and then lived to a ripe old age, wouldn’t that just suck, huh? Especially if you were laying there for hours before the spud got home, and then when she got home, she’d fling the door open and smack you in the top of the head again, and you’d go blind, and you’d be paralyzed and blind and live a really long life. That would just suck, it would.” In any case, I did NOT hit a rock or piece of concrete with the drill, and I did not shatter my eye socket, which I am pleased to report. And I got those damn bulbs planted, and they’d better grow some gorgeous-ass daffodils, is all I have to say.
here: 1. When do you feel your best? a) in the morning b) during the afternoon and early evening c) late at night A. In the morning, but only because I’ve been trained by Himself to be a morning person. If given my druthers, I’d probably stay up until 2 am and sleep ’til noon. 2. You usually walk a) fairly fast, with long steps b) fairly fast, with little steps c) less fast head up, looking the world in the face d) less fast, head down e) very slowly D. I have stubby legs, and can’t go that fast, y’all. Plus, if you don’t keep your head down, how will you know whether there’s something on the ground in front of you, to trip you up? 3. When talking to people you a) stand with your arms folded b) have your hands clasped c) have one or both hands on your hips d) touch or push the person to whom you are talking e) play with your ear, touch your chin, or smooth your hair C. Though actually, I think I mostly let my arms dangle by my side. 4. When relaxing, you sit with a) your knees bent with your legs neatly side by side b) your legs crossed c) your legs stretched out or straight d) one leg curled under you C. Because that’s most comfortable, but if we’re talking about on a plane, or sitting next to someone else, I usually sit with my knees bent and my legs neatly side by side. 5. When something really amuses you, you react with a) a big, appreciative laugh b) a laugh, but not a loud one c) a quiet chuckle d) a sheepish smile A. Unless I’m in public or with people I don’t know – in which case I chuckle quietly. 6. When you go to a party or social gathering you a) make a loud entrance so everyone notices you b) make a quiet entrance, looking around for someone you know c) make the quietest entrance, trying to stay unnoticed C. Because I don’t want everyone staring at the dorkiness that is me. 7. You�re working very hard, concentrating hard, and you�re interrupted; you a) welcome the break b) feel extremely irritated c) vary between these two extremes C. Vary, because it depends on what I’m doing. 8. Which of the following colors do you like most? a) Red or orange b) black c) yellow or light blue d) green e) dark blue or purple f) white g) brown or gray C. Yellow. 9. When you are in bed at night, just before going to sleep, you lie a) stretched out on your back b) stretched out face down on your stomach c) on your side, slightly curled d) with your head on one arm e) with your head under the covers C. I also hug a pillow. During the night I flip onto my stomach for a little while, but most of the time I’m on my side. 10. You often dream that you are a) falling b) fighting or struggling c) searching for something or somebody d) flying or floating e) you usually have dreamless sleep f) your dreams are always pleasant C. I wish I had more flying or floating dreams, though. My score added up to 35, which means: 31 TO 40 POINTS: Others see you as sensible, cautious, careful & practical. They see you as clever, gifted, or talented, but modest. Not a person who makes friends too quickly or easily, but someone who�s extremely loyal to friends you do make and who expect the same loyalty in return. Those who really get to know you realize it takes a lot to shake your trust in your friends, but equally that it takes you a long time to get over it if that trust is ever broken. Mostly true, I suppose, though I don’t know that “sensible” always describes me.