Thaw

I realized something this week. When I left Florida to come home, it was 75*. When I changed planes in Cincinnati, it was 25*. In the course of getting off the plane (on the tarmac--it was a puddle jumper), my brain was flash-frozen. Synaptic pathways filled with ice.

Of course, it stayed cold here until recently. The ice started to thaw into slush, and then refroze in the last cold snap. Finally, though, it seems to be thawing.

Why the epiphany? I've had a rash of scheduling conflicts lately. I've set up appointments, only to realize later that I've got something else that day. I'd planning on a gardening class on Wednesday; I work Wednesday!

Now I know why bears hibernate.

34 Things

Mizkit asked:

1. Can you cook? yes
2. What was your dream growing up? Which one? First I just wanted to be a mom, then a musician, and then a social worker. I ended up being all of them to a degree and not making a dime from any of them!
3. What talent do you wish you had? Playing stringed instruments
4. Favorite place? Home
5. Favorite vegetable? Green beans
6. What was the last book you read? The Fiery Cross by Diana Gabaldon
7. What zodiac sign are you? Scorpio, for whatever that's worth
8. Any Tattoos and/or Piercings? Double-pierced ears
9. Worst Habit? Procrastination
10. Do we know each other outside of Livejournal? No
11. What is your favorite sport? Swimming (although about the closest I've come lately is sitting in the hot tub!)
12. Do you have a Negative or Optimistic attitude? Cynical optimist
13. What would you do if you were stuck in an elevator with me? Probably get your life story
14. Worst thing to ever happen to you? Miscarrying my first baby
15. Tell me one weird fact about you. I sleep with socks on all winter, and it drives Eric crazy, but I can't sleep when my feet are cold.
16. Do you have any pets? Yes, three cats, but they think they're people, so don't tell them.
17. Do you know how to do the Macarena? I've repressed it, along with The Hustle.
18. What time is it where you are now? 3:30 p.m.
19. Do you think clowns are cute or scary? Cute, I guess. Not scary.
20. If you could change one thing about how you look, what would it be? The baby belly would be outathere!
21. Would you be my partner in crime or my conscience? Yes
22. What color eyes do you have? Blue
23. Ever been arrested? *snort* Whatever! (That would be a no)
24. Bottle or Draft? Bottle, but only if it comes with a cork.
25. If you won $10,000 dollars today, what would you do with it? Pay off the last credit card, give some to the church, save a chunk, and then go shopping!
26. What kind of bubble gum do you prefer to chew? None
27. What's your favorite bar to hang at? The island in my kitchen
28. Do you believe in ghosts? Hmm. Not sure about that one.
29. Favorite thing to do in your spare time? READ!
30. Do you swear a lot? Not anymore. I prefer creative non-swearing.
31. Biggest pet peeve? Today? Interruptions.
32. In one word, how would you describe yourself? Big-hearted
33. In one word, how would you describe me? FUN
34. Will you repost this so I can fill it out and do the same for you? Certainly

Famous Edinburgh

It's lent again. Last year I gave up desserts, and I lived through it. This year, I gave up afternoon coffee.

I knew better than to give up caffeine altogether; I've been a caffeine junkie for over 20 years. Neither I nor my family would have survived the first three days. Killing my family for lent would have defeated the purpose. Coffee is my drug of choice mostly because I love a good, strong brew. I started on military gut-rot, liberally laced with sugar and chocolate milk. Over time I switched to white milk, then phased out the sugar, and finally gave up the milk. I've been drinking it black, the stronger, the better for a couple of years. If it tries to arm wrestle me when I pour it, it's just about right. (I warn over-night guests that they might want to water it down a little, and if I'm up first I'll put a pot of water on the stove to simmer for that purpose.) I take my coffee seriously, so giving it up in the afternoon might not seem like much of a sacrifice but it is. Trust me.

Of course, I still have the afternoon caffeine crash. Some days it's not so bad. Other days, well, any details would be too many. Since Eric is a tea drinker I have a variety of black and green teas. We were running low on Earl Grey, so I stopped by my favorite local caffeine pusher coffee/tea/spice shop for more. That's where I found Famous Edinburgh. It comes in a square tin that says "Dark and Strong." The owner of the shop said that since it's Scottish, it would pack a punch, so I bought a tin. I had my doubts; tea rarely brews strong enough for my liking without bitterness.

I was wrong. It won't arm wrestle, but it's certainly not wimpy. It's better with a little honey but drinkable straight. It's a no frills, no nonsense, straight black tea with just enough caffeine to be considered liquid attitude adjustment. If it didn't take six minutes to make a cup, I might think about giving up coffee. If coffee went to $30.00 a pound. And it endangered my health. And hell froze over. OK, I'll probably die with a coffee cup in my hand. A girl's gotta have one vice!

Pu-lease spare me...

I found this on World Net Daily this morning. It's a sound clip of Hillary Clinton over the weekend in Alabama. For pity's sake, the woman lived in Arkansas; surely she can fake a Southern accent better than that. I have a better Southern accent, and I'm from Michigan. (OK, I did live in the South for better than 17 years, but still...)

Am I the only one dismayed that the campaigning started the day after the last election? Seriously, they've been out stumping since early December. I heard on Sean Hannity's radio show that Barak Obama is playing hardball with raising campaign finances, going into poor neighborhoods and telling the people he doesn't care how poor they are; they have $5.00 to contribute. (I haven't verified that, and since it was Hannity, the comment might have been out of context, but it's still a poor choice of words.) I've started tuning it out; I'm not going to listen to it all through the summer.

I can say one thing for sure, though. Hillary will not get my vote. Not that it was ever really an option, but the accent clinched it. I don't want a president who jumps through hoops to please people. I'd rather have a jerk who knows what to do and how to do it, and damn the torpedoes if people don't agree. The trouble is, I'm not seeing anyone like that so far. I might have to do a write-in this year. Does anyone know if Elmer Fudd has any plans for the next few years? (Ssh. Be vewy, vewy quiet; we're hunting insuwgents. Ooh, I hate those wascly Democrats!)