Tue, Jan 31st - 8:28PM

The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, p. 56
16.8 miles
warming

168 recordings of 45 types. 11% clear.

Rasmussen: -13: (the 'pubs better get their act together, this is not good.) 47/51.

Jim Treacher: If you don't think the government should study the sex habits of coked-up Japanese quails, obviously you've never had to deal with one.

The day started badly, as I saw the cacti are dying in back. I've got to get rid of the big ones. Sniff!
I did a little more digging in the garden, which is also upsetting.

Then I went to the Home and Landscape show, another trigger.  Rich really liked these and I usually kind of grumped along. I always felt like there were a lot of things we couldn't afford, and if I got the special mop or the fancy cleanser, then I'd have to use them. Nowadays, of course, with the cleaners, that's not as big a problem for me.  But there's still a lot to do, a lot of triggers. I paid the $10 parking, which Rich would never have done. And realized what I thought was a $20 was a $10 so I have to get change for Eduardo on Tuesday.  While I waited in the parking lot I reconfigured the car so that the dog's space is ready for a passenger.

I headed for MacDonald's booth to get the goodie bag. Kind of wandered aimlessly, past trips to Tahoe, and the person who made the Mossyrocks sign that Rich got.  The goodie bag has a few really good things, including the bag, and a couple of things for the thrift shop.  I stopped to sign up for free carpet cleaning and was offered a deal for $69.  I said I'd think about it, and then later came back and signed up for it. Since I planned to have the carpets cleaned anyways.

I got three pens (wanted more) and lots of different candies and tasted dips. I looked at the potter who made our troll, and there's a really nice pot that kind of matches that would be good for some cacti to remember Rich by.  Maybe next year. She also had a really cute silly-looking frog. I'm afraid it would hop away if in the front, which is where I would want it. 

Also, maybe next year I'll be up for painting the exterior.  I should certainly be thinking about the rest of the windows. But I was happy to see things like the roof and water heaters that I don't have to worry about. I liked the recycled milk jug patio furniture.  There were lots of ideas, not for this year but maybe next.  I made it through without really breaking down. I also got two RiverCats passes--- I hope one of my widow friends likes baseball!

Afterwards, I stopped at Howe Park to locate the cache "I" put out. It's tempting to put it down as a find, but it would be wrong, by my lights.  I also found two others... and didn't find three. Sulk.
Rich, I just noticed, the GC's are now GC3.

My mice seem to live in the corner of the front porch. They're cute, but I don't want them. On the other hand, I don't want to kill them or call an exterminator. I just want them to go away.  Maybe once I get the big plants gone, I can clean off the porch and discourage them. Oh, yeah, I called the president of the cactus society and she's going to tell the members that I have big ones free to a good home.

My across-the-street neighbor took down one of the trees in the front yard, to his wife's dismay. I saw him climbing in it with his chain saw and couldn't watch, but he survived. The wife and I helped pull the stump over when he was done.  They say they'll add my palm fronds to the branches when they haul them to the dump.  Yay!  Then we talked to the accountant neighbor, who has recently had melanoma. He took his sweet time getting it treated, but seems to be cancer free, though he has a year of chemo ahead of him to make that certain.

TV shows (I've seen every old episode of Criminal Minds and L&O: SVU. I still need three Law and Orders and have given up waiting to see them on TNT, and am getting them from Netflix. I have 5 or 6 old NCIS episodes to see. The next projects are L&O: CI and Homicide.)

19 Kids and Counting
American Pickers
Antiques Roadshow
Bering Sea Gold
Body of Proof
Burn Notice
California's Gold with Huell Howser
Chopped
Come Dine with me (sigh, I took it off, but I did love this one.)
Criminal Minds (I've seen them all but the brand new ones.)
CSI: Miami (I actually keep erasing this, figuring I can get them all one day.)
Dancing With the Stars (can't wait.)
Deadliest Catch
Desperate Housewives
Eat Street
FOX News Sunday
Gordon Ramsay's F Word (apparently the new series I missed last fall)
Grey's Anatomy
Grimm
Hannity
Harry's Law (another that gets erased when I get pushed for space.)
Hell's Kitchen (when it comes back)
Hoarders
Hoarding: Buried Alive
Ice Road Truckers
IRT Deadliest Roads
Jamie Oliver's American Road Trip
Justified (my absolute favorite, even more than Leverage!)
Kitchen Nighmares
3 different channels with Law and Order: Criminal Intent.  When I get some room, this one should go fast.
L&O: SVU.  Just new ones.
Leverage
Life is worth Living with Bishop Sheen
Mad Men (when it comes back)
Masterpiece
darn, no Memphis Beat any more, nor Men of a Certain Age.
Mystery!
Nature
NCIS (two channels, one for old shows and one for new.)
NOVA
Once Upon a Time
Orangutan Island
Parenthood
Person of Interest
Rachel vs. Guy
Restaurant: Impossible
Revenge (a favorite)
Rizzoli & Isles
Road Trip with Huell Howser
Rocco's Dinner Party, no more.
Rookie Blue
Shipping Wars
Southland
Special Report with Bret Baier
Storage Wars
Storage Wars Texas
Stossel
Suits
Terra Nova, though I've missed so much I may not return to it.
The Amazing Race
The Biggest Loser
The Apprentice (I hope the new one won't be celebrities)
The Firm (another favorite)
The Glades
The Good Wife
The O'Reilly Factor
The Tom Sullivan Show
The Tudors
Top Chef
Top Shot
Torchwood, though I don't think I'll get the newest season. I live in hope.
Two Fat Ladies
Warehouse 13
Whale Wars
White Collar
Whitechapel
Who do you think you are?
Worst Cooks in America

That should be enough to be going on with.

Mon, Jan 30th - 10:25PM

The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, p. 56
13.1 miles
warming

167 recordings of 43 types. 12% clear.

Rasmussen: -14: 46/52.

286 Nook books

12 weeks.
Monica has finished the sweater she was knitting.

Last year we talked to Dr. Blair. "He didn't give Rich a time but I don't think he thinks there's much."

Laurie and I went to Red Wings and both really enjoyed it. It goes with reading "The Help." After I took her home I decided not to geocache, but to prune the roses and walk the dog. Nice decision.

Sun, Jan 29th - 11:24PM

The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, p. 56
10.8 miles
cool

167 recordings of 44 types. 11% left.

Rasmussen: -13: 46/52

Don't do as I do, do as I say.

Perhaps Obama should focus less on castigating others for paying exactly what current law says they should, and focus more on getting his own White House in order on paying their current “fair share.”

This is ever so much harder than I ever imagined.

Mass at the retreat house. A little more conversation afterwards, anyway. Then as I drove past my friend's house, the door was open, so I u-turned twice and went to see him, at last. He's having a hard time, has wounds on his leg that have to be treated twice a week at the hospital. He was properly shocked about Rich, and I talked and cried for almost an hour. It seems to me the last time I spent any time with him, I was raving about Gerhard's estate. I'm really a terrible friend.

Thence to the commissary for dog food and enough odd other stuff to get over $50. I lucked out by hearing a woman talking about coupons for Beneful, so I got $2 off the dog food and free snacks and free soft food. Next week's big thing is laundry soap plus whatever, and then I imagine it'll be time for kitty litter the next time.

I dug in the garden, policed the yard, watered the plants, and took out the garbage. Thursday. 

At the door, a youngish Hispanic guy who claims he wants to take down the century plant to eat. Hmm. I don't know what's edible there, but of course there is mescal! Anyway, I want it down before it destroys the neighbor's tree. So I asked him "how much?" and he said enough for gas, so I offered him $30 and he thought that was fine.  Tuesday he'll take it down. I hope he doesn't hurt himself, is all I can say. I really want it down.

I'm not sure Criminal Minds is the best thing for a woman alone to be watching!  Scary.

Sat, Jan 28th - 9:53PM

The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, p. 56
10.8 miles
cool

175 recordings of 46 types. 8% free.

Rasmussen: -16: 48/51.

Oh, that awful media.

More (Andrew Malcolm)

A major challenge in Obama's billion-dollar bid for a renewed lease on the White House and four more years to drive his progressive spending agenda is his image as an aloof Harvard elitist out of touch with ordinary citizens, much like 18th century French royalty.

One who golfs during wartime, stages frequent lavish celeb parties while citizens suffer high unemployment and foreclosure rates and vacations luxuriously on distant islands at the drop of a 747-boarding ramp. During last month's holidays, Obama's White House got by with only 37 Christmas trees.

With one highly-publicized exception last summer, Obama's golfing partners and basketball buddies are almost always close friends or staff, an opportunity other chief executives have used for outreach bonding and socializing to ease everyday political cooperation and deals.

It took Obama 18 months, for instance, to invite the Senate opposition leader for an Oval Office coffee, a simple social gesture that most presidents accomplish their first week in office.

I babysat again today.  The kids were fine, but I was exhausted by the time Bernadette finally got here.
I sure need tomorrow to catch up. When Bernadette took them away, I walked the dog around the block, then got the house back to adult status, and vacuumed, then put out the puzzle table and started the new one. It's going faster.  All the pieces are the same basic pattern, two knobs and two spaces.  And they fit exactly instead of having some overlap. And there's lots of different colors, unlike all the reds in the last one.

Vince called and we had a nice chat.  He says Gabe was talking to his grandfather, and when he was through, he asked "is he the one that's dead?" Heh.

Reading: The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (vol 1), Edward Gibbon, The Bible (1 Machabees), The Introduction to the Devout Life, St. Francis de Sales, Blue Highways, William Least Heat Moon, Atlas Shrugged, Ayn Rand, Florida Heat Wave, Michael Lister, Finding Your Way After Your Spouse Dies, Marta Felber, and The Death of a Husband, Helen Reichert Lambin.

What Really Happened with Gingrich's Ethics Case.

Fri, Jan 27th - 10:47PM

The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, p. 56
9.8 miles
foggy, cold

175 recordings of 48 types. 8% clear.

Rasmussen: -16: 48/51

0bamateurism of the day: The Anchoress says it all:

Because this dual-mouthed president is all about transparency — he even won an award for it, which hereceived without press — the fulfillment of our daughter’s dreams lie in the freedom and ease with which asucking hose or a scraping curette may introduce violence and slaughter within their wombs, at the very core of their beings, in order to shred their children to pieces. For this 100% NARAL-approved president who passed up every opportunity to show even a scintilla of mercy for a baby born alive during an attempted abortion, our daughter’s dreams depend on their being able to find someone who will burn their baby in utero, or shove a pair of scissors into the partially-delivered child’s skull, or to close the lid on the garbage pail until the bothersome crying ends.

In Obama’s world, our daughter’s happiness depends upon having these options at their disposal, literally and figuratively. Because love, and the sneaky way it has of showing up whenever a baby is born and then complicating everything, (because it is meaningful and real) is an insufficient vehicle for the fulfillment of women, and their self-actualization.

Arise, daughters of America, and build your dreams upon the slaughter of your progeny; some say the fullness of our humanity was built upon the flesh and blood of one woman who said “yes” to a daunting and difficult proposal, but I say your fulfillment, your dreams and your future are better built upon the garbage heaps of “no” we’ve encouraged you to form out of your own flesh-and-blood in the empty landfills of government compassion, hope and change.

Elizabeth Scalia

Obama: "America BUILT Hoover Dam!"
But he won't even build a damn pipeline!

I decided not to go to Davis in the dark last night for a geocaching party.  I would have liked to be there, but don't like driving at night much and certainly not coming home in the dark.

I called first thing this morning, and the money is what Rich paid into the survivor's annuity, because now the DoD isn't paying it, the VA is. This is a refund. I'm gobsmacked.

I spied a weird light outside, took my flashlight and went to check it out. It was the Weber barbeque reflecting a security light. Hmmm. I don't think this should be left out in the rain. I moved it to the carport, though I think it was out all last winter, too. I went to put a plastic bag over it then realized the bag was damp: I'll put a new one on it instead.

Babysitting today.  The kids were great, but Joanna had a blowout diaper almost right away.  Gareth surprised me and didn't eat his fruit cocktail.  Later in the day some geocaching friends (such nice people) brought over 5 boxes of books. I'll have a lot of sorting to do.  Also building toys of various types.  The kids were in heaven.  The disks are fun to slot together, but Joanna thought they were also fun to mail between the sections of the couch. I think I got them all out.

This evening I went to a talk about Mather Field. I knew it would be tough because Rich would have loved it so much. He'd have known the answer when the guy asked what kind of plane he was showing. The last time we were here, we were looking at a huge gold nugget, which apparently wasn't actually taken from the American River after all.  That must have been last year.  Rich really enjoyed that.  Sigh.

The talk on Mather was interesting.  The man himself built his own plane as a teenager, then went to aeronaut school in Illinois, and was killed in an air crash the week after graduation.  For some reason they named the field after him. 

In the first World War, they trained pilots at Mather. They were doing surveillance and occasionally tossing bombs out the side of their Jennys.  The planes were built in North Sacramento at
Liberty Ironworks.  They were putting out 150 planes a month!  Vince would be interested in that!  The factory was apparently indulging in creative accounting, and went bankrupt in 1919.

There was a base magazine called Air Currents, then Flypaper (!) then Wing Tips.  The field closed after the war but was built up again in the 30s because they could see Hitler could be trouble. Plus ca change.... May 1925 the first cross country air mail came to Sacramento.  In 1927 Lindbergh came. Mather was known as the West Point of the West Coast.

After the talk, I almost tried to get into the wrong Escape. And so home. I'd missed calls from both sons.

I found a video of Rich from last April and posted it on FB.  Why didn't I take more? There's such a big difference between that Rich and the Rich of 45 years previous. I probably wouldn't have recognized him if I hadn't lived with him in the time in-between.

I have a pink fireplace.  We  wore t-shirts to the funeral. I just hope that I can maintain the level of wackiness without him. I remember in Hawaii when we wanted to see nene, and Rich says "here, ducky ducky, ducky!" We drove around the curve, and there were three nene! That's the sort of thing I miss.

Fri, Jan 27th - 9:32AM

The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, p. 56
9.8 miles
belting down rain, then clear

177 recordings of 47 types. 8% clear.

Rasmussen: -17: 47/52.

0bama says Abortion Enables our Daughters to Fulfill Their Dreams.

TSA Detains Rand Paul

I don’t feel any better getting on an airplane knowing that the TSA wasted everyone’s time by focusing on a sitting US Senator who didn’t pose any risk of terrorism.  I’d prefer that they learn to focus on actual threats rather than displays of egalitarianism, thankyewverahmuch.

Well, THAT's fair... I'm sure it won't affect his decisions at all.

Now who thinks bho didn’t know about this? bho has never, since elected, nominated anyone who wasn’t as crooked as he is! I can not think of one single person around bho that isn’t a snake!
Letget on January 23, 2012 at 1:52 PM

Corruption, anyone?

It's not me, it's Hillary.

Nancy Froment (in the You Know You're from Laramie... group.)
It's winter in Wyoming
And the gentle breezes blow
Seventy miles an hour
At thirty-five below.

Oh, how I love Wyoming
When the snow's up to your butt
You take a breath of winter
And your nose gets frozen shut.

Yes, the weather here is wonderful
So I guess I'll hang around
I could never leave Wyoming
Cuz I'm frozen to the ground!

I remember last year when we bought the Davis season tickets, hoping that Rich would be able to enjoy them.  And even worse, I remember hoping against hope that Miss Saigon wouldn't be the last Music Circus show we ever saw together. :(

Benefeds, who manage my dental plan, called.  They'll reinstate the policy retroactive: my card will say Feb. 1, but it's going to be good back to November.  They'll take one month ($44.xx) out of the annuity check in March, then for three months they'll take double in order to catch up, then it's back to the $44.xx).  It was a satisfactory chat, and I then called the dentist and told them I should be able to give them my card and be covered by mid-February. It's so nice people are willing to work with me!

I started moving some clumps of grass from the garden (I hope not crabgrass) to the worst bare spots in the yard. With luck they'll take hold and will fill the dust bowl in.  I also started turning the garden over and pulling out the hoses Rich had in there.  This year I won't be growing anything, but I want it to churn over and build up the soil.

The cleaners came on time today. I stayed in my room.  I asked them to really wipe down the freezer and it looks good.

Laurie and I went to see "Iron Lady" which was really good. I remember some of this history, but not all of it.  At the very beginning, when she's sorting Denis' suits, I thought about giving Rich's suit to Steve.  He got it for Nick's wedding, wore it then and to one funeral. Vince didn't need it, but Steve said he didn't have a suit.  I've run into the ticket for a suit bag... we never remembered to go back for it. Oh, well.  When we got back, I sorted the t-shirts again, and have an under-bed bin of blood donor shirts, 21 or 22 of them, and two others which I'd like in the blood donor quilt. There's another bin of other things Rich was proud of.  Another quilt, perhaps?  I got another bag full of t-shirts for St. Vincent.

I was looking at the bank accounts, and discovered a big deposit was put in today.  What in the world? I'll call tomorrow and see if I can find out what it's for.

A picture of Rich with newborn Roni, November 1966, MacDill AFB Florida.  45 years before he died. See how she's holding his hand. I found this picture, which I don't remember at all, on a shelf in the playroom.

Thu, Jan 26th - 1:44PM

The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, p. 56
9.8 miles
rain

171 recordings of 46 types. 11% clear.

Rasmussen: -19: 45/53

0bamateurism of the Week. I went with DisneyWorld, though the "hard-working", coming from the Golfing President, was risible.

Today I went to see "Chicago" with the Davis Musical Theater Company. I had various plans for this. Initially, I was thinking about going to The Eatery, which was recently reviewed in the Bee, for brunch first. Then I thought that today was the church pancake breakfast, so maybe instead I could go geocaching. I put some caches on the GPS.  Then I went to church and discovered that the breakfast will be next week. OK, then. Also, it was rainy.  So it was back to the original plans.

I knew where the Target shopping center was, but I drove around and didn't see the Eatery. I wandered around a couple of times, and was in the process of leaving when I spied the sign. I have no idea how I missed it before. They seated me quickly and I had a Denver scramble, which was good.  The people next to me had apparently hosted a chef's tasting party the night before and I couldn't help eavesdropping a bit, though mostly I read my Nook till my food came. It was pleasant enough. I may do this again.

Coming into Davis, I saw they'd decorated the water tower.  I did stop to look for one cache, but it was raining and I was having no luck, so I gave it up and went to the show. It dawned on me after I'd already traded for a single seat that I have a couple of friends who might enjoy going to musicals with me.

Rich kept saying, after the company moved to its own theater, that their performances improved exponentially, nearly professional level.  He'd have really enjoyed this one, it certainly proved him right.  They had 91 people audition, so they could pick really good singers and spectacular dancers. It was very very enjoyable. I stuck around a few minutes to see if I could see Bernadette's friend, who played Billy Flynn (so very good) but had no luck with that. I did drive home past another cache, but it was getting dark and I'd left the dog inside, so I needed to get home. 

At home I discovered that a couple of cachers (who Rich didn't like very much) had put in a cache in Howe Park that they said I could use as a Chicken Ranch Slough cache.  Rich had asked if they ever archived their multi cache there (the main reason he didn't like them: the idea seemed to be to show off how clever they were and not to let anyone find their caches: there were only a few finders who could work through the hassles, over the years) would they let him know so he could put in a CRS cache.  I was really thrilled, and touched.  I wrote it up and then waited till they gave the go-ahead, and submitted it.  That means I've put in two caches (and replaced two) since Rich died.

I just can't get over how nice that is. Rich misjudged them.

Mon, Jan 23rd - 10:27PM

The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, p. 56
9.8 miles
rain, then clearing.

170 recordings of 43 types. 10% clear.

I slept till 8! I'd gotten up at 6 and fed the dog, so when I got up again, he thought I should give him breakfast.

It cleared up enough so the gardeners were able to come. I'd picked up a lot of soggy dog poop.  They didn't finish the hedge, but they did empty out the branches from the compost bin.  And overfilled the can, so I took out the overflow level, so any rain in the future won't fill the can. A few palm fronds need to go, too, but that won't be for awhile, apparently.

I took some coffee I'd bought for Sharing God's Bounty to the treasurer, who lives nearby, then went to Raley's to take advantage of their 2-for-1 meat sale.  However, the chicken breasts were in packs of 10, and no way can I use 20 breasts in a reasonable amount of time, and the Angus roasts were over $50. Never mind.  I got two pork shoulders and 2 small packs of pork chops.  Cut the roasts in half, and I have 6 meals now in the freezer. I lost a pre-labeled freezer bag which I'd thought I would need for the turkey-rice soup in November.  I was going to re-label it and use it today, but it disappeared. I later found it in the dishwasher, so maybe next time I freeze something.

I put away the puzzle and puzzle table, and will wait to start the next one till babysitting is over next week. But my fingers are itching to start the next one.  Then I moved "my" La-Z-Boy to opposite "Rich's" instead of in front of the fireplace.

On the whole, it's been a pretty good day. I remember promising Rich, when I was giving him permission to die, that I would be OK, so I better be sure I'm OK. I could wish the kids would call more often, but still, it's working out.

Homily for January 22.

You’ll hear a lot of people – including a lot of prominent Catholics – tell you that they are “personally opposed” to abortion, but they think it should still be legal. It might be useful to look at what that kind of thinking has given us, and what it means.

It means that today, 22% of pregnancies – one in five – end in abortion.

It means that 47% of the women who have had abortions – nearly half – have had more than one.   Three quarters say they had abortions because a child would interfere with their job or education.

It means that, on average, there are 3,500 abortions every day in this country.

That sounds abstract.  So let me make it real. That’s approximately the same number of people who attended Mass here Christmas Day.

Looked at another way:  statistically, by the time you leave Mass this morning, another 145 innocent lives will be lost.

(50 million, I heard yesterday.)

Excellent.

Reading: The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (vol 1), Edward Gibbon, The Bible (1 Machabees), The Introduction to the Devout Life, St. Francis de Sales, Blue Highways, William Least Heat Moon, Atlas Shrugged, Ayn Rand, Florida Heat Wave, Michael Lister, Bless Me Father, Neil Bond, Finding Your Way After Your Spouse Dies, Marta Felber, and The Death of a Husband, Helen Reichert Lambin.

Mon, Jan 23rd - 11:20AM

The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, p. 56
9.8 miles
cold, rain

174 recordings of 44 types. 9% free.

Rasmussen: -16: 47/52

Promoting tourism by shutting Disney World.

Barry Soetoro is absolutely the most self absorbed person ever to hold the office of the Presidency.
The setting backdrop of a fake castle and a “magic kingdom” pretty much symbolizes the empty smoke and mirrors of his regime.
wildcat72 on January 20, 2012 at 8:11 AM

    I’d be none to happy if I had loaded up the truckster with the wife and kiddies, only to experience my own “Wally World” experience. :(
    Lucky Pierre on January 20, 2012 at 8:26 AM

I’m sure they put up a giant audio animitronic version of Obama at the entrance to Main Street that would tell people “Sorry folks, park’s closed for MY re-election, huh uh huh!”
wildcat72 on January 20, 2012 at 8:28 AM

Vacation choices:
Disneyworld = good
Las Vegas = bad
History: With the O(dious) stamp of approval, dump your Disney stock – it should tank within two or three weeks.
hamnj7 on January 20, 2012 at 8:33 AM

    Gotta wonder how many refunds Dizzy World is dishing out over this. I’m thinking they’ll never make this mistake again.
    CurtZHP on January 20, 2012 at 8:32 AM

You don’t say no to the man with the authority to throw you down a hole, then throw away the hole.
Authority Congress just gave our Emperor a couple weeks ago.
wildcat72 on January 20, 2012 at 8:34 AM

    If I were Disney World – I would have told him no.
    gophergirl on January 20, 2012 at 8:09 AM

Disney owns ABC, sort fo tells you they aren’t even trying to hide their support. I just can’t figure it out though. If Obama has his way and gets the kind of government in place that he wants, DisneyWorld, ABC, CBS, NBC, & the like will cease to exist. The media will be replaced with an official propaganda office & amusement parks don’t do well in totalitarian societies.
Boats48 on January 20, 2012 at 8:34 AM

    History: With the O(dious) stamp of approval, dump your Disney stock – it should tank within two or three weeks.
    hamnj7 on January 20, 2012 at 8:33 AM

Disney should be tanking. And they are the main force behind SOPA/PIPA. The only thing they have is stuff that was come up with more than 50 years ago. It is no coincidence that copyright term keeps getting extended every time the earliest Disney works (which they still make a mint off of) threatens to go into the public domain.
Disney symbolizes Hollywood’s inability to make anything new.
wildcat72 on January 20, 2012 at 8:36 AM

Holder and Breuer Connected to Foreclosure Fraud.

We wignuts just arn’t getting it.
This is a democrat we are talking about. I am sure he didn’t MEAN to do anything wring and for the democrat party, their supporters and the LSM that is all the really matters.
Everyone knows only republicans are truly capable of evil.
This will go nowhere. I will be ton it.

Skwor on January 20, 2012 at 10:29 AM

It's 3 months since we went into hospice. As Monica says, sometimes it seems like yesterday, sometimes like years ago.  I remembered that, but not the 11 week anniversary of Rich's death.

I took Light Rail down to the Cathedral, using the Sacajawea dollars Rich had set aside for this. I wonder where I can get more when these are gone.  It was the pro-life Mass at the Cathedral, with many of the Catholic schools in attendance.  The Presentation school choir sang one of the songs. A Presentation lady sat next to me.

The last time we were at the Cathedral was for a healing Mass last February.  We were so hopeful!

(3/10/11 Rich letter)
Well, Chemo started 3 Feb and I have had five sessions as of this morning.  I'm on a two chemo, one week off schedule.  The stuff plays hell with my blood, especially the white blood cells.  That means a weakened immune system.  I have to be more careful about crowds, what I eat.  I have to watch out for cuts, etc as they can more easily infect.  I'm supposedly also more sensitive to the sun.

 Other than that, I am not feeling many negative side effects.  I nap more, my stamina is probably down, but that's hard to tell from inside.  I saw my Oncologist today and had a frank discussion with him.  The cancer is a stage four, which means inoperable/incurable.  This is mainly because it got into the lymph nodes. That having been said, he said his job is to treat the problem to halt its progression or decrease its extent while maintaining my quality of life.  He did say he has a patient who has been on chemo for ten years.  I will be scheduled for a CAT scan in a couple of weeks to see if there has been any effect.

  On the hope side I have two Knights of Columbus Councils and a Fourth Degree Assembly, two parishes, the Retreat House, Sharing God's Bounty and lots of people praying for me.  The Diocese had a healing Mass where I got anointed (for the seriously sick, previously unwisely called 'The Last Rites').  The Knights of Malta were there and Jan and I got to bless ourselves with the real Lourdes water.

On the bright side, it appears I shall be around for a lengthy piece of time.  I really appreciate the prayers.  It appears this will be along battle.

Sniff!

After Mass I went to the Crest Cafe for lunch.  Yum.  And so home on Light Rail. I'd left the dog inside, put him out, then looked at my messages on the answering machine.  The dentist office called because my insurance had denied the claim.  Well, I knew I hadn't notified them.  I then spent 20 or 30 minutes fighting my way through voice mail till I finally got a real human being.  They'll renew the insurance, retroactively, and take it out of my annuity.  This is the same company that gave me the life insurance. I had no idea that we paid that way. Anyway, it'll work out. It's $44 a month. Ouch. They'll call me next week to research this and firm it up. Whew!

Poor dog. I kept him in while I was gone, the 4 hours, then let him out intending to let him right back in, but then I started all that phone hassle with MetLife, and when, 30 minutes later, I let the dog back in, he was soaked.

Speaking of soaked, I had a long talk with my sister (who's in Seattle) after I called to ask if she was warm and dry.  She mostly has cabin fever. On the topic of siblings, I can't imagine taking a motor home on the Keys Highway to Key West.  Sounds like an adventure. I'd love to see Key West!

There was also a call from the hospice, reminding me they have bereavement service.  Sort of. No thanks.

I finally broke into the See's chocolate the judge brought to Rich back in October.  And looked at the chocolate tools Monica gave him for Father's Day.  Waaaah.

And I stayed up till 1 to finish the jigsaw puzzle. It was still raining (and palm fronds in the neighbor's driveway, which I'll take care of tomorrow.)  The last time it rained was the day we went to see the eye doctor and stopped to pick up Gareth.  Bernadette brought Joanna out to see Rich, and we went looking for an L street address on J street.  October 10th. Long long time ago. Poor Rich!

Nook, 283 books.

Overturning Roe? Not anytime soon—Thanks to Catholics.

Andy Collier:"Catholics" like Pelosi, Kennedy, et al, plus cowardly "politically correct" bishops who will not correct them bear much of the blame. Saint Athanasius related the great damage done by unfaithful cleargy when he said, "The floor of hell is paved with the skulls of bishops."

Irony!

Bill Anderson: COFFEE HURTS
I was eating lunch on the 20th of February 2011 with my 7-year-old granddaughter, and I asked her, "What day is tomorrow?"
She said "It's President's Day!"
She is a smart kid. So, I asked "What does President's Day mean?"

I was waiting for something about Washington or Lincoln etc.

She replied, "President's Day is when President Obama steps out of the White House, and if he sees his shadow we have one more year of unemployment."

You know, it hurts when hot coffee spurts out your nose...

Sun, Jan 22nd - 11:11AM

The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, p. 56
9.8 miles
cold, rain

174 recordings of 47 types. 8% clear.

Rasmussen: -16: 47/52.

Great comments.

Got it…Mitt +8 WINNER now Mitt -34 Virtual Tie. Love the way this is starting to be spun. 8 counties of Iowa cannot figure out certification process. You all had 14 days to send in a form.

Does this make Iowa all the more irrelevant as maybe Romney is now spinning, or is there that shall I say “Establishment” conspiracy confirmed?

PuritanD71 on January 19, 2012 at 8:45 AM

Why 0bama turned down the Keystone XL Pipeline.

From Come Pray the Rosary: But you O'Lord want me to succeed and your will be done.
We always knew God was Irish!

The I'm Missing Rich files: Where Tower Books once was, Fresh & Easy, a Brit firm, will be. I've driven almost 2000 miles since Oct. 7, Rich's last time. They've acquired a box cab locomotive for the Railroad Technology Museum.  Rich and I toured the UP repair shops years ago and have been hoping for a RTM to come in, we have so much stock for one.

The day started with Mass at the Retreat House. I turned in my money for the upcoming retreat, but again didn't see anyone I knew.  Sigh.  So off to the Commissary. I figured if I got kitty litter this week I could get the dog food next week, only one heavy thing at a time.  I also bought some other things I've needed.  Why is kitty litter more expensive at the BX? One of those mysteries.

I also stopped at the hardware store and got a chrome egg-shaped doorknob. I didn't get the deadbolt as well, since the current deadbolt isn't aligned.

I heard from a high school classmate who was moving as Rich was dying, first question was "how's your husband?"  It was really nice to re-connect.  She's on Facebook now.

My neighbor came over and installed the doorknob, thank goodness, because as well as the "simple" installation, he also had to embed the plate, using a chisel and punch, which I'd have had no clue about.  It looks great and works fine, yay. I put the other key on Rich's ring, and so he has the car, the front doors, the side door, the back door deadbolt, the new backdoor key, and what is this? Maybe it's Monica's cabin key, which I'll give back to her next time I see her. Also the bike lock key and a couple of little ones I'm not sure about. Since we don't (as far as I know) have a safe-deposit box, I suppose I'll eventually locate whatever these are. Or not.

The neighbor taught me one trick (I'm tired of learning new things, but this is a survival skill I can probably use in future) which is to rub the screw into wax (like a candle) which makes it enter the wood more easily.

Sat, Jan 21st - 6:55PM

The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, p. 56
9.8 miles
cold

170 recordings of 46 types. 10% clear.(It helped, I suppose, when the DVR stalled out and stopped recording yesterday.)

Oh, gee, they have to actually pay for stuff?

eugenics65
The OWS is about destroying the first amendment so left leaning groups can get more control.  Corporations have just as much of a right to express themselves as Move-on-dot-com or Unions.

Carrie Olson I can't help but feel like someone lined their pockets at the expense of these misguided kids.

Daryl Watkins it's time these freaks quit mooching off old ladies anyway. Idiots need to grow up and start depending on themselves, leave this mess and go get a life.

John Carter Big difference between OWS and the Tea Party. It's the trash, drugs and crime of the left.

Woke up fretting (at 3, of course) over the doorknob and the DVR. Fortunately rebooting the DVR again got it back to the recordings. 

It was a babysitting day, so I decided to put off getting the doorknob till tomorrow. I went to Mass, then home for the day.  Joanna is all personality.  Gareth figured out how to make the Red (Cars Firetruck) toy make noise.  At lunch he was crying and I kept asking "why are you crying?" and he said "yeah."  I tried to tell him if he was hungry he should say he was hungry.  And that crying wouldn't make the lunch be ready any faster.  We'll see if this works. 

The hospice company sent a survey. I said I probably would not recommend them. I enclosed the note I'd already written. I did say that in retrospect, I wish we'd gone into hospice sooner (but Rich was still concerned, on October 6, that he'd missed a week, so he still wanted to fight)  and that if we had, we probably would have resolved a lot of my complaints.

O'Reilly misused his word of the day... "sawder."  "Do not use sawder" is what he should have said instead of "don't be a sawder." 

Victor Davis Hanson knocks another one out of the park.

I used to listen to farmers without college degrees speak wonderful English; now to listen to a member of Congress almost requires a translator....
Jerry Brown, the self-described Jesuit sage, should return to his St. Jerome, because the latter’s descriptions of an eroding Rome could just as well describe a drive down California’s 99. (Before a crumbling society can borrow billions for a high-speed rail to nowhere it might better bring out the dusty maps and charts of a dead generation of engineers that once bequeathed to us plans about how to finish a three-lane freeway without cross traffic.)

Andrew Malcolm: Leno: A new poll says 84% of Americans disapprove of Congress' job. The other 16% weren't aware Congress was doing one.

Levin: We know so little about Obama and ABC is talking to Newt’s ex-wife.

Thu, Jan 19th - 11:15PM

The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, p. 43
9.8 miles
cold

169 recordings of 46 types. 9% clear.

Rasmussen: -19:46/53.

 0bamateurism of the day.
I’ve met a few hard working people on occasion at government agencies, but it’s not usually the norm.  I’d guess that most Americans have had the same overall experience at places like the IRS, Medicare, Social Security, OSHA, and so on.  In fact, making that assertion makes the President sound a wee bit out of touch, especially since — as the top federal government employee — he’s been most visible for the past year at lavish fundraising galas and on the golf course.

The Daily Caller:
If you’re like most people, you look at Election 2012 and only one thought comes to mind: “Gosh darn it, why the heck aren’t these guys having more debates?” It’s like they read your mind! If the idea is to numb us into submission until we don’t even care anymore who the nominee is, it may be working.

 Allen West Objects to the Race Card

Mr. Holder and others need to know, the criticism of the President is not of his person, but of his policies, which have clearly failed our nation--and most tragically of all in this supposedly post-racial period --have failed the black community.

 As of December 2011, black unemployment remained in double digits, nearly double the national average for men at 16.4 percent, and 14.1 percent for women.

 According to a Washington Post poll in September 2011, the proportion of black Americans with a “strongly positive” view of President Obama has slipped from 83 percent to 58 percent. It would obviously be absurd to say the black community’s changing view of President Obama is racially biased, so how can one make the same claim about white members opposing his policies?

 As we proceed into this general election cycle, it would be a disgrace if Mr. Holder’s comment is the first salvo in the upcoming campaign to deflect honest assessment of the President’s performance in office. This campaign must be about ideas, policy and the direction of this country, and the President must not hide behind a curtain of so-called racial bias.

Jim Treacher: Some people think Ron Paul is confused and scatterbrained, but that's only based on all available evidence.

Foreign aid might be defined as a transfer of money from poor people in rich countries to rich people in poor countries. -- Douglas Casey, Classmate of Bill Clinton at Georgetown University

Keystone: From Canadian prime minister Stephen Harper:

It’s one thing in terms of whether Canadians, you know, want jobs, to what degree Canadians want environmental protection. These are all valid questions.

But just because certain people in the United States would like to see Canada be one giant national park for the northern half of North America, I don’t think that’s part of what our review process is all about.

Geoff Brown: I was considering the gray wolves and the grizzlies as two potential disadvantages of living near This Is Not A Petting Zoo You Tourist Idiot National Park. But I was mostly thinking of a gold mining operation that was bought off and the state received coal rights in Eastern Montana to make up for the loss of taxes. Except that the coal is still in the ground but the gold mine would have paid a LOT of taxes. Oh, and skilled workers with high pay would have worked there too.

What a nightmare day this turned out to be, even though it ended all right. The plumber called about 8:30 to say he'd be here about 2:30 to 4:30, so I did a little of this and that till about 4, when he called again, oh, he hadn't realized he was supposed to pick up the toilet, so he wouldn't be here till about 5:30.  Argh.

Then he turned out not to be the right Mike, which isn't actually surprising since I should have been asking for Mark.  I showed him the back bathroom anyway, but this guy isn't a handyman.  He gave me Mark's number, however.

He got into the job and called me in: no flange, and the job would cost an additional $400. OUCH!  So much for my plan to keep the credit card low this month. He went out to find a flange, this about 6:30.  Then he got it in place and needed to turn the water off.  I swear a long time ago I said to Rich that the water turnoff was out back and he said no, it had been moved to the front. I thought the second sewer cleanout, which I do know where it is, was it, but no. We both wandered around the yard, flashlights in hand, till Mike found it, in back.  THEN he wanted a t-bar, and looked through the shed (which is scary, I don't like people looking at the tools).  Eventually he used a wrench he had to turn the water off.  Just as well, because the access pipe broke off when he touched it, and we could have had a major disaster in the house.  Finally he was done, we turned the water back on, and he finished up.  By the time I'd paid him, it was past 8. I got so frustrated looking for the water turnoff, missing Rich so much. I'm so sick of being in charge. Somehow, apparently Mike used up the almost full roll of TP, maybe he was using it to dry his hands. The toilet is gorgeous and flushes fast, looks like it'll be good.

Additionally, I went to let the dog out this morning and the doorknob came off in my hand. I can get it to lock, but obviously this is something else I'm going to have to do tomorrow. Or maybe the next day. ARGH!!! I am not only sick of being in charge, I'm also sick of having to learn all this stuff.

Oh, and the DVR stalled out again. I turned off the router but the DVR never got the recordings back. I may have to call AT&T, too.  ARGH ARGH ARGH.

I'd asked for the credit card cash back in a check, but instead they applied it to the card, so I decided to transfer the money to the account where I would have put the check. The next-to-last time these accounts were used for transfer was Oct. 12, done by Rich.  Waaaah.

The hospice company sent an evaluation form.  I'll append the note I wrote to the survey and send them both in. 

Wed, Jan 18th - 7:42PM

The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, p. 43
9.8 miles
cold,rain

176 recordings of 49 types. 7% left.

Rasmussen: -20: 45/54. Sons?

I slept in this morning till 6!  (Oh, I was up at 3, but then I managed to get back to sleep!)  And since I went to bed about 10 or a little later, this was an actual good night's sleep. My blood pressure actually looks OK today. It's two months since the funeral.

The plumber called at 8, and was interested in coming today, but I decided my plans to geocache were more important.  So I went out to clip some of the hedge and put it into the green bin. In the process I saw how the privet was coming up in the strawberries. Clipped them off.  I saw that one of the garden posts had broken off at ground level. I dug out the base, about a foot, which left a nice hole to put the shorter post back into. It was a little wobbly, but not after I shoved the bottom in next to it.  I suppose I should schedule one or two days to work in the garden: I know Rich spent a lot of time out here but I didn't realize how much work this place is, even when I'm not planning to plant anything next year.

Then I went to pick up my friend Rhonda and we went over to the Clarksburg branch trail in West Sacramento. I found a parking place and we walked north to pick up those, I showed her one I'd found with Pagan (and she saw it right away) and then back to the car and walked south. We got 8 (or 9, in her case.)  She found about half of them, including one that was really difficult to see, that we had to come back for. That one I ended up climbing up onto a branch to reach.  Thinking the whole time "hey, I'm 67, this is stupid".  I liked one of the caches which was a camoed tape measure and you sign on the tape... the hint was something like "measure up."  Heh.

We were out about 3 hours. I had a good time, missed Rich but enjoyed it anyway. It was a lot better than dealing with the plumber would have been.  Rhonda is excited about geocaching, which makes it more fun.

Newsweek says we're all stupid.

TheDC’s Matthew Boyle reports:

“Newly surfaced confidential documents show credit agency Standard and Poor’s considered Beacon Power — a now-bankrupt green energy storage company — a risky investment, even with the $43 million loan guarantee President Barack Obama’s Energy Department was planning to, and eventually did give the company. The documents, first obtained by CBS News investigative correspondent Sharyl Attkisson, show how the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Jonathan Silver — the now-former loan guarantee program administrator – asked Standard and Poor’s to conduct a credit analysis prior to investing taxpayer money in Beacon Power. Silver resigned in mid-October 2011 as congressional inquiries into the DOE loan guarantee program heated up following the loss of $528 million of taxpayer money to solar panel manufacturer Solyndra when it went bankrupt. Solyndra received the first-ever loan guarantee under the program, and was the first to go bankrupt. At least four more loan guarantee recipients have filed for bankruptcy in Solyndra’s wake, and other recipients have shown signs of financial weakness. In the case of Beacon Power, even if the company ended up receiving the DOE loan guarantee, Standard and Poor’s analysis indicated it still wouldn’t be a smart investment. The credit agency’s ratings services division assigned Beacon Power a ‘CCC+’ Final Rating.”

Oh, what the heck. It’s only half a billion in taxpayer dollars. What difference does it make to Obama? It’s not his money.

Can it really be considered an “investment” when the “investors” — taxpayers — have no say in the matter?

Tue, Jan 17th - 6:55PM

The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, p. 43
7.0 miles
cold in the morning.

I'm 2.1 pounds up for the week, with high blood pressure. :(

175 recordings of 48 types, 8% clear.

Rasmussen: -20: 45/53.

Boy.  I think he's tired of the job.

gus commented:

Mrs Thatcher was a LEADER. Mrs Thatcher sought to better the U.K.

I am the Son of a British Mother. Britain is FINISHED.

Mrs Thatcher represented the GREATNESS of Britain.

Socialists, Commies,Marxists, idiots and “Multi-culturalists”,have destroyed Britain, so as to garner power for themselves.

LIBERALS DESTROY, they DO NOT CREATE.

Oh, yesterday the gardeners massacred half the hedge, and put the branches in the big compost bin in back, so I had to call Leo and sort that out. They'll be putting branches into the green bin for months, since the disposal people only come every two weeks. I'll get the first lot in this week.

I did fine going to church till I considered parking somewhere else in the lot. Nope, can't do it. I got to talk to a lot of people and it was OK till Communion, of course.

Bernadette came by after work but I kicked her out after an hour (she got a lot done on the puzzle!) so I could go to the Widowed Persons Sunday Support Group.  This is a much better fit than the other one I tried.  Everyone has lost a spouse.  The first discussion was what do you miss most.  My answer, well, everything, but I just HATE coming home to an empty house.  Anyway, I connected with these people, and will definitely go back in a couple of weeks. (Maybe three, depending on when my brother plans on getting here. Of course, three weeks will be Rich's birthday, so maybe not then. I dunno.) I don't know if I'll get involved in the social events... some of them seem like they might be fun. I did note that there's a lot of interest with some of the people to find another mate, which doesn't interest me at all.

And then home to my empty house.

Tue, Jan 17th - 5:05PM

The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, p. 43
7.0 miles
clear, cool

173 recordings of 46 types. 8% clear.

This was a fairly nice day.  Bernadette came by early in the morning. I'd already stopped at a neighbor's garage sale and picked up a collection of Beatrice Potter stories, a Plex, and a Red (firetruck from Cars.)  She and I walked back and I got some onesies for #14. One, probably for a preemie, it's so small, I mailed to them.  I had to get it, it says "I'm a little pierogi."  Bernadette got a couple of things as well.

And then we took her car for servicing and then she and I headed off to the bookstore. I did get 4 books for myself but mostly it was kids' books.  From there we went to Logan's Roadhouse for lunch.  This one is much neater than any other I've been to, not so many shells on the ground.  From there, we went to Lowe's to look at toilets. I actually found one I liked, and installation is only $99, with transportation $35, so I ordered it.  It'll be installed sometime next week.

OK, that was fun, and then we went to find a geocache.  Then we thought we'd check on B's car, and it came up just as she got out to see if they were done.  So I took off, stopped to get some cash, then got home and waited and waited. The garage is only a few miles away, so I began to get worried, but they were trying to fix one more thing on her car. 

She did a little puzzle solving, then left for home.  All in all, a nice day.

I have 280 books on the Nook, but only added one free Friday book because I was too late.

John Hawkins: Once the debt is spent, you have to raise the debt limit. That's just how it is.
        Marsha Mayhue:When you come home and your house is full of sewage, do you pump it out or do you raise the ceiling?

Mon, Jan 16th - 8:26PM

The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, p. 43
7.0 miles
clear, cool

174 recordings of 47 types.  8% clear.

Rasmussen: -16: 47/52.

He doesn't like the peons.

It was a long Mass today at Presentation.  I called St. Phil's and requested Mass on the 5th to be for Rich. Because 9 AM Mass isn't stressful enough.

I was babysitting today.  Joanna is putting shapes into the clock.  Later she was scared by Abby, I suppose.  I had been letting the cat in and apparently Joanna was startled by her.

Gareth helped me pick up, a little.

Then this evening I went over to the Discovery Museum party to celebrate the opening of the dinosaur exhibit. The last time they had this one, I was with Rich, and there was this little boy who really really REALLY wanted this one basket that I had put a lot of raffle tickets for. I was goingt to give it to him if I won, but he got it himself. I would have liked to take Gareth to this, but there was no way he could have been left here while Mommy took Joanna home. I had some Paleozoic Ooze, which was good, but they didn't give me a Jurassic Sundae, sulk. I left fairly early. I forgot to turn my lights on till I was way down Annadale, because when I signalled a turn I noticed the flashes and saw my lights weren't on. (And just thought, as I wrote that, that this is how Rich would find this out... oh, that's right. Never mind.)

Reading: The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (vol 1), Edward Gibbon, The Bible (1 Machabees), The Introduction to the Devout Life, St. Francis de Sales, Blue Highways, William Least Heat Moon, Atlas Shrugged, Ayn Rand, Florida Heat Wave, Michael Lister, Finding Your Way After Your Spouse Dies, Marta Felber, and The Death of a Husband, Helen Reichert Lambin.

Sun, Jan 15th - 1:06PM

The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, p. 43
7.0 miles
clear, cool

175 recordings of 47 types. 8% clear.

Rasmussen: -16: 47/52. We hates you.  Give us $$.

They’re struggling to fill the space they have and to meet their fundraising goal, so they’re going with a bigger venue? Gotta love that progressive logic!
Naturally Curly on January 12, 2012 at 8:18 AM

Have you looked at BAC stock price? What would be the greatest of ironies would be if BAC did not exist by the time the convention comes a round.
For those who might not know, many funds and institutions can not hold a stock that trades under $5 per share. If/when BAC breaches watch it bounce off the floor.
EliTheBean on January 12, 2012 at 8:22 AM

I was reading The Help, and hit a roadblock when one character was dying of cancer, at home. Had to put it down for awhile, though I did finish it later in the day.  Mississippi, I remember Mississippi, not that long after the book.  We were visiting a friend, in Jackson, in summer of 1968 (geeze, just after King's assassination.) At that point Rich was going to school in Shreveport, Louisiana.  We went to a county fair and there was a "colored" water fountain not very well painted over. Then in 1973 we lived in Arkansas and attitudes hadn't changed all that much. One of the neighbors had different candy for the  black kids.  And when it came time to sell the house, we chickened out of trying to sell to a black couple because our neighbor was the realtor and would have had to take the brunt of the other neighbors' hate. Not that they could have gotten a loan, anyway. I understand the neighborhood is mixed now.

When we were on the 2009 road trip we stopped in Topeka at the Brown v. Board of Education Historic Site.  One room in the old schoolhouse had a video tunnel in it so you could walk through the people screaming hate at you like the kids going to school in Little Rock.  I often wonder what happened to these hating people, did they ever learn better or did they go to their graves with that bitter hatred?

Today I went to the Retreat House. I didn't get to talk to anyone I knew, because they were all talking to someone else.  So I went back to the car and drove to the movie theater, where I waited in the parking lot till they opened.  The movie was "We Bought a Zoo" which was fun, though there were many triggers in there, too.

And then I drove out to the SPCA booksale where I dropped off a box of craft magazines and three bags of cookbooks.  And spent quite a bit of money on kids' books.

The PG&E bill is a disappointment. Rich was keeping the house at 77 degrees in the daytime, 72 at night.  Really steamy. I took it down to 72/68 in front and the back is on hold in the 50s except when I am going back there. Of course, it's colder than it was, though I do think we were using a lot to keep the house that steamy. It must be the showers. I kind of zone out and cry, and take far too long.

I was having trouble seeing the pictures I'd taken on the new camera.  They go onto the computer fine.  I finally figured out that I needed to re-initialize it. I'd had it done but then changed memory cards and didn't bother.  So these pictures were turning up in January of 2011!

And I took Pharaoh for a quick walk.

Fri, Jan 13th - 9:12PM

The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, p. 43
5.9 miles
clear, cool

179 recordings of 49 types. 7% free. Ouch. They seem to have given me FBN! This is not going to help!

It's gotta be racism, couldn't be anything else.

Yeah, I’m sure that must be it — because anyone else who tripled the deficit while keeping the jobless rate above 8% and economic growth mired in the 2% range while taking the civilian participation rate in the work force to its lowest level in 30 years would be so beloved by now.

    The race card, don’t leave home without it
    cmsinaz on January 11, 2012 at 8:10 AM

It’s maxed out.
Trafalgar on January 11, 2012 at 8:13 AM

I forgot a couple of things from yesterday. The hygeinist told me the dentist was really impressed with the t-shirts at the funeral.  And he liked them.  They agreed this was exactly what they could expect from us. Oh, gee, there's something else. Will I be able to maintain the family wackiness by myself, or was this more a cooperative endeavor? 

The other thing is that I went to the card store after the dentist to pick up a sympathy card for the geocacher who lost her son.  While I was there, I browsed all the "on the loss of your husband" cards and cried and cried. I also had a good look at the "on the loss of your dad" cards.

So today I babysat.  Bernadette called because a car flipped over in front of her and she had called 9-1-1 and also the road was blocked, so she'd be late.  But then she turned up soon afterwards.  Then she got sidetracked at the end of the day and didn't get here till 5. I was flattened, and I don't know why. Nothing much happened. Gareth pushed Joanna aside once and she looked sad.  He snatched one of her crackers at lunch so I popped him over the gate and gave her another.  He's using the big Lego to build, and his structures are getting more complex.  I was going through a Fisher-Price book with him and hit a "numbers" page. I said "can you find the 10 penguins?"  "No" he said, then he went through each number 1 through 10 till he reached the penguins. Is this the autism or his age?

Thu, Jan 12th - 7:42PM

The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, p. 43
5.9 miles
clear, cool

172 recordings of 44 types. 10% clear.

Rasmussen: -18: 44/55.

Alice in Wonderland.

From comepraytherosary.com:
Cheri "Please bless all the amazing people I have never even met and never will that have told me that they are praying for me to be cured of cancer. I am truly grateful. I thought I was facing this alone. God bless them all"

A busy day, this one.  I went to Mass at St. Philomene, and on the way home noticed that the big oak down Whitney avenue is cut like a "thumbs up."  Then I went to the dentist: the x-ray tech came out and gave me a hug, then the dentist, who actually went to the funeral, came out and chatted.  Finally, my hygeinist talked about Rich, too.  She also gave me the astonishing news that my teeth were cleaner than they've been since she started what, two years ago?  I had figured, what with the stress and the sweet tooth that isn't quitting, that she'd tell me they were in terrible shape and I'd tell her to leave me alone.

From there I went to the commissary.  Bad mistake, going while hungry. I got a lot of stuff that wasn't on my list.  At least, I did get the stuff on my list.

I stopped for a Santa Fe Turkey Burger... yum, and home to let the dog in and eat.  Then it was time for his vet appointment. He's down under 47 pounds, which is good.  There was a cat in the lobby who kept sleeping while Pharoah was antsing to get to him.  The vet was pushing a doggie toothbrush. I suppose I'll have to start, real soon now. He got his shots, including bordatella so he can go visit his doggy nephews without making them sick, or so I hope. I told the people at the desk about Rich.  And then was going to pay, couldn't find my credit card. I realized I'd shoved it into my coat pocket at the commissary, then left the coat at home. I said I could use a debit card, but they know me, said I could go home and phone it in, so I did.

On the way home I was amused by a Liberty tax guy whose crown had wilted so he looked more like Cthulhu.

And the flag case came!  It's really nice!  I also got an email that made me smile.

Wed, Jan 11th - 9:20PM

The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, p. 43
5.9 miles
clear, cool

168 recordings of 43 types. 12% clear.

Rasmussen: -19: 44/55.  You stopped me before I even started.

A message on Facebook this morning--- saccharine but it hit me:

I thought of you with love today,
but that is nothing new.
I thought about you yesterday,
and the day before that, too.
I think of you in silence,
I often say your name,
But all I have is memories
and your picture in a frame.
Your memory is my keepsake,
with which I'll never part.
God has you in his keeping,
I have you in my heart.

I shed tears for what might have been,
a million times I've cried.
If love alone could have saved you,
you never would have died.
In life I loved you dearly,
in death I love you still,
In my heart you hold a place
no one could ever fill.
It broke my heart to lose you,
but you didn't go alone,
For part of me went with you,
the day God took you home.

The Golden Gate stood open
He saw that you were getting tired,
and a cure was not to be,
So He put his arms around you,
and whispered, "Come with Me".
With tearful eyes we watched you suffer
and saw you fade away.
Although we loved you dearly,
we could not make you stay.
Your heart full of love stopped beating
your happy little hands to rest,
God broke our hearts to prove to us
that he only takes the best.

Then I found what I wrote in my diary last year on the 9th of January: "I MUST work on thinking positive. 'Are you going to plant pumpkins this year?' I find myself planning funeral or thinking how I'll cope -- that's not helpful to anyone.  He's going to make it (d.v.) and live long enough to be considered for that knee transplant."

Oh, if only.

Well, there is an emotional start to the day, yes?

I got ready for the cleaners, which is much easier with the kitchen shelves having the pet food and the recycling, things I used to take out each week.  The cleaners were really late, and the supervisor came by (basically said God takes people when He wants them, which I oddly enough didn't find all that comforting).  They didn't do as good a job as usual, including not taking out the trash. Very odd.

Then I picked up my neighbor and we went to see "War Horse."  That's a very intense film. I liked it, got really wrapped up in it.  It was a lot longer than I realized, so it was dark when we left and so I dropped her at church (she was supposed to be picked up at home for this meeting.  Oops.)

A local geocacher lost her son on Christmas Eve. Oh, my.

I got nice letters from a Brit friend and from the priest at St. Vincent College who visited us a few years ago.  Both really liked the bookmarks.  The priest says every time he sees it, he says a prayer for Rich and for me.  Good, that was the idea.

I suddenly realized I can use Netflix to get the last three Law&Orders I haven't seen, which they never seem to play.  Duh.

Wed, Jan 11th - 8:56AM

The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, p. 43
5.9 miles
clear, cool

168 recordings of 41 types. 13% clear.

Rasmussen: -17: 46/53

0bamateurism of the Week.

In three years I haven’t seen much from President Obama that could even in the loosest terms be called work. It’s been one long vacation for him, his friends and family at mine, yours and the entire country’s expense.
Tommy_G on January 8, 2012 at 9:39 AM

    Famous opponent of signing statements issues one covering 17 provisions of bill he signed

The heck with Øbamaturisms in 2012… I’m emphasizing the hypocrisy, every time. He can be an amateur on his own time but while he’s a publicly paid president, I’ll emphasize his phoniness.
Barack Øblama, double-dealing because he can and the media loves it.
ExpressoBold on January 8, 2012 at 9:45 AM

I'm all of .1 pound down with borderline BP. Today my sore throat (and general reluctance) kept me home from Mass. And therefore, also from the widow's group.  Next week for sure. I don't think I was sick at all last year, so I'm entitled.

I did make a quick stop at the store, mostly to get a soup/seasoning mix because I planned to cook a rump roast in a bag. Oh, it turned out good. I also picked up baby bok choi, brussels sprouts, and a leek. Then back into my jammies.

Rich, I picked the last of the mandarins. That was sad, because I'd hoped so much that you would be interested and I could wheel you out there to look.  That's 97 (28.5 pounds) this year.  Plus the 6-8 the squirrels got. I'm so sad. They're good.

This was actually the day I found the support socks. (I definitely have to catch up again with this so I can get it right.)

Bernadette came and worked on the puzzle.  She built a tree and most of the arch. 

The DVR broke for a short time.  Before Downton Abbey!  But fortunately it came back.

And yet, they complain when Michelle O. is compared to Marie Antoinette.

And from comepraytherosary: "Holy Mary Mother of God protect my cousin's baby who's just been born and has only been in the fetus for seven months. they are still taking care of him. pray that you would watch over him."

People also talk a lot about angles (angels) and their "fly."  That puzzled me until I realized it's short for "family."  And, of course, the Scared Heart of Jesus.

Stephanopolis was just trying to make sure 0bama wins by emphasizing stupid stuff instead of actual policies.

Did you notice who Obama threatened when he wasn't getting his way on raising the debt ceiling? He threatened to not pay: Social Security Retirees, Military Retirees, Social Security disability and Federal Retirees. - Now..let this sink in really good - - He did not threaten to stop payments to illegal aliens - He did not threatened to take frivolous benefits such as Internet access away from violent inmates - He did not offer to fire some of the thousands of unnecessary federal employees that he hired - He did not offer to cut down on his or his wife's frivolous gallivanting around - He did not threaten to not pay the senators and representatives or any of their staff - He did not threaten to take benefits away from welfare recipients - He did not threaten the food stamp programs - He did not threaten to not pay foreign aid - He did not threaten to cut back on anything that involves his base voters - The list could go on and on. He is in full political re-election mode! • Why are we allowing this person to destroy this wonderful country with his selfishness and his lies? • His type of change is killing our country. He needs to be stopped and only our votes can stop him. • Do not forget about his tactics when it's election time. Vote Obama out of the Presidency in 2012.

Tue, Jan 10th - 9:29PM

The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, p. 43
5.9 miles
windy

Kleenex and Jumbo Raisins

167 recordings of 38 types. 12% clear.

Rasmussen: -17: 46/53.

Today was full of pitfalls, starting in the morning when I ran out of Kleenex in the living room. I knew there were two boxes in the bedroom, so went to get the box on Rich's side. The one he used. The one I used to wipe the running snot off his face on the last day.  Boy, that started the tears.  Later in the day I was poking around in the pantry and found the Jumbo raisins he liked and had picked up.  Another flood of tears.  The real kicker was when I was looking for a space heater for our neighbors whose heater has broken, and found two pair of support socks Rich had rinsed out and hung up. Oh no oh no oh no oh no.... I packaged them up and labeled them for St. Vincent de Paul.  I'd thrown out all of the socks Rich had used, because I didn't feel like sorting out the ones that needed to be darned (as in Hi and Lois: she throws them in the trash saying "darn.") As Bernadette says, it's a shame they don't have fabric recycling... maybe shred stuff for paper or at least felt. Rich had a lot of brand new socks and those I gave to St. Vincent. 

I slept in late after a 4AM wake up. The dog was really desperate at 0630.  Went to Mass, then picked up the yard, then spent a FULL HOUR picking up toys.  Grrr. I took out one bin of foam puzzles he doesn't play with any more. 

I called the gardener and I'm taking over the pay for him.  He came by to talk and I arranged for him to finish the hedge trimming job. 

After the gardeners came, I was watering again in back, and I stepped on a cactus pad in my bare feet. I don't recommend it.

I watched my Homicide episodes on Netflix, got the disc out, and the mailman came about a minute later.  Great timing.

$45 for gas today, a little under 20 MPG.  It's 3 months since Rich drove the car. Only 3 months.  3 months since he went to the softball complex.  Only 3 months. There's got to be a stronger word than "bereft," since that's the one I used for GoE.  Empty.

At the comepraytherosary site:
Father God, Mother Mary, Jesus your son our Lord, What happened?? I asked that you be with me at the casino this night. I need to win at least 25,000 dollars. You say that you will give us the desires of our heart. I made a donation $20.00 dollare to the indians, I will have to try again. amen

(Someone is unclear on the concept.)

0bama gives Sanctuary City Status to Entire Nation.

On my Nook: 279 books and 23% free.

We really have to watch the MSM.

Mon, Jan 9th - 6:12AM

The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, p. 43
5.9 miles
fog. I decided not to go to Mass. Clear and warm later.

168 recordings of 40 types. 12% clear.

Rasmussen: -17: 46/53.

Less intelligent but angrier liberals.

I was watching a Huell Howser and wonder how it's possible that Rich and I didn't see Felix Motors in LA when we were there.

There's a pair of mice that live somewhere in the carport or on the front porch. I sure wish they would go live somewhere else! Cute as they are, I really don't want to call an exterminator.  It's what I get, I suppose, for keeping the cats indoors.

Babysitting today!  I like the sitting itself, but the preparation and the cleanup drive me nuts. I can hardly wait till this isn't necessary. So many years of children, I really enjoy living like a grownup.

I had picked up some Winnie-the-Pooh board books and the kids enjoyed those.  They went home with Bernadette.  While they were here, I called my friend from 60 years ago, who called yesterday and said she had "never ever ever forgotten me."  I'd not forgotten her either, mostly because of the "You Know You're from Laramie" group. She remembered things I had forgotten. Apparently, I got tired of reading the comics to her and taught her to read. She also remembered my Mom fondly for that. Now, my main memory of her is they were the first in the neighborhood to get a TV and after that, you couldn't get them out to play any more, they were glued to the box. Leigh was widowed 10 years ago and says it does get easier.

Also while the kids were here, my new camera came. It was funny, after I ordered it, the "old" one began to behave, but once the new one was here, it remembered it was broken.  I took 5146 pictures with it (in 15 months!). The new one is slightly smaller but a little thicker, and has 16.1 megapixels instead of the 10.6 of the one Rich gave me. I do think the pictures are better, though I had no complaints about the old one. And the new one was cheaper than repairing the old one. I do a lot of talking to Rich about this stuff.

I figured out my net worth. I'm doing OK, even if you discount the one-time only Life Insurance payment. I think, even despite the funeral, I've come out ahead (again, not counting the life insurance) so with a little bit of care, I should be able to put money aside for trips and home repair. My car insurance is a little less, and I'm assuming PG&E will go down, though the November therms were disappointing after I  jacked the thermostats way down from the steamy where Rich was keeping them. I've stopped the paper and won't be getting Music Circus subscriptions or Davis ones.  The VA money replaces DoD, which I don't think Rich realized, but I'll be fine.

They'll sink to any level.

0bamateurism of the Day.

I’m beyond laughing at him.
tinkerthinker on January 6, 2012 at 8:11 AM

The only one who inspires the one is the one.

Q: What is the difference between God and barack.
A: God doen’t think He’s barack.

DuctTapeMyBrain on January 6, 2012 at 8:12 AM

President Obama inspires me too. To:

turn off the TV whenever I see his preachy, scolding face
save lots of money in case I lose my job from his policies
help other people that don’t have jobs because of him
gag when I read about his endless exotic vacations
swear off the game of golf forever
laugh when he calls US lazy
be even more pro-life
turn my heat up to 75, and AC down to 70, and laugh about it
eat what I like and work it off without his help, thanks
buy cases and cases of extra incandescent light bulbs
work for anyone but him in the next election

Eviva on January 6, 2012 at 8:24 AM

How the LA Times Continues to Describe the 0bamas using Racist Terms.

Sat, Jan 7th - 8:01PM

The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, p. 43
5.9 miles
clear, warm.

169 recordings of 41 types. 11% free.

Rasmussen: -20: 45/53. Still working on it. 

I cancelled the paper yesterday.

The jigsaw puzzle table doesn't work as well at holding the pieces down as I hoped. However, they stayed in the same area so were easy to get back where they belong. Until Monday, when I put it away, I'll keep it horizontal. Maybe by then I'll almost have the puzzle done. I did the frame yesterday and got some other pieces in today.

I decided the back yard is turning into a dust bowl, and I decided to water the area closest to the door.  I sure hope that will help the grass grow back! It was OK for the funeral, but I wish I'd thought about watering sometime in between then and now.

I went walking with Pharaoh and Arcade Creek is completely dry! I also saw an old gate... I wonder if the house ended up under the freeway interchange, or did they just move the house to the other end of the farm and decide to use the other gate?  I walked past the place where I first saw an egret, walking this street with Sailor, and later where Rich and I spied a number.  The pond doesn't have as many exotic birds as it used to but there are still many peacocks and swans. I don't remember the big horse farm, but there were cows in the nearest paddock today.

When I got back I took some oranges to a neighbor, one who's been very nice to me. I rather stiffed her one day when she offered to help but Rich needed to get to a working oxygen canister. But she's been around: I never did ask her for help but knew she was there.

Tonight I went with a church friend to a grief group she'd told me about.  Every time I was about to speak up, someone else started. I thought one topic was not really germane: without breaking confidentiality, it was an atheist uncomfortable with people saying the  dead person was in a "better place."  My reaction would have been "thank you" and drop it, but nooooo. Another person there can only be described as a groupie... (s)he's been there for years, and starts with the grandparents, through parents and partner and finally a beloved pet. There comes a time, I believe, when you have to realize people die.  And over 20 years of loss?  I suppose I'm judgemental, but this person needs to get a life.

Also, there were all kinds of mourners, for mothers, for children... I think I'll try the Widow's group.  My friend says it's bigger and "you might get lost."  She says that like it's a bad thing.

She also says someday I'll be able to remember Healthy Rich instead of Dying Old Rich. I sure hope so. Anyway, depending on how the widow's group goes, I may give this group another chance, but with this first impression I'm not too sure if it'll help.

I hate bedtime. Almost as much as waking up time.

Wed, Jan 4th - 8:45PM

The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, p. 43
2.9 miles
clear, cool

168 recordings of 42 types. 12% clear.

Hypocrisy and Impotence.

I took the car to Downtown Ford and it didn't take as long as I'd thought to check it in.  I sat with my Nook in the waiting room about 15 minutes, then went up front to see if I could talk to the dealer. He wasn't in yet, but Bernadette showed up to pick me up early, so I was happy.

At the house the kids played and then we watched the new Disney (John Lassiter) Winnie-the-Pooh. Like the books, there's a lot going on there for the adults. I was tired but managed to see most of it. I finally called them at noon, and yes, the car was ready. It cost less than I expected, and I got to see the dealer. He did know about Rich. I also asked about his Mom and that was a long tale. She's not doing well.

From there I took the car (which feels great) and stopped at the Mormon thrift shop, got a couple of thousand-piece puzzles and some kiddie books, including board Winnie-the-Pooh stories.  At home I called the Bee to cancel the paper. I put the stuff back into the car, threw Rich's car comb out (Waaaah!) and got the rocks and straw out of the mats and used the dustbuster on the rest of the floor in front. 

Then I set up the puzzle table, and it was all over. I did call a friend to see if she could go to the movies tomorrow.  No, she's visiting another older church friend who's in a home. So I've nearly got the frame done on the first puzzle.  This may take awhile. I still have notes to write, and really better get to them.

The Revenge of Hooterville.

Reading: The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (vol 1), Edward Gibbon, The Bible (1 Machabees), The Introduction to the Devout Life, St. Francis de Sales, Blue Highways, William Least Heat Moon, Atlas Shrugged, Ayn Rand, Florida Heat Wave, Michael Lister, The Help, Kathryn Stockett, Finding Your Way After Your Spouse Dies, Marta Felber, and The Death of a Husband, Helen Reichert Lambin.

Tue, Jan 3rd - 11:01PM

The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, p. 43
2.9 miles
clear, cool

174 recordings of 44 types. 9% free.

Rasmussen: -20: 46/53.

Tin ear.

His credibility card has expired.
NeighborhoodCatLady on January 3, 2012 at 8:07 AM

His credit card works. His brain doesn’t, and neither do his policies.
backwoods conservative on January 3, 2012 at 8:11 AM

Number of Democrats Falls to All-Time Low
Shucks. And here they thought holding up trains and crapping on cop cars was going to make them more popular.

After three years of Obama and three months of the #occupy criminal movement, just 32% of voters consider themselves democrats today – a new all-time low.

Don't Put It On Our Tab: These are possibly the 5 best sentences you'll ever read and all applicable to this experiment:

1. You cannot legislate the poor into prosperity by legislating the wealthy out of prosperity.
2. What one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving.
3. The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else.
4. You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it!
5. When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half is going to take care of them, and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get what they work for, that is the beginning of the end of any nation.

My Wallow Day actually started last night when I really overreacted to a small disappointment.  Misplaced sorrow.  Then this morning I slept in or at least stayed in past 8, reading. I've wept and wailed over every little thing. Then I've made my phone calls... to the Ford place to schedule the
37500 mile checkup (which is about 300 miles late.  The 30000 one was almost $500 and was in May. I'm glad Rich has kept such meticulous records.) I called CARUS to find out what happened to my refund I was promised Nov. 28.  Apparently they started the process but "something happened." I just bet.  And now, the company has been swallowed by another so no refund checks are going out for two weeks.  They'd be happy to put it on my credit card. Noooooo, I don't think so. So I'll wait three weeks for the check, then call back to harass Cecilia if I don't have it. The third call was to Union Bank. And they've lost the check (or maybe I didn't put it into the envelope, but I have torn this house apart looking for it to no avail.) This was the one with Rich's last pay for the 4 days in November he was alive.

I also took down all the Christmas decorations, and put the old tree into the carport for next year's St. Vincent de Paul.  This actually cleared a little room in the back. I'd like to be able to get this Christmas stuff out easily next December, and that's my year's project. I wonder if I can actually do it.

My jigsaw puzzle table, onyx dove wind chimes, and Harry Potter DVDs came. And my camera is really dying, so I'm thinking about getting another, which is the same price as repairing this one.  The wind chimes are littler, and don't sound as nice, but at least I have them.

I bought a pizza at half-price for dinner instead of cooking up the pasta salad I was originally going to make. That I can do tomorrow.  And then I went and reconciled accounts (sulking about the missing check!) and discovered DoD is finally giving me money.  I still need the VA to get their act together, but things are coming together. And will be moreso when I cancel the Bee. It turns out they don't ask before taking money. Even though I'm spending a lot, it's less or will be than it was, no newspaper, no Music Circus, etc. And I'm using less gas, probably the same amount of electricity, less water. (Which isn't metered yet.)

I've also been reading or re-reading the grief books, so getting some actual grief work done. I should have walked the dog, but didn't. Oh, well.

Mon, Jan 2nd - 9:56PM

The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, p. 43
2.9 miles
clear, cool

174 recordings of 46 types. 9% free.

Two green subsidies we won't miss in 2012.

Selfish.

Yesterday I woke up at 5, as usual, and got up, and Gareth immediately moved into the space. He was sideways across the bed up where the pillows go.  He's INTERESTING to sleep with! No wonder B. wants a king size bed, and I don't think that's big enough.

He woke up about 7 and I tried the Dinosaur Eggs oatmeal on him.  That was a disappointing experiment. So I ended up giving him a waffle.

We took 5 books to church, and that kept him fairly well engaged. He did end up on the floor often, and he forgot anything we've tried to teach him about whispering, but we only had one episode of crazy giggles and then he finished with hugging me and saying "I sorry Nana."  It was exhausting but nice. 

Then we went to the Zoo, where the animals all came out.  Gareth liked "riding" the little cars and especially liked the train ride. The river otter came right up to us at the glass and stood up, almost Gareth's size.

Back to the house for lunch, and then play, and soon enough Mommy came to pick him up. There was a package waiting for her which turned out to be a pink chef's hat for Joanna.

Today I went geocaching with Rhonda. I'd planned three nearby caches, and we found all three, and she likes it so we'll be going out again. Yay!

I tried the Polish mushroom soup today. It's going to need some tweaking, but I'll definitely try again.

Lora Mortenson Warren You know how toddlers use small forks and spoons to eat? Well, what do Chinese toddlers use, toothpicks? Just asking.

A year ago Rich came out to announce he was spitting up blood. And so it began. Sigh.

Mon, Jan 2nd - 12:12PM

The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, p. 33
159.2 miles
clear

172 recordings of 46 types. 10% free.

I'm up 1.3 pounds for the week, with borderline bp.

Firefox was acting up. I went to IE and reput in all my favorite tabs, and that scared Mozilla into behaving. (I'd rebooted, everything, and nothing else had worked.)

Today I had Gareth for an overnight. Initially I'd planned to take him to the Crocker, but didn't feel like it when push came to shove.  My tires feel squishy to me, but Rob says they're OK and in any case the car goes in for a tuneup next week.

So I stopped at the store with Gareth to get bubble bath. He was excited about that.  He played and read books. I'd brought down the things he can't play with while Joanna is here. We had a "Kid's Cuisine" for dinner, with chicken nuggets, corn, and macaroni-cheese.  Then the bubble bath was a big success, and I read him "the Little House" and just settled down with him in bed. It took him 20 minutes to conk out. He made a couple of comments about going "to mommy-daddy's house" but didn't get too homesick, which is good since I didn't want to be out tonight.

I watched some TV, cried a little, and went to bed about 10:15.  I did wake at 0300 with some fireworks (maybe they're Hawaiian?) but slept OK with the dervish. He walked up my spine a couple of times and tossed and turned, but never actually woke up.

Good bloody riddance, 2011!

Mon, Jan 2nd - 10:19AM

The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, p. 33
159.2 miles
clear

176 recordings of 46 types. 8% clear.

It's the feast of the Holy Family. It's been 8 weeks. Today started out badly, had a nice bump in the middle, then finished badly, too. I think I will need a day off to wallow in grief.

I started at church, and found out Father Lee is OK. Then I went to the commissary and got lots more stuff.  I found out that I may not have saved a terrific amount with those coupons yesterday*, but I didn't lose money, either. I just wish I could find the Red Baron breakfast scrambles, but apparently they are long gone.

*Oh, yesterday afternoon I took a bunch of coupons to Raley's and saved 34%! Stocked up for quite awhile.

Then my BBS friend Rhonda came by to look at the tree and she treated me to lunch at Shar-e-Punjab.  The place looked deserted when we arrived, but they were open and the food delicious as usual.  From there we went to Whole Foods and I poked around, admired the olive bar and the broccoli rabe, and I got some nice shitake mushrooms for the Christmas Eve Soup.

Back at home, I was getting ready to take the dog for a walk and discovered two checks in the mailbox (why is the Civil Service sending me checks, when I definitely sent them the routing number?) One was the last of Rich's retired pay, so I endorsed it, popped it into an envelope, and we walked down to Union Bank. I was a bit upset, this is a reminder of the last time he was alive.  And it turns out they didn't accept the deposit. I won't find out why till Tuesday. Grumble.

I finished up making the gingerbread.  And made it into the bedroom for my 9:47 memorial. I miss him so.

0bama's Kind of a White House Recluse.  That's because nobody else is good enough for him.

The Nook has 274 items and 23% free.

Sun, Jan 1st - 8:56PM

The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, p. 43
2.9 miles
clear, cool

172 recordings of 45 types. 10%

0bamateurism of the Year

My first solo summary.  9.7 miles in December (159.2 total for 2011.  This is understandable, but terrible.) .7 pounds up for December but the exact same weight as last year. 8(!) pages in December, 646 total.

In December I read 4 books (62 this year. It's all those waiting rooms.) 2 movies (8), no plays (16-- that will go down next year with fewer Davis plays and no Music Circus.), 19 Masses for 149 in the year.

I found 18 caches last month, for 406 in the year (A disappointment to Rich) and I was at 7825 at the end of 2011. I'm 288th in the world, and 15th locally.  (Down overall 92 places, down 1 rank locally.)

I did no proofing at all last month. Again.  I'm in 1065th (out of 37978 proofers) place in the first proofing round, with 873 pages proofed (1 more page this year), 19th (out of 4556) in P2 with 23523 pages,(15 this year), 576th (of 954) in P3 with 469 pages and formatting 678th place (3592) with 1020 pages. (No pages proofed at all in those two rounds.)

In Flickr I have 41590 pictures, with 91582 views, and 204 sets to work on (so I added 40 in 2011).

In Netflix, I watched The Public Enemy. I'm about to start doing "Homicide" in order, since I taped 51 episodes recently. Not with Netflix, but I've watched all but 3 "Law&Order" episodes, every episode of "Criminal Minds", every episode, but I slept through one, of "SVU", and I'm nearly finished with all the episodes of "NCIS."

Rich's illness and death were the big events of 2011, with the satellite trips to San Simeon, Monterey, and Yosemite.  The kids gave us a fantastic week of family reunion.  Charlotte made her first Communion and Joanna was baptised.