I'm. So. Sleepy.

What a challenge it just was to type that title. Am I really *that* sleepy? Maybe. I might be falling asleep in the pedicure chair. Yippee.

I read yesterday of a search site that gives a penny per search to the non-profit of your choosing, As soon as I figure out how, I will add it as a link in the sidebar, but until then, go check out www.goodsearch.com

A penny a search doesn't sound like a lot, but I read of it in Lesbian Connection and they mentioned that is a hundred readers use this exclusively for a few searches a day, that would be more than $700 in a year which, to a non-profit trying to make ende meet needs, is some serious change. I elect Elsie Publishing (that's LC for Lesbian Connection), but I think you can type in the charity of your choice each time you use it. I have them on my toolbar and will remove the google and yahoo search bars to make it easy for myself.

EB just informed me we will leave a bit earlier than planned, so perhaps more on this later.

What? It's only 10:30?

I was up this morning at about 5:45 and I was the last one up. EB, who has been sleeping in lately? Up bright and early. Chef William who doesn't get up til he has to? His alarm went off while I was on the pot. (TMI, I know...get over it already). Chef was up because he is working this morning. Thomas, well, he came over last night at 11 and we only made it until about 10:20. I think Thomas was still up from xmas eve.

I took the pizza dough out of the fridge and let it warm up a little to make handling it somewhat easier. I made some monkey bread. You pinch off small pieces to roll into one inch balls and then dip them in butter and roll them in cinnamon sugar. Then collect them all on a bundt pan and bake at 375 for about 40 minutes. Hot gooey cinnamon is way hot when it comes out of the oven so be careful when you have at it.

Once the monkey bread was done, I raised the oven temp to 400 and popped in Nigella's Croque Monsieur bake. I made a pan for us and I took a pan to chef and his coworkers. Omigodthatissofuckinggood.

We opened pressies this morning before chef went to work and sadly (ok I'm kidding weese), I got four gift cards from loved ones. Let me emphasize I am kidding about being sorry. Contrary to the opinion of the great and powerful weese, I love me some gift cards. EB might just be addictd enough to Thomas' guitar hero 3 to need her own.

Time for a nappypoo before Papu comes over for dinner which will be cornish hens and roasted winter vegetables because quite frankly, it's time for our asses to be back on track.

Happiest of holidays, y'all!

happy xmas eve eve

Y'all celebrate this, yes?

I am celebrating today by being a slug. I know, you're *so* surprised. EB is out shopping. William is at work and Thomas just left to do Thomas stuff. My shopping is officially declared done and I, am slugging. After I post this I might give William a call to see if he wants a ride, which gets me a chai, but I don't *need* a chai. I don't want one. It is part of the abundance I am feeling, I think, and I posted about that just now at Cultivating Grace, linked on the right if it interests you.

This morning, we had a bot-o-drama with les chiens. I think Sawyer started it when he jumped off the foot of the chaise and snarled at Lilli, who then snarled at Nola, who snapped and flipped Lilli over in an instant. I have never seen Lilli and Nola so pointedly aggressive toward one another. There was no "I was just playing" forth coming from either of them and we simply had to intervene. I am presuming that Lilli Munster is in heat again, and I think in lieu of this incident it might be time to take care of that once and for all.

Last night was the fourth annual White Trash Xmas Buffet. I made the usual feast for WTXB4. We dined on beanie weanies, macaroni and cheese, chicken wings(both spicsy and patented sweet varieties), Pork tenderloin, mashed potatioes, homemade (not lipton) onion dip with not homemade chips, apple cider pound cake, rolls, and dee-lux(typo intentional due to the white trash nature of the affair)queenmaxine chocolate chip bar cookies. There was plenty of wine and beer to go around to the dozen or so guests we had in attendance.

Then. We played cards. Liverpool to be precise. And the fun continued into the late evening hours. We. Had. Fun.

There are enough leftovers that I needn't cook before Thursday (as Chef takes Wednesday), but Tuesday *is* xmas, so I will cook something. I am considering Croque Monsier from Nigella's latest cookbook. It is a ham and cheese on multigrain bread, soaked over night in an egg and cream concoction and then baked off in the morning, or whenever it seems time. What's not to like?

I guess I should see what time eb's pop is coming over because he might be expecting some real food. Croque Monsieur for brunch followed by cornish hens and roasted veggies? I think that might just be the ticket.

Holiday restless

I wish there was a way to suspend reality, alter it to suit the day, then save it as the new reality. That's what we do as we go through life, I suppose, but it seems it might be better served if we could do it consciously without having to learn life's little lessons along the way.

What would happen if a person consciously came to a point where they felt no need to learn further lessons? Shouldn't said person be able to happily go on his or her way in that state of constant contentment. Is this enlightenment? Realizing you have learned life's lessons and need not learn any more?

What is she teaching her children?

On Saturday morning, while doing a less than random act of kindness, I was the victim of a psychotic lunatic's road rage. It was animated in such a way as to have read the story, but have need to experience it first hand to believe it. Surely exaggeration played a part in the grandness of it all. Umm, No. This was so big, no patented queenmaxine exaggeration is needed. Really.

Saturday was the first of the month, and as it often does, it snuck up on me swiftly. Who makes their billing due date the first of the month? Discover. I've asked before for it to be changed and got a swift reply of "I'm sorry ma'am, that's just not possible. It's insane. Fortunately, you can pay your Discover bill at Sears and we happen to have one less than a mile away at the mall I had to go to anyway because I work there on Saturday morning.

It is the holiday season and I had planned to leave plenty of time for traffic and parking, as well as being prepared for lines at the register. On Saturday morning I also like to go by Starbucks to see Chef at work. He works at the second most convenient Starbucks (still within a 2.5 mile radius of home) and his store is particularly busy on Saturday morning. I left a little later than I had anticipated, but I knew the priority was Sears/Discover and if that was all I accomplished, even if it made me late for work, anything else would be gravy.

Apparently, last Saturday morning we were in the eye of the hurricane that is holiday shopping madness. I got to Sears and parked in the very first space by the door and the parking lot was relatively dead. It was 8:45 and I knew JCP opened at 7, so I was relatively sure Sears was open. I walked in and there were 4 men happily greeting me and offering assistance. I always go in through the Craftsman section because it is usually the quietest. I told them I just needed to make a payment. Upon closer scrutiny, I saw that the person assisting me, one of the 4, was actually a dyke. She was cautiously flirty.

I got back in my car and it was just 8:48. Starbucks is on the horizon. Between Starbucks and where I sat, and directly on the way is Shipley's Donuts. I have been extremely disciplined in the low glycemic way lately and truly, it has been pretty easy. I had no onclination toward a donut for myself. Zero. Really. None. Chef, however, likes their kolaches. I decided that if I could park when I got by Shipley's, kolaches were in his immediate future.

There was a space right in front, and still feeling eye of the hurricanish, there was oddly no traffic. This is a very busy place any morning, but on Saturday, there will be no hurrying.

I lie when I say there was no traffic. There was, far enough away that it posed no worry, one lone black SUV. Big, honking, IliveinMemorialandhave$$andyouareaninterloperbegone black SUV. Again, it was safely way far down the street.

I had my signal light on to turn left into the Shipley's parking lot. The parking lot drive area is u-shaped. I turned in and this crazy black SUV with its dark tinted windows came barreling toward me, horn blaring. As I was turning into the parking space, it was trying to cut me off having turned right into the out going end of the driveway. A second mre and it would have hit me. I cut my ignition to see it blocking me in from behind in my rear view mirror. The window rolls down, and there was a rather good looking(other than her disposion making her *so* unattractive) woman leaning across a 6 year old to look out the passenger side window. She was screaming something, and you know, momma didn't raise no fool. I stayed in my car and would have remained there until someone had escorted this psycho away. I had some knitting in my bag and could have settled in for a pleasant morning knit.

After about 2 minutes, She began to pull away and exit the entrance side of the driveway. As soon as I saw that she was not going to Shipley's, I got out of the car. At this time, she was on the front side of my car in the street, not between me and Shipley's any more. Her window was still down and she once again leaned over to shout out, and I quote, "Like you need another fucking donut!!"

There were also 2 small children in the back. The one in the front hadsunken as far as she could away into the seat. There was a man with a double stroller waiting by the door as I went to go in. "Was that a lady driving that car?"

"Ummm, No. I think not." He then offered to buy my donut for me. Wasn't that sweet? He was attractive, too. Very pleasant.

The irony of the entire situation, at least to me, is that I was not there buying anything for my fat ass. I was there getting kolaches to take my son at work. Oddly enough, the whole exchange didn't at all bother me except in that she was really setting a poor example for her children of how to treat people. What else are those children learning from her?

On another note, I saw my new doctor on Thursday and I liked him. It isn't often that I like a male doc right away, so I guess I really like him. We discussed my disease in very frank terms and he asked all the right questions. He called the nurse in so he could feel me up, checking various glands and palpating my intestines,all very benign. Then he said, "Okay Maxine, Drop your pants to mid thigh (they were just unbuttoned and ooched open at this point) and roll on your side, I need to see your bottom." To which I replied, "Dr M! On the first date?" "Don't worry dear (the glove snapped on), I have the lube right here..."

The turkey that was

A success!! The Turkey. Was. Awesome. Juicy white meat so tender a knitfe was not necessary. Back flavors of apple and basil and garlic. And who needs gravy when the pan juices are fantasic?

As I surmised, the macaroni and cheese was the best I have ever made. I used shells and farfalle mixed and poiled in heavily salted water. Then for the cheese blend, it was an 8 oz bag of sharp cheddar, an 8 oz bag of colby jack mixed, and about 4 oz of shredded fontina left over from when Chef made pizzas with wheat crust from scratch. The mac-n-cheese was excellent.

I became a potato snob about 4 years ago upon discovering yukon gold oe yellow fingerling potatoes. Nothing else will please me the same for mashed potatoes, and in general, russets are so terribly pedestrian. When I make mashed, we add a wee wedge of St Andre cheese. Creamy.

EB went to the stoore and took my phone so she could consult as needed for the list. When she got to the St Andre, she called for there was none. I told her any brie or other soft cheese they have would be fine. She ended up gettng Cambazola(sp?) and I wondered if the bleu in it might be too strong, but the Universe has been so good to us of late that I was not sweating it terribly. When I got the potatoes out of the bag, I knew right away they were russets. Eww. Due to no fault od eb's, the bag says in big shiny yellow letters, Pacific Gold (and then in wee teeny tiny letters) russet potatoes. Branding fuckers. They deliberately used trickery to deceive the gold/yellow potato buying public.

The potatoes, despite their inferior russet status, in conjunction with the Cambazola (and some cream and some butter...just a touch I swear) were not too bad. Of the leftovers, that is about all there is left. That and a turkey leg.

It beinf Thanksgiving and all, we were allowed dessert. I was going to make Grandma Mary's Sour Cream Pound Cake, but alas, there was no sour cream in the fridge and eb had done so well at the store, I was in no way going to send her back out again. So online I went to look for a more generic pound cake recipe. Google to the rescue, nearly top of the list was an apple cider pound cake recipe, and given the apple theme so far it seemed an immediate winner.

o. mi. god. I can't say enough to do it justice other than to let you know a cake that usually hangs out around here for a week or so is G. O. N. E. Apple cider in the batter and a fresh caramel glaze on top were a huge hit. Don't let Grandma Mary know her recipe might be shuffled down the list for a while.

We are now off to Texas Art Supply and then to Costco. Woohoo.

Thanksgiving yarny goodness

I was going to make this a picture heavy post, but I can't find the camera cord and the camera cord stasher is still sleeping. And it is Thanksgiving, afterall, so I will let her sleep. (It's a reasonable hour and I am adding some pics...)

Me? I was up at 5:20 this morning. I decided the peace and quiet of te early morning was boding well for casting on the Kushu Kushu scarf. The Kushu is a kit by Habu and I either love it or I hate it, I am not quite sure yet, but I am guessing I love it if I am not sure enought to continue on blind faith.

The Kushu is a scarf made with ultra-fine merino and silk stainless steel. That's right, I said stainless steel, but it is stainless steel wrapped in silk. See why a picture would have been nice? Both of these yarns are really fine. Lke sewing thread fine. And I am using, as per the pattern directions, a size 8 needle. At some future point I will change to a size 6. Then a four and finally a three. The latter two sizes will be knitting the Silk stainless steel solo, sans merino. I am intrigued to say the least.

The instructions, it's so bold of Habu to call them instructions, are a schematic. I am really glad that the sales clerk took the time to open the kit and explain the schematic to me, because it is brilliant in its simplicity and I would have otherwise been staring at it saying What. The. Fuck. As I cast on and knit the firt row, I decided I would put blind faith in the Universe that Kushu would turn out as intended. It's all good.

Habu is a Japanese company and apparentlly knitting is not knitting the world over. Well, I guess knitting is knitting, but patterns and schematics vary widely. I totally resist charted knitting, I think, because it is more work than my brain wants to do. I go with the flow and trust that the Universe is just not ready for me to read charts.

This schematic is brief. Way brief. But it truly offers all the information you need to knit Kushu Kushu. However...the schematic page says nothing about what stitch is to be used. Since there is no mention of purling anywhere, I went with garter stitch. Then, I went back to the cover page before emailing the company and asking (for confirmation before I knit too far) because it is Thanksgiving and I know no answer would be forthcoming, at least not today.

No, not garter stitch, but stockinette (which I thought had a g in it?). So my first 6 rows are garter and I can't see that it will matter. I plan to knit 6 rows further before I decide if it matters enough to rip it out and start again. The piece will be lightly felted when complete, so I might leave it as is.

The process of Kushu is totally consuming. It is such a simple basic pattern, but this is far from mindless knitting. It requires the solitude of early morning for concentration to be optimal.

To contrast my thread knitting, I also bought two skeins of Yosemite (might have to scroll down) by Trendsetter Yarns. I got color 78, Watermelon Slice. It is divine, and soft. And uber-chunky. I question my sanity everytime I grab anything this bulky as I live in Houston, but c'mon, it's gorgeous. I know, a pic would be nice, yes? I will add pics in a little while, perhaps after the brining turkey gets in the oven, perhaps before.

Food. Can't have a Thanksgiving day post and not talk about the food. I just mixed up the mac-n-cheese and I dare say it might be the best mac-n-cheese I have ever made. Ever. Best ever. This is a good sign as the turkey is a new venture and might suck. At least I know we will be slamming down some mac-n-cheese that is muy excellente.

The turkey is brining as explained here. I don't think an issue of Saveur comes out that doesn't have at least one thing I want to try. It's always about expanding my domestic horizons. I have a wife to keep satisfied, afterall.

The turkey has been brining overnight in cider, salt, dark brown sugar, apples, and garlic. 35 cloves of garlic, thank you very much. The turkey will cook at 425 for 2 hours. Hot and fast as turkey cooking goes. Again, I am intrigued.

I am also making mashed potatoes, and something green. I was going to make broccolini, but the store was out when eb went yesterday. Or she couldn't find it, but we will go with her story, they didn't have any. So I told her to just get something green. She brought home broccoli. And zucchini. And snap peas. And asparagus. And spinach. So we will be having at least one green vegetable.

And rolls. If they have any when I go to the store at noon.

I also made some jalapeno dip mixing whipped cream cheese with a jar of jalapeno relish we got last weekend at Gruene Market Days. This morning I am making us a veggie scramble and adding some dip at the end of the cooking. Just because.

Pics soon.

contemplating a new tattoo

I have never been able to add a photo directly to my blog because I was on a Mac and the feature wasn't available. Neither was spell check. Go figure. Recently, EB showed me the feature and it certainly makes it easier not having to first upload to Flickr and then blog it from Flickr, though honestly, that was easy enough.

It is a bit of a light time at work so today, I was learning how to crop an image in photoshop using the pen tool and the convert point tool. Of course the test will come when I try to do it again and can't remember what the hell I did. It was weird because I was mostly getting it, but not really cognitive of what exactly I was doing. The above image is the result.

When we were last in NYC, we went again to Pearl River Market. It is an Asian import market, and if you can't find it there, it might not exist. I think there prices are pretty reasonable, and surely a comparable place exists in Houston, but I just haven't found it yet.

So anyway, I bought a modest ammount of paper goods. A few packs of crane origami paper made it into my basket which I think will be used for wallpaper as I transform more of my dad's old pics. I also got a few small note pads that are a recycled paper with a graphic cover. One of them was the above image. I think it is going on the inside of my left calf at roughly 4 inches. I think baby buddha might sit on a lotus flower or be surrounded with clouds. Or maybe a burst of light like that surrounding Our Lady of Guadalupe.

I thinnk I might need to commission my wife.

Holy Vaginistas, Teresa is 40!

I was looking throught my blog entries for September 2004. That is when I turned the big 40. As I sit here listening to holiday music on my iPod, I can feel the rosy glow as if it were only yesterday. Relatively, it seems as if I am 40 still. I think 40 is that kind of landmark year. I think I might feel 40 until I am 52 (the magical AARP year). Truthfully, I think I feel 37, but that isn't what today is about. Today is all about Teresa turning 40.

Happy Birthday Teresa!!



So while I was browsing my archives, I found a post from the last day of my 39th year. I had gotten a card from my mom for my birthday with the standard $50 check. There was a note inside. My mom always includes a note because she thinks it is ridiculous to send a card for anything and not include some sort of personalized note. My mom and I have never been overly affectionate so imagine the tears in my eyes after reading this:

"Put 9-11 in the back of your mind and never forget.

But in the forefront of all your thinking know that on Sept. 11, 1964

a bundle of joy and delight brightened our door.

In your future always remember to put your many talents to good use for yourself and all womankind.
Love Mom--

P.S. I just was reading this over and it almost sounds like preaching. Or maybe I should get to work and
get that book started."


This is the most intimate sentiment ever expressed to me by my mother. And it is a totally auspicious beginning to my forties. It truly has only gotten better as each day passes.

Deck the halls

Following one of Weese's handy tips couldn't be easier. I think with Thanksgiving being somewhat early this year, we got the timing right even though there are those of you who mocked us.


The trees are up, yes this year there are three of them, and the lights are on. We have a 7 foot tree that eb put lights on last night. I was feeling a bit under the weather this past weekend and helped as I could. The 7 foot tree in in the library which is where we hang out lately, and it is in the front window.

A few weeks ago I got a 5 foot tree that is prelit from JCP. It retails for 120 and I got it for 38 after all the sales and discounts. I still like it, but it isn't quite as stable as we would like. It is on the cabinet formerly known as the TV stand in the great room. We hang out in there a lot as well, and that tree will showcase some of our more special ornaments.

The third tree is a metal stand which crisscrosses in layers and is a matte gold color. There are all sorts of loopdeloos on which to display ornaments. It resides on top of one of our 9 cubbies and will also showcase some of our fragile ornaments.

We still have a lot of ornaments to unpack, I am guessing that while the oven is abaking this evening, tissue paper will be aflying. I thnk there are a few santa figures that are booked for return rngagements this year, too, and I am sure we will come across those this evening.

The outside stuff will need a quick inventory and maybe, just maybe, it will get put up. That is often the challenge of decorating for the holidays when it is still in the 80s. I am thinking blue lights across the front of the house on the horizontal, not up to the eaves, but that is eb's decision because either way, I don't do ladders. A couple of years ago I saw a house that had totally outlined their landscaping on the ground and I thought that would be interesting, but the front yard is on the big side and that would be a lot of lights. I sort of fance the multi colored big bulbe poking out cactus like from the front lamp post or maybe a big red bow. Hmmm.

My first sweater is finished!

Nov 2007 005
Originally uploaded by queenmaxine

I was done with the knitting over the weekend. On Monday night, I met up with Faith to sit and knit at Panera in the early evening. While there I wove in all the ends. Wednesday morning I sewed up one side seam, and Wednesday evening the other. 'Skully' is from Stitch N Bitch and is made with Lamb's pride Bulky in Bronze Patina(6 skeins) and Sunburst Gold(1 skein).
Tres warm! Like warm enough (for eb, it's her sweater, of course) to wear in CT in February or something.

S O L D

Woohoo!! I found out yesterday that "A Good Cigar" (see post below) sold at the silent auction gala. We were unable to go this year and the Dia de los Muertos exhibit is coming down today. We totally should have gone to the Lawndale on Sunday. Hopefully next year we will both get tins done and then we can make a night of it.

Elizabeth's sweater, Skully, is nearly done. I have finished the knitting and weaving in of ends. I sewed onw seam up this morning and the other will be sewn either tonight or tomorrow. Pics to follow.

Post Slacker

It's been a few weeks of "Oh, I should blog about xxx..." and then when it comes to blogging time I got nuttin'. It's weird how it goes in cycles but I certainly see it on others' blogs. I know it isn't anything new.

The biggest news is I have taken on a third part time job two nights a week at my favorite yarn shop. This last week, which was my first there, I worked three nights, which already I know was too many. Not physically too many, but more time than I care to spend there as an employee. I was hired on as part time help while one of the women there is out on maternity leave and as holiday help. I am not sure this will go past January. At that time I might switch to an as needed status.

I think I have JCP whittled down to a manageable 11-13 hours a week (2 days). I would maybe like it better at just Saturday, but I have to work enough hours so that my income there covers the cost of my benefits which I am eligible for through the end of 2008. It's a thing of beauty. I can't wait to see what my PTO forecast is for 2008. It will be maximized to be certain. When my eligibility expires I am not sure what will become of JCP, but that is 14 months from now so no need for a hasty decision.

So at the yarn shop, my 2 nights equal about 8 hours. As eb's assistant I am consistent at 22 hours right now, but I would like to ramp that up a little. I think next week will be 26, and I might hang out there for a bit to see how it goes.

In other news, the cat is out of the bag in regards to our tenth anniversary trip next summer. We are doing an Alaska cruise in May. A little before our actual anni date, but that was when the sock cruise was scheduled, so who am I to argue the dates? I really need to try a funky pattern type of sock before the cruise, maybe monkey or .pomatomus. I am not sure what the knitting classes will cover, but it will definitely be sock related. There is talk of a support group for the knitter's spouses that will meet at the bar when we are in class. Could be eb's thing but I imagine the other spouses are likely men. Maybe not so much her thing. Regardless, I am sure we will have a good time on this, our first cruise. More later, off to Lowes.

So at Lowes, eb got some tiling accoutrements and I toured the xmas aisles. Then as we were getting ready to go, we spy the Stanley FatMax. Weese, you know you want one. It is an early xmas gift and I think we might eventually have more than one. I can see one as an artist catch all, plenty of room for eb to load it with paints. It might be a feasible traveling studio.
still, maybe more later...

Ruler of the house

sept oct 07 064
Originally uploaded by queenmaxine

Don't even think for a second that the humans have anything to say about anythng.

A Good Cigar

sept oct 07 072
Originally uploaded by queenmaxine

I managed to get my retablo done for Dia de los Muertos at the Lawndale. I was actualy finished a few days before the deadline this year and I was able to drop it off before we went to see the beautiful people in CT.

The gala and silent auction is next week and I think we won't be going this year, but it is always a lot of fun to do the retablo and we can go see the show the following week.

I used another of my father's vintage photos this year. This is one of him about55 years ago and I am not sure if he took it using a tripod or if someone else took it. I need to ask him but he might not remember.

I printed the b&w photo on a transparency, coated the printed side with a thin payer of mod podge, and then used acrylic paint to color what I wanted to color. The background is a piece of Martha Stewart craft paper available at Michael's. I like last years better I think.

I am going to use the same pic to make a tin gift box for my folks using last years xmas cookie tin and putting the pic on the lid. The box will nicely hold the various things I have knit for them for xmas.

Slippery When Wet

How is it I have been a Funk fan for many a day and I don;t know this song? It just seems wrong. Thank you Starbucks for The funk compilation Out of Sight.

Slippery When Wet by The Commodores

Listen to me brothers
Listen well
Brothers we got something to tell
You can't run around
Bein' a married man
And takin' care of business very well
You've got to keep yourself together
If you dig on what you got
Cuz what you got can sho' nuff mean a lot
If you aint takin' care of business
This you must expect
Love gets slippery when it's wet
You know hangin' loose Can be outta sight
But hangin' loose
No it just aint right
You see slippin'a tippin'
Havin' fun aint no good
Leavin' homework undone
You've got keep your thing together
If you dig on what you've got
Cuz what you've got can sho nuff mean a lot
If you aint takin' care of business
This you can expect
Love gets slippery when it's wet
If you aint takin' care of business
This you can expect
Love gets slippery when it's wet
Uh huh slippery, slippery
Love gets slippery when it's wet oh
It'll slip away yeah
Love gets slippery when it's wet ooooooh
Love gets slippery when it's wet
Slippery, slippery
Love gets slippery when it's wet
Don't let your love slip away
Love gets slippery when it's wet ow
Takin' care of business
Love gets slippery when it's wet…

Slippery When Wet

what's not to like?

I am drinking some new tea from Teavana at work this morning. It's called Queen of Babylon and eb does not care for it. She isn't usually quite so picky, but hey, we have a shitload of tea to choose from here at the moment, and I would guess that if Queen of Babylon was all there was to drink she might rather like it.

Queen of Babylon White Tea
A whimsical tasting rare white tea blended with immunity boositing pomegranate seeds, sour cherries, sweet carrot bits, apple and pineapple pieces.

Shiny and new...and I like it.

I had to work at JCP today. My new laptop arrived at the other job. My boss was kind enough to bring it home. And it's all good. Umm, it's also big. Bigger than the 13.3 inches I am used to. And the bells and whistles. Are all. Quite. Different. But hey, I am online and the basics are all the same.

There is a third job on te horizon. A few obscure hours a week, maybe 3 hours on Friday night. Or Thurday. And temporary holiday sort of help. But it could carry on past the holidays because I have it going on like that. You know of where I speak, don't you. Can you guess?

Chef feels like crap

Dinner last night was postponed at our request. EB and I just felt like we had a lot to do and being social wasn't really on the list. Chef and the girl went out for pizza and then to the Cheesecake Factory for dessert. He coulda brought something home from CF doncha think?

The plan is for the fish dinner to happen in two weeks. I am sure it will be a smashing success.

My various side projects are all done. I delivered my retablo this afternoon and will post a pic soon. I did remember to take one this year.

I suppose some laundry is in order and then I really need to think about packing because we leave in the morning early. What knitting shall I bring?