How To Make Books

We went to B&N last night for a browse and cup-o-tea after dinner and I came across this gem. How To Make books: Fold, Cut & Stitch Sour Way to One-of-a-kind Books
by Esther K. Smith.

So naturally, this morning when I got to work, I had to make a book. And then another. I used my dad's images. I wish he was still here to see them, because honestly, the simple ingenuity of them is brilliant and right up his alley.

I took the first one, a Basic Instant Book, and signed it and mailed it off to my mother so she would have an author signed first edition.I think I will make copies to send to my dad's remaining siblings as they were around for the picture taking and are in some of the images I used. I think for theirs I might take a PDF in to Kinko's so it is a color copy as the covers are both color images.

Back to work...

Day 2

EB left yesterday morning for the Folio show in chicago. She was totally dreading it and hopefully by now, she has had a little fun. I hope she got to hook up with her peeps.

Long ago, in the early stages of our togetherness, eb had occasion to go away sans moi for a week or so if I remember correctly. At that time, I decreed that there shall be no seperations exceeding three nights. Three nights was okay, but the fourth night, I was miserable beyond reason. We have pretty well stuck to this tenet of our relationship and any time that it has been necessary to be apart longer, we have consciously reaffirmed that three nights should be the max. this really struck home for me when my dad died earlier this yearm and I went home for nine days.

In planning a trip to check up on my mom, ticket prices were inordinately high. EB was heard to volunteer..."Well, I can stay home..." Ummmm, no. Not happening. I don't care if we need to take out a second mortgage on the house, missy, you're going. I held out and we got cheap tickets, close to half what I was initially finding. The kicker is that we are going in November and I now need to hope against hope that we don't get snowed in.

It's highly likely that I could have gone on the current Chicago trip. The thing is, it would have required a little finagling and some second guessing of the bossman. I think it is better in the long run that we made no presumptions, but I would sure rather be there than here at the moment. At least with the bossman gone to the show, it's quiet in the office.

O.M.G.

It's been a week. I suppose I should be thanking the Little Baby Jesus(tm) for Taco Bell and Starbucks. As you all might have heard, a hurricane ripped through these parts last week. It's been 5 days and still, nothing is open. Let me ammend that. None of our go-to places are open.

Of course, some of them might be by now and we have yet to check. Tonight we will brave disappointment and pay our second visit to Empire Cafe. On Sunday, our first visit, they simply were being lazy asses and not wanting to work. No, I'm kidding. We drove by hoping for Sunday breakfast featuring Huevos Verdes (I am sure eb can correct me here on the name of her usual eggs Benedict with spinach type dish, it escapes me) and Italian Toast. As we turned the corner, hopeful because the front door was propped open, we saw a rented pump out back so I guess maybe they took on a little water. We haven't been back to check and we could pick up the phone and call, but where is the spirit of adventure in that? Tonight we will hopefully do more than a drive by. Angel hair pasta with sundried tomatoes and garlic in a light lemon butter brew. With shrimp. It's calling my name.

After the Empire drive by on Sunday we tried various second choice places from our go-to list to no avail. No dice. We drove around for 2 hours and went home a little humbled by it, grateful that our damages were next to nil. We exclaimed a "Holy shit! Look!" or two as we drove over Allen Parkway and I -10 at Shepherd which were flooded nearly to the overpass we were driving on. Did we bring the camera? Oopsie.

We got home and by that point we were damn hungry. When weese heard we went looking for breakfast the day after the hurricane, she asked if we had run out of eggs. Did I feel like making eggs? No. We had one last box of Velveeta mac n cheese and some Cheddarwurst, so again, we had that. I think we have had that for a fairly disproportionate number of meals in the last week and it might be off the radar, at least for a month or so. It is a surviving guilty pleasure so there is no way I will say never again, but it has earned a rest off the menu.

On Monday morning, eb and I returned to work. Other than the boss, we were the only two to make it in on Monday. I think we could have credibly milked it, but after 4 days in the house with our two lovely man-sons, we really did have to go to work. I think there is such a thing as too much togetherness with man-sons. Hopefully they won't get too put out reading this because really, they are good boys, but when they are bored and stuck at home...

All in all, we lost power sometime after 2 am Sat and it was back by 2pm. Cable and internet followed by 4pm, though they have been spotty since. A lot of Houston is still without power and/or water, so we aren't really complaining.

Does having a son who works at Starbucks mean anything? No. not when they don't have a milk delivery. The location by work is open today, but the line this morning was insane. I just went at lunchtime, and for the first time in a week, eb and I have our iced chai lattes. Color us content.

PS...Since the storms, the temps have cooled which is nice. However, also since the storms, our office a/c, cold on normal days, is about 5-10 degrees cooler. I might need to bring some socks in to the office so my toes don't get frostbite.

Must. Count. Needlles.

I think Percetta was making up for the fact that I did not go to accupuncture last week. Either that, or she was thinking in terms of birthday spankings. I mentioned the impending fete and she congratulated be, but honestly, all I did was put 44 on her brain.

When I first started accupuncture in March, 22 was the magic number and for the first month or so, I counted needles every time. I unconsciously stopped that obsession when after a visit or so I lost count, but today, for some reason, I found myself counting in a very soothing and meditative sort of way. I watched the Count from Sesame Street float by in my thoughts like a cloud passing as each needle was driven home.

Six months later and I have yet to eyeball any needles. Not in me. Not in the tray afterward, not in their sanitary trappings beforehand. I did see the box of needles today, but really, that's as visual as I need to get. Don't Want. To see them.

This week of birth celebration has brought gifties from afar in the mail. Ladies, I thank you all.

Follow KL down the alley...

Kitty Litter tells the tale of why we can't be choosy with our vote in November. If I read/pay attention to nothing else, my vote is decided, even though it was already a foregone conclusion.

You know in 1997-8 it really wasn't much better. Sure there was a real women's clinic to go to, but there were picketers outside to be reckoned with. One of my coworkers was in need of services. She was 35, divorced, had a 7 yr old consciously-decided-upon only child. She was on birth control *and* used condoms religiously with her soon to be second husband.

The ordeal of making an appointment. The ordeal of the picketers. It fostered in me a sense that there is still so much work to be done. That my friend had no one else she could turn to or trust with her choice was beside the point. I think this was truly a lesson for me in not judging others, because there were judgements flying toward her from every other angle, no matter where I looked. It was definitely a few of the worst hours of my life, and I was just there for support and involved in such a periferal way. How do we advocate change? For now, telling these stories as a reminder of the progress we have made might have to do.

I've done it now....

That's right. when I saw $218 dollars for the round trip flight, I went and did it. I have invited the wrath of winter upon us. I have never returned home in the winter since my escape in April of 1987. We have gone to visit some bloggers in CT in Feb, but never home...in November. I am hoping that since it is before Thanksgiving that some mercy will be involved and we won't end up snowbound. with my mother. Of course there has been snow on my birthday in those parts before (9/11).

I can't believe summer is basically gone and the holidays will soon be upon us. By that I guess I mean the summer months as it will be summer weather well into October, if not November. It feels like it is time to begin cooking again. Real cooking all the time. It is certainly a commitment I want to make to myself and to eb, but then life happens and I so often feel lazy about it. Maybe with summertime leaving us, it will more readily happen.

I think a key to it happening is getting the pantry reorganized and restocked in a more naturally functional way. It's a little skewed at current and we have been terribly lazy about the farmers' market. Maybe getting this trip booked will take one thing away from my addled brain in a way that cooking can come back. Maybe not. The intention will remain present and that's a step toward achievement.

It also seems like there is so much to be doing creatively, but again, the desire far exceeds actuality. I need to be writing more. Knitting more. Creating with Arnold's pics more.

Being lazy about it less. Time will tell. Maybe I need to assign days for certain creative pursuits. An idea, but not so sure it's a good one or one that will work for me.

I picked up my tin to make this year's retablo for the show at

the Lawndale. I have picked out the photo I will use and maybe even this weekend I might get started so I am not doing it days before the deadline like previous years. I like at least having made the picture decision already.

Good Friend Irene was scheduled to visit this weekend after some company meetings in Galveston. The hurricane pile up in the gulf cancelled her meetings and her trip has been postponed until the first weekend in October. I am being extremely conscious of wanting to pout and sulk and throw a tantrum worthy of my inner fouryear old and it is taking my every effort to not let her out. Maybe she needs some cotton candy. Or annother Nutty Bar. Yes, that might be a short term band-aid.

I hate it when maybe is the word most rampant in my brain.

Time rolls around...And a Weese inspired tip-o-day...

Every two years as required by law, I have to take some continuing education classes to renew my hair artist license. Thankfully, I am able to do it online, and multitasker that I am I can do it while doing other things. I was just doing a few pages of instruction while I was eating my lunch and I came across the following gem discussing a researcher and the germs he found at the salon (or any shared) reception desk.

"He found the office toilet seat had an average of 49 germs per square inch. When he looked at keyboards, he found 3,295 bacteria per square inch, 60 times higher than the toilet seat. Even worse were tops of desks at 21,000 bacteria per square inch and telephones at 25,000 per square inch. People are constantly coughing and sneezing on them. Germs from unwashed hands can remain alive for days. In other words, if you share computer keyboards in your salon, a phone or a desk, you are sharing germs."

The instruction then went on to recommend various ways to adequately disinfect and sanitize the work area, including a recommendation to unscrew the back of the keyboard and wipe free of debris daily.

Everyone always finds it odd that I don't get sick (often) and they wonder why. The first thing I do when I enter the salon is to get the disinfectant wipes and thoroughly wipe down all the work stations and the desk including touch screens, keyboards and phones. I really think sometimes they think I am a clean freak or germ nazi and then I gently remind them that I usually avoid the illnesses that oh, the 28of them, pass around the salon on a regular basis. Don't these people understand the concept of planned sick days and how little fun they are if you are actually sick?

Four Hours to Jimmy

Dinner tonight with one of my dear brothers-in-law. And father-in-law. And sister-in-law. This begs the question...do any of them consider me an anything-in-law? I wanna know, but I won't ask. Asking would only get the proper answer. I want the oohimbloggingaboutfamilywhodontreadmyblog answer. Really.

As reward for this mini family reunion of she who is Dear *and* Sweet, though the reward was scheduled months before the dinner, we will be seeing Melissa Etheridge. Tonight. at the Brown Theater at the Wortham which I think only seats around 2000. We saw her at the Wortham a few years afo and it was a great show. Wealso saw her at a dive place, Numbers (standing room only, no seats) which was the absolute best. She was Right. There. at Numbers.

I have no idea where are seats are tonight and honestly, I could care less. Just being there is its own reward. In any seat. I am eagerly awaiting the infusion of energy.

EB is not so much a fan though more a fan after having seen her live. Will she be expecting the tears that will inevitably come(from me, not her? Maybe. I already have a tissue in my pocket. Or three. They. Will. Come.

Last Friday at work I was having a moment. More than a moment. All day long. It wasn't necessarily more busy that I can handle, I have really never seen more busy than I can handle at JCP. There was, however, a certain undefined chaos that had me on the verge of a debilitating anxiety attack most of the day. No headache. No racing heart. It was literally all in my head. It was disconcerting to say the least. It was a day of feeling as if the skin in which I reside is not my own. And it was disturbing enough that I mentioned it to EB as soon as I got home.

Twice during the day I had to tell stylists that if they weren't in my area to help, they needed to move behind the wall. I know I was less than diplomatic about it and I have absolutely no idea of whom I made this request. All I was aware of was the fact that any bodies removed from my field of vision would help ease my mental chaos. Most of the day, I couldn't imagine handling one more piece of information.

Then I went in on Saturday morning and all was normal. I just don't know. It was all very surreal and dreamlike but the constant forward movement to the day was at work. And all at grindingly slow speeds.

totally makes me want to call in sick tomorrow, but I won't. And now there is but 3.5 hours to Jimmy.

Tropical Storm Edouard

Yes, it's raining, and it might be the slightest bit breezy, but we are fortunately on the west side of town and it is rather more like a regularm heyitsaugustinhoustonanditsraining sort of storm. I stayed home late this morning to give Chef a ride in to work so he doesn't have to walk 2.5 miles in it.

Sitting here looking out the back window, it really doesn't seem so bad. I was going to drop Chef at work and head into work myself. Once out driving in it, I soon enough determined the visibility sucks, and hmmm, maybe I had better continue working from home this morning. Maybe I will hit the office this afternoon. Never mind that my working from home means laundry.

The most curious thing about this storm was watching all the local coverage and seeing which newscasters would try to have a little french flair when referring to Edouard, some maybe even a little Cajun about it, and which just call it good old Edward. And then there were those that called it Edward in the beginning of their coverage and suddenly remembered it is Edouard. Amusing.

Will they reply? (surprisingly toned down for me...)

Yesterday, I was driving West on Westheimer near Gessner in Houston, TX at 12:30 pm. There was a vehicle totally covered with Outback logos, presumably owned by a local franchise for the owner's personal use, or perhaps for deliveries, not relevant.

I was in the flow of traffic and as I approached the intersection, this Outback vehicle was inching into the roadway, however, not committing to dashing out in front of me. The posted speed was 35 and that is how traffic was proceeding as the light was green.

The man driving the Outback vehicle was creeping and maybe he thought I was brakeing to turn into his driveway. I wasn't. My signal light was on, but the driveway he was exiting was fairly close to the intersection, and I was turning right at the corner onto Gessner not into the parking lot.

The man was leaning out the Outback vehicle window and was putting his hand up to stop me. I however, was proceeding past him through a green light to make my turn.

As I passed him, he flipped me the biggest bird you have ever seen. It was very agressive as well as rude and offensive. I totally infuriated me.

To me, this was the equivalent of your company knocking on my door and giving me a hearty F*** you, something that wouldn't likely ever happen in person, yet this driver, driving an Outback vehicle, did exactly that.

I've never been to Outback, and now I am inclined to never give it a try. That someone who is representing your company behaved in such a reckless manner should offend and infuriate you as much as it does me.

I went and did it...

I'm in trouble now. My obsession might be on the verge of an avalanche. The opportunities for saturation are many with World Cat at my fingertips. Oh, woe is EB...

That's right. On Thursday last, eb and I had occasion to visit the Montrose branch of the Houston Public Library. I. Got. Me. A library card. I think I might have had one when Witcher was still my last name, and I have been putting it off for fear of outstanding books from when there were children using the HPL. When we were at the library for the Lesbian book group (I have learned that capitalizinig Lesbian is correct as we are a culture!)to discuss the July book, Eat, Pray, Love, I went ahead and took my leap of faith. I now have 5 books on hold and awaiting notification that they are ready for pick up. Let me clarify, five knitting books.

I should pause to point out that when one signs up for such service, one should take the time to check online account preferences such as method of notification to be sure the counter clerk entered one's email address correctly. GUEENMAXINE? I think not. Here I would be sitting, awaiting notification...forever...

World Cat is the search feature for the Inter Library Loan feature. Very handy for the ever popular out of print knitting books going for hundreds of dollars on ebay or through booksellers. I certainly want to peruse something well before spending more than the publisher's suggested retail.

I find it interesting that 4 books I searched by Alice Starmore on World Cat are listed as being available within the HPL system, and yes, I did search there before expanding my options, thank you very much. So when this occurs, which database is more likely correct? If I search online, and then I ask at the library aboutit, will they then be searching the same database I already searched? Oh, the mysteries.

I recently added 37 days as a new link on the side bar. Please, go check her out.

What's a Jew to do?

I have a new obsession as of about 10 this morning. Must. Find. Manischewitz Egg & Onion Matzoh. In HOuston. I just learned it is available online, but I really wanted it this morning.

Randall's is our local big box grocery of choice, but Kroger, second on our list, is usually more reliably stocked with MEOM, so when I am feeling like making Arnold's matzoh brei, I usually check there first. They have revamped and labeled the Kosher section and there isn't a single box of matzoh in sight, let alone the one in particular I must have. I went and checked the cracker section just in case. Nope.

There was a manager stocking foodstuff and I politely approached.

qm: Excuse me.
Poor Unsuspecting Manager: Yes, ma'am, how can I help you?
qm: I am looking for matzoh and I saw no space for it in the Kosher section, nor did I find it in the cracker aisle. Is it perhaps somewhere else in the store? (I asked this while courteously standing with my full basket of groceries.)
PUM: I'm sorry we only carry that seasonally now.
qm: But...I'm a Jew year round!

Yes, that is the exact conversation and when the PUM couldn't pick his jaw up off the floor and had no reply, I promptly turned around and sashayed right out the door leaving my full cart with him. I decided he wouldn't begin to understand the distinction between the seasonal (Passover, plain unsalted) matzoh, and the flavored matzoh I was seeking.

Off I went to Randall's, where I found the same story, though their Kosher section at least had the plain unsalted dreck (Yiddish slang referring to 1. excrement; dung. 2. worthless trash; junk.)I found the manager and had a near identical conversation.

So I now have to go to a few b list grocery stores to see if my coveted matzoh is to be found. If I need to order it online? Will it arrive in tact? How many boxes do I order to offset any shipping charges? I have eaten this at times weekly, at other times monthly. It has currently been about 4-6 months since my last matzoh brei, and I have made it enough over the past 25 years to know that no other matzoh will do. Woe, is me.

Knitting!

In my father's pictures! Who knew?

On the morning after our 3rd and 10th anniversary...

Getting out of the shower, my dear sweet wife proclaimed, "Baby...I think I need some different co caulk..."

Happy Bastille Day!

Until we can celebrate in France, this or this will have to do.

J'ai Deux Amours

On dit qu'au dela des mers
La-bas sous le ciel clair
Il existe une cite
Au sejour enchante
Et sous les grands arbres noirs
Chaque soir
Vers elle s'en va tout mon espoir

J'ai deux amours
Mon pays et Paris
Par eux toujours
Mon c?ur est ravi
Manhattan est belle
Mais a quoi bon le nier
Ce qui m'ensorcelle
C'est Paris, c'est Paris tout entier

Le voir un jour
C'est mon reve joli
J'ai deux amours
Mon pays et Paris

Manhattan est belle
Mais a quoi bon le nier
Ce qui m'ensorcelle
C'est Paris, c'est Paris tout entier

Le voir un jour
C'est mon reve joli
J'ai deux amours
Mon pays et Paris

Mor babbling for Babylon...

Series recap...Woo!

And then, the sky broke open...

Cats and dogs. That's what it's raining right now. Tornado weather, eb surmises. At least I won't have to water tonight.

Last night I was present at a meeting that so badly, I want to blog about and set free my current quota of snarkiness. Eckhart and common sense are prevailing. Just relaying this much has taken the wind from the sails, released enough steam that the stored energy of it has disipated. pffft...it's gone. Suffice it to say that the meeting, for various reasons, was entertaining, not the least of which being that I was reacquainted with the iceberg shawl that I started on the cruise. Delightful knitting time.

I have been talking to my mom every few days and she is on the mend. On the 26th of June, she rolled her car. I still haven't really pressed her for the whole story, because by now, I would certainly be getting the sanitized version. That she is okay and perhaps a little closer to her reality is enough for me.

She was in the hospital for a day or so and then transferred to a nursing home for physical therapy rehab. It was a week before I knew this much and a week since I learned as much. She was bruised and very stiff and the pt she needs goes beyond the accident, like to regular exercise, but at talk of this, denial returns.

In talking to her yesterday, I could sense that she might be ready to go home. I think she can release herself at anytime, and she is looking to this Saturday. There is talk of riding with a neighbor from town down to Jersey to visit with her sister for a week of further convalescing and then catching a ride home again.

The plan remains at this time to go visit again in the fall.

Not much else new going on. When I am work, all I can think about is creating. When I am at home I get lazy and all I can think about is being a slug. I know this means that my work should be creating, but I also know there are bills to pay.

So on it goes.

Gotta heart youtube

Susan and Talia

Home little more than 24 hours when the telephone rings...

It was nearly 11pm our time, not that it was late for us as we were still awake, but it was late for my mom to be calling, near midnight her time...

me: Hello
mom: Before you heard it from someone else, I wanted you to hear it from the horse's mouth. Not only am I the proud owner of a car for the first time in 45 years, but also a car that rolls.

badum dum

mom: I'm in the emergency room. Lynn (my sister) is here. I'm okay. They had to cut me out. The car is totalled. But I am okay. They're keeping me overnight for observation. Just in case. My cell is going to run out. Lynn will take me home tomorrow and I will call you once I am home again. Or Lynn will call you if they decide to keep me for anything. I'm okay.

Each of the above sentences was said with about 10 seconds or so of dead air between them. My mom waited for my interruptions but I had none. I can't lecture her from Texas with any different result than if I was there, so I just let her listen to my silence. I am not sure this changes anything. She will likely just get another car.

I wonder what time this all happened. I wonder if her first thought was of me telling her a couple weeks ago that she needed to drive judiciously as to not waste gas and to drive when she is most alert, like early in the day. And to remember that she can't be running around as she did 10 years ago when she last drove on a regular basis.

Hmmm.

Are we there yet?

I have taken zero notes along the way, and very few pictures, like, none except those my mother specifically asked for. S.l.a.c.k.e.r...

The only thing I can say about the 9 days pried away from Dear Sweet Elizabeth at the moment is in reference to it nearly being over.

It's all good.

Look for a recap sort of post soon. Maybe by the weekend.