Saturday, June 30, 2007

I Feel Old

I'm hoping to only have another week of the fatigue and nausea. Please, oh please, let it only be one more week! There is so much I want to do and get done!

Today I watered the plants. That's all so far. I did pick up the house yesterday. I really need to put away last week's clean laundry. Truly, I don't know how I would make it without the cleaning fairy.

A very strange new development: aching joints. From what I've heard it's not a normal pregnancy symptom? And I don't want to be a whiner, I try to keep quiet through the cracks and pops. It just seems so strange. My knees, ankles, elbows and this morning my shoulders joined the crowd. I'm waiting until Monday to find out from my doctor if I'm allowed to take Glucosamine supplements which has helped in the past.

Anyone have any ideas why this has cropped up so suddenly? I don't think I've done anything to aggravate my joints or done anything strange. Who knows!?

Saturday, June 23, 2007

Ok Fine

I haven't used the treadmill once. Not one time.

I have read a lot of books. The stack I have to recommend to you is towering on my desk. Plus, I'm currently in the middle of at least two more.

The rooftop garden just got planted a couple days ago. Pictures will be forthcoming as soon as I see a sprout. Probably this weekend.

I have also gone to a lot of movies. Ocean's 13, Spiderman 3, Pirate's 3, Shrek 3, Evan Almighty. I thought they were all fabulous. I haven't previously gone to this many movie's in a year's time!

I have watched the first three seasons of The 4400 as well as the first two of Rescue Me. Not to mention all the movies I've seen from my couch.

My crowning joy for a day is if I get up the energy to make myself a smoothie.

We won't talk about the lack of cleaning and laundry and cooking that gets done around here. My husband is a saint.

I can usually get the plants watered. However, I often have to email my brother to ask him to. Turning on the faucet tires me right out.

Sometimes I'll take three naps in a day. For example: Get up around 9 or 10. Take a shower (or more likely just eat breakfast and forgo the shower for the day). Take a nap on the spare bed. Get up and have lunch. Read a book. Fall asleep on the couch while reading. Get up and snack. Nap out on the hammock. Watch tv. Eat dinner. Watch tv. Go to bed. Yep, that kind of day actually happens once or twice a week around here.

I eat a lot of snacks. Fruit snacks, granola bars, string cheese and especially crackers. It's pretty sweet, cuz I haven't gained an ounce so far. I eat all day long.

Really, that's all that's been going on around here. I don't usually have enough energy to blog. You're really lucky when I comment on yours. It's unbelievable that there are two for today.

I'm blaming it all on the baby in my belly. Silly baby. Making me all tired and sicky-feeling.

Lucky for me, there should only be another week or so of this tired sicky-ness.

Caller ID Spoof

I need to know if any of you have heard of this before.

It's a situation where someone uses a prepaid phone card, internet dials, or uses a * program to dial a number as well as dial in what they want the caller ID to list for the receiver.

Apparently, this has been going on for years. And it's not illegal?

My husband has had this going on for a few weeks now. He just gets angrier every time it happens, because the recipient will call him back and ream him out for the horrible call they just received.

Once it was a handicapped woman who had been dialed several times and was getting harassed. Today it was someone who was cursed out and harassed.

The Cingular representative he spoke to said they had never heard of such a thing, but then I decided to Google it and see what we found. It is unbelievable. There are several websites out there selling the phone cards and ability to use this service.

So we have to change his phone number. Now that this has happened so many times and it isn't stopping, we've decided to get it changed. It has never happened to me, so I imagine someone just swiped his number and is fond of using it.

Have you heard of this? Do you know anyone that this has happened to or has done this before? Because it seems like it should be illegal. It's harassment and it is only used for pranks or for telemarketing-type purposes. Not to mention it's technically a form of identity theft.

What is this world coming to...

Wednesday, June 06, 2007

A Few Questions

*What is the one thing you are most excited about planting in your garden this year? --Jean

I couldn't possibly say just one thing that I am looking most forward to out of my garden. However, I am ecstatic that I get to plant MORE garden this year. You may or may not know that I have one of the smallest vegetable gardens known to mankind. Seriously.

I am able to grow a surprisingly abundant crop out of said small garden, but I am always looking for more space. A grape vine crammed into the flower garden, some raspberry bushes snuck into the side of the yard. This year I received one of the best gifts a green thumb could ever ask for. A rooftop garden box. Four feet by six feet and five inches deep with an adorable flower-shaped sprinkler built right in.

Anxiously I wait for our roof to get a bit of repair work done so that I can have the drainage rocks, peat and top soil lugged up through the house onto the roof and get started. Lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower and probably some strawberries. Maybe a cucumber or two.

This week (tomorrow?! tonight!?) I'll be planting my peppers, peas & beans. Next weekend, if they're big enough, I'll transplant my tomato plants. They always grow on their own from last year, but never where I want them to be. The onions are still growing strong from last year.



*If you went back to school, what would you major in and why? --Scrapnqueen

There are certain things about schooling that I absolutely love. Finding an amazing professor who imparts the passion of their subject, filling your brain with stuff you have always wanted to know. And then there is the homework, the studying, the cramming, the papers, the essays. Yuck.

Yet going back to school is still enticing. I could have been an art student, I could have studied culinary skills, another language, ancient history, business management, dance, photography. I am learning to play guitar and to direct a band. Life lessons sometimes can be the best kind.

A few of you I know still take classes here and there and I do envy that. What I wouldn't give to be able to take that dance lesson, photography class, audit a language class or learn to cook better. Unfortunately, the budget at this time prohibits these kinds of costs.

But maybe.

Maybe someday soon. The fact that it's on my mind at all means it's a desire. I'll keep it there in the back, simmering.



*Are you watching Heroes this summer? --Shawn

Oh buddy, you'd better believe it. I was quite excited to find that they are all online now...and can be watched while I'm putting the miles on my treadmill.


*Have you used that treadmill yet? I think you owe me some money. --Husband

No. Shut up. *ahem* I mean, I love you.

Friday, June 01, 2007

Madaraka Day

"Madaraka Day commemorates the day that Kenya attained internal self-rule following an important milestone on the road to independence."

When I think of Kenya, these are some of the images that immediately come to mind.













One of the most beautiful countries I've even been in. The scenery, the animals, the smells, the people. Emotionally & physically challenging, but it draws you in. Regardless of how much time you spend, you feel as though you could stay forever, it could be home.









It is lush and green. Greener than I imagined Africa to be. It can be cool and it can be sweltering. It is rich and it is poverty-stricken.

I want to read every book and watch every movie about Africa and Kenya. To understand the history and know where it has been.







I'm just a lowly American commemorating an amazing country.

Summery Things I Did Today

*Watered the plants so they don't wither away from thirst. Darn weatherman keeps saying there's going to be rain, but I don't believe a word of it!

*Made suntea with fresh sprigs of mint. Anyone need mint? Seriously, I have a ton of it if you could use some! I cannot get it to stop growing!

*Rode my bike to the ice cream shop for ice cream.

*Grilled sausage and made macaroni salad. Summer soul food.

*Sat inside the air conditioning and read a good book.

That's all. It's summer...one really shouldn't do too much. Take it easy. Enjoy it!