A Good Day

Unknown Artist (I can't read the name)

Today was a very good and productive day at work. It was a very long day, but I feel like I made a difference and that I helped someone. I don't think work can get any better than that.

Spinybacked Orbweaver Invasion

We are in the midst of an invasion. We have three giant spinybacked orbweaver spider webs surrounding our back door. When I say the webs are giant, I am talking about a 5-6 foot span. The spinybacked orb weaver looks like a combination crab and alien life form, but it is harmless enough to humans. They apparently have no desire to enter your home, and live only to eat other insects. Since our backyard has been taken over by mosquitoes the whole summer, I am thrilled that we have an army of spinybacked orbweavers to finally take down those malicious, blood-sucking bastards. Marilyn, who has arachnophobia, is not thrilled. She is anxiously awaiting the next big thunderstorm in the hope that it washes all of my freaky new friends away.

Sync

Fractal Image

There are certain times in my life where I feel like everything gels, and it almost seems like I can feel the synapses in my brain firing. I have clarity and it feels like electricity is running through my veins. There is synchronicity between how I physically feel and what is happening in my life. I am in that place now. I don't know what makes it happen, and I hate that it doesn't happen more often and that it never lasts very long. All of the words that I can think of to describe this feeling are trite. "Being one with the universe" is the most grandiose, but it almost fits the feeling. When I feel like this, I run into people I have been thinking about by chance in the most unexpected places. I feel like I can think six moves ahead and I could give Dad a run for his money on the chess board. I feel like I am connecting with the people I am trying to help at work and like I am better at my job and better with my family. I want to paint, write, cook, blog, garden, and even clean. While I am in this devine mode, I will enjoy it for all it's worth - it's a shame it won't last.

Eye in Sky Blue

8.3 Number 73 July 7, 2005 by Ran Elfassy

I found this gorgeous eye on 350 Rans. If you look closely, you can see the photographer and a woman selling chickens on a street in Shanghai. The photographer is doing 350 self portraits which he posts one a week for 350 weeks on his website. He sells the photos and uses the money for environmental causes.

This is the message Ran sent me when he mailed the photo:

From:"Ran Elfassy" sigeimedia@gmail.com

To:"'Karen West'"
Subject: Printed,
mounted and about to fly
Date: Fri, 7 Sep 2007 18:10:13 +0800

Great news! The photo is printed, mounted, signed and about to be picked up by the
courier; I’ll get a tracking number over to you when I have it. The courier will
most likely confirm on Monday, but rest assured that the photo looks great. I’m
pleased and proud to welcome you into the group of 350 Rans owners.

To let you in on some more news, I plan to continue the
series (I’m now on week/photo 186 of 350, so September 2010 will be a great time
in my life), get a book together, and some exhibitions. Proceeds go towards
supporting environmental protection and conservation, so the bigger picture is
even better. The point being that through creativity, I hope to make a positive
difference for all of us.

Again, thank you for your interest and support, and I think your image will look great in your home or office.

- Ran

It is a lovely way to raise money for a good cause and to express yourself creatively. And the print arrived matted, and we are looking forward to framing it and hanging it as soon as possible.

A Recipe for Gruel

Connor and I watched The House of Usher today and upon hearing that the Ushers could eat only gruel, I looked up the recipe for gruel. This is what I found:

A Recipe for Gruel

You will need the following ingredients: oats; water.

The following equipment is essential: a big pot; a big spoon; the Holy Bible.

On a blustery winter's day, with a chill in the very marrow of your poor, poor bones, take the big pot & carry it, trudging through snow, to the rusty spigot on the other side of the village. Weeping, use what little strength you have to turn the spigot until a woeful driblet of brackish water appears. Make sure you place the big iron pot under the drip, so that water
collects in it. With luck, & prayer, you should find that the pot is about three quarters full before twilight, when of course the village curfew comes into effect. The evil Grand Vizier proclaimed so in his ukase, to make sure that all pious people are behind their latched & bolted doors by nightfall. Place the big pot on your oven & set it on full. Remember that it can take electric cookers longer to heat up than gas ones, but do not despair. Once your oven's maximum heat is reached, the water will bubble away like nobody's business. To prevent steam escaping, it is a splendid idea to cover the pot. If, long ago, when you were feckless, you lost or mislaid the lid of your pot, or if indeed your pot never had a lid, for not all pots do, you can of course improvise a lid using all sorts of debris strewn higgledy-piggledy about your hovel. Just be sure you use flame-resistant debris, please. Now then, while you are waiting for the water to come to the boil, you can go & find the oats while I take a well-earned nap. Let's have a little musical interlude. …..

I am now fully rested and in tiptop condition. Let us press on without further ado, for by now your pot of water should be boiling. Please pay attention, as the next step, if fumbled, will
put paid to your dearest wish, which is to make a successful pot of gruel. With your right hand, scoop some oats from the pail. Grasp the lid of the pot, if there is one, in your left hand, & lift it free of the pot. Cast the handful of oats into the seething cauldron & replace the lid. You may repeat this step once or twice, but on no account overdo the oats, as this will spoil your gruel making it too thick, & as the only remedy for this would be to add more water, you would have to return to the spigot, breaking the village curfew, and so risk being clubbed within an inch of your life by merciless curfew-cadets, & your gruel, imperfect though it may be, would then go to waste. Sin upon sin. You are now free to allow the contents of the pot to boil merrily away, although of course from time to time you ought to brandish the big spoon in your fist & give the gruel-to-be a mighty stir. In the intervals between stirrings, you must on no account remain idle. This is the perfect time to read improving passages from the Bible. Indeed, why not throw open your door, stand upright & magnificent in your weed-choked yard, & declaim the scriptures in a booming voice for the benefit of whoe'er may be within earshot in the vast & pitiless night? Two little reminders, though. However resounding your declamation, do not allow into your tone even the most minuscule taint of vanity. Remember that you are merely a vessel, & a singularly unlovely vessel at that - a tarnished urn, say, or a grubby beaker. Second, do not forget the pot, for if it is neglected you are likely to make not gruel, but an inferno. Oh, I said two reminders, but there is a third. Use your cuff to rub a modicum of grime from your hovel window. Do you see a bleak & illimitable vista of ice & snow? Are you marooned in an Arctic wasteland? If so, you may succumb to the delusions of piblokto, in which case you should refrain from following the directions of this recipe until you are relieved of your symptoms & are restored to your usual vigour. I need hardly point out the dangers of cooking when you are bonkers, although I have written an excellent little book entitled "Safe & Simple Snacks For The Bedizened & The Fraught" which is charmingly illustrated. The original pencil sketch of a cream cracker has been framed & displayed on the wall of my splendid restaurant in Haemoglobin Towers. Where were we? Ah yes. Once the gruel is fully boiled, replace the Bible on your lectern, or somewhere at any rate where it will be safe from defilement, if such a cranny exists in your hovel. Hold the spoon in your right hand, removing the pot-lid with your left. Give that gruel one last stir. Remove from heat. Allow to stand for ten minutes. Using a monstrous ladle, transfer into pre-heated tin bowls, & serve. Best eaten with a spoon. Suitable for home freezing.
http://hooting.yard.users.btopenworld.com/gruel.htm

Our new stove arrived yesterday. It is WONDERFUL!! So far, we've baked quesadillas and biscuits and not one thing has burned. It heats quickly and it doesn't turn the kitchen into an an inferno. We haven't made gruel, but I'm thinking I might work on that for next week's menu.

I Made the FACE

Unagi

I met Dawn for dinner last night at Little Miyako in Meyerland. We were looking at the menu and I told her that I love California roll, but I don't like the sushi with fish. Dawn started describing how much she enjoys unagi, which is barbecued eel. Her eyes got big and she said, "You are making the face! You never make the face. Now you have to try unagi." I couldn't deny that my face had, in fact, contorted in disgust. The thought of eating eel actually turned my stomach in a way that few things can. Over the years, it has been Dawn that made The Face. I would suggest that we get Thai food or Indian food, and she would wrinkle her nose and make the face, then I would say, "Now you have to try it." She usually ended up adding a new type of food to her diet after trying something she thought was repulsive.

Now, for the first time, I was in that position. Believe it or not, it was kind of exciting. So I tried the unagi and LOVED it. It was a wonderful flavor and the texture was almost creamy. Unagi is delicious. I also tried crunchy maki at Dawn's suggestion, which is a lot like a California roll, but it has crunchy tempura pieces and roe, making it a little sweet and crunchy.

So, I have two more things to say:

Steve, I'm sorry I didn't listen to you. You were right - unagi is great. The next time we have sushi, I will try whatever you recommend.

Dawn, Thank you for playing the "you have to try it" card. I liked it so much that we ordered sushi for lunch today (I found a place that delivers) and I ordered unagi and crunchy roll. I even got Connor to try the unagi and he liked it, too.

Envirocycle

My birthday gift from Mom, Dad, and Marilyn is EXACTLY what I wanted - a composter!! This is the first one I saw a year ago, and after much research, it is the one I ended up going with. I placed the order tonight, so it should arrive next week. I have been wanting to live more green for years, but didn't have the space to do it until we moved into the house. We sent our first HUGE load of recycling last week, and we actually had more recycling than trash. I was shocked and a little ashamed that we didn't start sooner. Now we will be composting as much of our kitchen and yard waste as we can stuff into this thing. Next year I want to get rain gutters that drain into rain barrels. After that, who knows...I wish we could hook up a windmill, but I am pretty sure there is a deed restriction that prohibits it.

I thank you all for my wonderful gift - and so does Mother Earth (am I making you want to puke?).

Storm on the Horizon

I found this landscape at a Value Village store - picture Goodwill, but skeevier. I really like the composition, but I almost passed it up because it was in a big lime green frame. The frame itself is pretty nice, but the color is so godawful, it obscured the painting. I like the shape of the tree and the storm on the horizon. It's pretty, but a little ominous, too. I'm not sure, but I think it is tempera on canvas.

Kathy Griffin

Marilyn and I were treated to tickets to the Kathy Griffin show last night. Caryn and Matt got us tickets for our birthdays, and we both agree that it was a GREAT gift. Kathy was on fire! I think I actually laughed the last of that nasty cold I had last week out of my system. It's true, laughter is the best medicine. Thank you Caryn and Matt (and Kathy) - I'm healed!

I am currently reading the Lenny Bruce bio that was done in the early 70's, and it occurred to me that there are similarities between their acts. Obviously, they are both foul mouthed and piss people off, but the author described how Lenny Bruce seemed to take the audience into his confidence, like they were good friends chatting in his living room. Kathy Griffin has the female equivalent of that style, like she's talking to her girlfriend/gayfriend while she's getting a pedicure.

We sat in the front row of the balcony at the Verizon Theater, which meant that we had great seats, and we got to see Mike and Bill in their floor seats. The theater was packed, and the audience was wall to wall gay - VERY fun/electric atmosphere. Kathy was so funny that I couldn't imagine how she could top herself and end the set. Suffice it to say, she ended the show with a story about Barbara Walters and the last word she said was Astroglide! FABULOUS!

Latest ACEO's

This one of two new ACEO's (see post dated 03/01/07) we've purchased. Just like with the other ACEO's I found, I really liked it. It just seems so hopeful to me. The artist is Bob Kimball of rk-studio-fine-art, and medium is oil.

This one is a piece of outsider art by Tracy Reinhardt, an artist who has bipolar disorder and lives in New Jersey. She calls it "Locked Out" and it's part of a mixed media series she did based on her "Ticket to Work" photographs, which depict a series of door locks. This work appealed to me because I have had to deal the Ticket To Work program as a part of my last job and I agree with Ms. Reinhardt that it is not what it promises to be. I was saddened when the realization came to me that the program was a hollow, meaningless waste of tax payer dollars, and it probably does more harm than good.

Time On Earth

I spent today at work listening to my new Crowded House CD, Time on Earth. As I scanned the liner notes, I noticed that the CD was dedicated to Paul Hester, the long-time drummer from Crowded House. I checked on-line and found that he hung himself in a park in 2005. I cannot believe that I missed the news. It was so odd to think that he was dead for two years before I even knew, but I still spent the day listening to the new CD and mourning the loss. I saw them live in 1991 and I remember how funny/zany/manic Paul Hester was during the show.

The new music is great. The overall sound of the CD is more melancholy than past albums, but it suited my mood today. There is a song that is the most political I have heard by Crowded House, Pour Le Monde.

Pour le monde pas pour la guerre
and I wake up blind
like my dreams were too bright
and I lost my regard
for the good things I had
and the radio was sad.
When you listen for good
in a hope that comes to nothing
cos the liars have moved in
and they believe
their own dark medicine

I still believe that Crowded House lyrics are some of the most poetic words ever to be uttered.

A whisper that can blow a chasm wide
It took us all. It took us all.
Pushed apart the mountains & the tide.
It took us all.

Gorgeous.

Last Piece of the Puzzle

The picture I am posting is of an extra piece of puzzle that I found in a jigsaw I have been working. The puzzle was a gift to Connor years ago. It depicts a large, white, fluffy cat lounging across a giant teddy bear. It isn't my taste, but a puzzle is a puzzle, and it was in the house when I was in the mood to put one together. The puzzle contains 1000 (and one) pieces, and the extra piece is strange to say the least. It's not shaped like any of the other pieces, which are the traditional type you'd expect. The print on the piece almost looks like a fractal or something from a cartoon about space. Hardly the furry, pink and white monstrosity I have been working on. There should be a name for an extra piece of puzzle in a jigsaw puzzle box.

I spent my birthday at home and sick. Being sick sucks, but it gave me the chance to start and finish Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows. I felt like I was in a race against all of the people who love to publish and broadcast spoilers. I've waited ten years for the ending to the story, and did not want to have it ruined for me. Rowling did a great job of making all of the pieces fit (so to speak), and I was not disappointed. That is to say, I am not disappointed in how the story ended, but I am very disappointed that there will not be another book. It is the end of an era in our home...

Progress

For all who have been telling me to update my blog...

Tonight I am on my own and working on restoring my blog. Marilyn is out at a pub and Connor is at Borders with David waiting for the midnight release of the last (sigh) Harry Potter Book. I realized that I have to either restore my blog to something I can live with (since it had to be stripped down after Blogger revamped their system some time ago), or I will have to start journaling (hard copy) again. I need the outlet that the blog provides, but I think I avoided doing either thing for a long time, because every time I started to write, I just felt like spewing vitriol about Marilyn's ex (He Who Shall Not Be Named). I never wanted my blog (or my journal) to be sour or bitter, so I guess it became a case of, "If you don't have anything nice to say..."

I can't believe that this is actually the last of the Harry Potter books. I'm going to miss waiting for the next one, and I'm pretty sure I will cry at the end of the story. I cried at the end of the last one when I realized that there was only one book left. I'm sorry that Grandma did not live long enough to get to the end of the story. We took her a copy of the first book for her 90th birthday. She took a look at it and was a little dismissive that we brought her a children's book. A couple of months later, I asked her if she had read it and was surprised to hear that she finished that one and had checked out and read the next two books from the library. She was hooked, but I think that is as far as she got. I think Connor was three or four when we got The Sorcerer's Stone, and now at 13, he's out at the midnight release for the The Deathly Hallows with a couple of teenagers - Thanks for taking him Dave.

Tonight

Connor got a real treat tonight when Matt picked him up and took him to an Astros game. He even got a very rubbable souvenir in the form of a blanket. The kid loves to snuggle.

These guys got a treat tonight, too. I left the back door open when I came in from helping Connor in the yard. I don't know when they figured it out, but about midnight, I was startled by what looked like a reflection of Lena in window of the French doors. It took me a little while to realize that she was actually outside the door, looking in. When I went to let her in, it dawned on me that I had not seen the other cats in a while and also that I had no idea how she got out. I looked around the house for Bodhi and Saffie and that is when I found the door ajar. Saffie came back in when I called her, but I had to lure Bodhi back with Pit-r-Pat liver snacks. They all seem to have enjoyed themselves immensely, and Lena is the only one who looked remotely guilty.

Spring Blooms in My Yard

I am trying to find out what kind of tree makes these beautiful flowers. They are fragrant, and lacy, and just gorgeous! It isn't shaped very well, so we will have to have it pruned.

This is the tree in full bloom. One day we noticed a few blossoms, then the next week the tree exploded. The lovely metal piece is something that either the previous owner of our house or our next door neighbor put up, but it is now falling down. I guess I better talk to the neighbor...

I figured out that this tree is a mock orange. Like many of the bushes and trees that were dormant when we moved in, I didn't expect it to bloom, either.

This one is a Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow bush. The blooms start out as a dark purple, then fade to lavender, and then fade again to white.