Tuesday, March 27, 2007

More questions and answers

1. Can you cook? God, no! At least I can boil water, though. I lived on spaghetti and ramen noodles for many years until I got married. My husband cooks!
2. What was your dream growing up? To live happily ever after, whatever that meant. I never had a particular thing that I wanted to do, I just wanted to be happy wherever I ended up.
3. What talent do you wish you had? To be able to sing. I can't carry a tune in a bucket.
4. Favorite place? At home with my animals and husband. It feels so safe and secure, not like the world outside, which is sometimes a dangerous place.
5. Favorite vegetable? Carrots.
6. What was the last book you read? The Happy Hooker Crochet book. One of the best books I have read in a long time on the subject.
7. What zodiac sign are you? Libra, sign of the scales, wanting balance in my life and in others lives. So true.
8. Any Tattoos and/or Piercings? Nope. I've thought about it, but can't get over that I wouldn't be able to remove it (unless I had expensive surgery). I just can't commit!
9. Worst Habit? Eating too much sugar. I am completely and hopelessly addicted to anything sugary. If I cut out of my diet most of the sugar I eat on a day-to-day basis, I could probably lose 10 pounds in only a couple days. (but I would surely have to be put in a straight-jacket too).
10. What is your favorite sport? Don't have one. I wish I did. Most people I know are passionate about and enjoy watching football, but it still bores me. Couldn't care any less.
11. Do you have a Negative or Optimistic attitude? Negative! I really tried to be positive, but too many bad things happen in the world; they outweigh the positive.
12. What is one weird fact about you? I can flare my nostrils. Also, when I put towels and dishes away after washing them, I put them on the bottom of the stack so the ones that are already there will have a chance to be used next time. I guess that was two weird facts, instead of one.
13. Do you have any pets? A dog and two cats. See my other posts about them - there are many!
14. Do you know how to do the Macarena? NO. And don't wanna!
15. What time is it where you are now? 3:30 p.m.
16. Do you think clowns are cute or scary? Scary and sinister! I won't have them in my house.
17. If you could change one thing about how you look, what would it be? If I could just snap my fingers and have it be instant? Lose 30 pounds. I really only need to lose 20, but another 10 wouldn't kill me. I wish liposuction wasn't so gross (and dangerous) (and expensive) or I would do it!
18. What color eyes do you have? Hazel
19. Ever been arrested? Nope, I have always been very well-behaved.
20. Bottle or Draft? Neither; don't like beer. I like Kool-Aid and Root Beer.
21. If you won $10,000 dollars today, what would you do with it?
Pay off some credit cards, give some to members of my family. We all could use a little extra cash.
22. What's your favorite bar to hang at? Don't have one, but if I did, it would be completely non-smoking and you could bring your dog! They would serve dog biscuits too.
23. Do you believe in ghosts? Yes! I have never seen one, but know people who have and I believe them.
24. Favorite thing to do in your spare time? Crochet or knit. If someone would pay me to sit there and crochet all day I would be a very very happy person.
25. Do you swear a lot? OH, yes. At work, while driving, etc.
26. Biggest pet peeve? People who drive below the speed limit. If you need to do that, fine, but pull over once in awhile and let others by!
27. In one word, how would you describe yourself? Complicated.

Thursday, March 22, 2007

Dammit

I am angry about two things today:

1) The pet food recall. I had been feeding my dog Treif Nutro Natural pouch food, which is SUPPOSED to be a high-quality dog food, when it turns out that it is manufactured by the same place that has the contamination. THE SAME PLACE that other crappy, store brands are made. WTF? I thought this kind of dog food was supposed to be superior? I feel like an idiot and I feel like the Nutro company and all other pet food companies are liars and can't be trusted. So what the hell do I feed my dog now?

So far, Treif is doing ok, even though the pouches I had been feeding him were on the list of recalled food.

2) Discrimination against fat people. Who the f#%&!! cares if someone is fat. I am about 20 pounds overweight and I am tired of feeling bad about myself. I just love to eat. It is one of life's pleasures and yes, sometimes it is what gets me up every day (the thought that there is cake at work today, or there is a candy bar down in the kitchen that I saved for today). Call me pathetic if you want, but I don't care. You can kiss my big fat butt! :)

Tuesday, March 20, 2007

Things I Remember About Elementary School

I went to a little seven-room school. One room for each grade, a multipurpose room (for art classes, gymnastics, cafeteria, and for whatever!) and one room for the library/music room.

First grade - I remember when we had nap time, we all were supposed to put our heads on our desks and rest/sleep. I fell asleep one time, and when I woke was held up as a positive example for doing what I was supposed to do (apparently not much sleep went on during these "nap times"). I also remember coveting a particular toy and wishing I could take it home.

Second grade - I was such a good speller and reader I got to go to the first grade room and read a story. I read "Curious George flies a kite" (I still have that book). I also got in trouble in second grade numerous times. Once for making fun of a girl, who was very pretty, for falling behind in our readers (I boasted out loud that I was better). The teacher yelled at me and I felt angry that the "pretty girl" bested me that way. I also, when frantic about catching the bus, got in trouble for pulling my coat out from under a girl and flipping her on her butt. I didn't like her anyway.

Third grade - I remember Mrs. Odie. I adored her. One time she scolded me for something and I was crushed. I don't remember what it was that I did.

Fourth grade - I remember the girls being ushered into another room for a "special" filmstrip (about becoming a "woman"). The boys were jealous and wanted to go too ("why do they get to watch a movie and not us?"). I remember wishing I could go out on the playground with them instead of having to watch the filmstrip.

Fifth grade - I just loved Mr. Gorbutt. I think he still teaches to this day (he was my teacher in 1977). I learned a lot from him. He was really funny and smart. There are too many things I remember about this grade to mention here. It would have to be another post. It was about this time that life got more complicated: in the coming year I would lose a friend (killed by a drunk driver after he hit her with his car while she was on her bike), I would lose lots of friends who decided that I wasn't worth knowing anymore (once we got into junior high and mingled with new kids from other elementary schools), and other hardships (or so they seemed when I was a child). It was when I learned to hate school because of the mean kids in it.

Other things about elementary school: 1) Miss Paris, the hippie music teacher. One song I remember singing was "Song Sung Blue" (by Neil Diamond). 2) In fifth grade, we made up a restaurant called "Kountry Kitchen" and made menus and invited parents to it (in our multipurpose room!). I was in charge of making sausage in the skillet and I was afraid of it because it was hot. 3) the tornado drills - we had to go to the "library/music room" and crouch underneath gymnastic mats together. One time we actually did it for real, but no tornado came. 4) In gym class, I was afraid to do a forward-roll. I practiced at home, and when I finally did it, I just wanted to keep doing them! It was fun. 5) My gym teacher Mr. Bouchard used to play the Bee Gees during our gym class. I didn't like him. Not because of that, though. 6) During recess, I would sit on the sidewalk leaning against the wall of the school, and I would crochet chains, practicing what my grandmother taught me. 7) Our field days! There would be games and races and prizes (I liked the cakewalk); one time during one of those things I got my thumb shut in a window and it really hurt. 8) Playing with my friend Joanna, who I would later attend school with all the way to graduation, but we were never close like we were in elementary school. We would pretend we were horses. My horse name was Fran. One time we were so engrossed in playing we didn't hear the recess bell and were late getting back to class. Joanna liked doritos a lot (especially the salty ones!). Joanna later died when she was 31 of breast cancer. I still think of her often.

I am sure no one is interested in my memories, but I just wanted to get them down on "paper" (or in this case, cyberspace).

Saturday, March 10, 2007

Questions

I have been posting in my blog quite a bit these past few days. I just have a lot of stuff to say!


1. What is your occupation? I am a Research Technician in a (Neuro)Psychiatry Research lab.

2. What color are your socks right now? I am not wearing any!

3. What are you listening to right now? My stepson jumping around downstairs yelling.

4. What was the last thing that you ate? A granola bar.

5. Can you drive a stick shift? Nope!

6. Last person you spoke to on the phone? My husband.

7. Do you like the person who sent this to you? No one sent this to me, I stole it off of someone's blog when I was doing a google blog search!

8. How old are you today? 40, but I feel 25

9. Favorite drink? Goose Island Root Beer

10. What is your favorite sport to watch? Golf, but not really

11. Have you ever dyed your hair? Yes, blonde, black, and auburn (but not all at once)

12. Pets? One dog and two cats

13. Favorite food? Chocolate!

14. What was the last movie you watched? Star Wars III on cable ("If you are not with me, then you are my enemy")

15. Favorite day of the year? Usually my birthday

16. How do you vent anger? by eating or sleeping or ranting. It depends.

17. What was your favorite toy as a child? My stuffed Snoopy dolls

18. What is your favorite season? Autumn, without a doubt

19. Cherries or Blueberries? Cherries

20. Do you want your friends to email you back? Of course

21. Who is most likely to respond? Amy

22. Who is least likely to respond? Susan

23. Living arrangements? Live with my husband and my stepson (50% of the time)

24. When was the last time you cried? A few days ago.

25. What is on the floor of your closet? Storage boxes

26. Who is the friend you have had the longest that you are sending this to? I am not sending this to anybody

27. What did you do last night? Worked on my knitting spool, wrote in my blog, played with my dog, ate chocolate.

28. What are your favorite smells? Coffee and beer. Oddly enough, I don't like the taste of either.

29. What inspires you? Honestly? A sunny day.

30. What are you afraid of? Losing someone I love.

31. Plain, cheese or spicy hamburgers? Plain, but with ketchup and onions.

32. Favorite dog breed? I like any kind of small dog. Jack Russell, Boston Terrier, etc.

33. Number of keys on your key ring? 5, I think.

34. How many years at your current job? almost 4, but have been in this type of work over 11

35. How many states have you lived in? Two, born in Michigan, now I live in Indiana

36. Favorite day of the week? Fridays!

37. Favorite holiday? I don't like holidays.

My Imagini

Friday, March 09, 2007

My "Children"






I have more pics at the site below. One page is of Treif when he was sick with a skin infection, but he is all better now! He was on antibiotics for almost 3 months.

http://mypage.iu.edu/~pamkelle/pictures.html

Wednesday, March 07, 2007

Our beloved pets

A blogger that I frequent (Sonya) is mourning the death of her precious dog Cia http://sonyasthoughts.blogspot.com/2007/03/tell-me-you-didnt-say-goodbye.html. I have never met her or her dog, but I am still very sad about it. It made me think of all the animals that have come and gone from my life and how very important they are/were. I believe our pets are family members, just as important as the humans. They all have their individual unique personalities, just as we do. Sonya wrote more eloquently about it than I could ever hope to (since I am not much of a writer). I wish that I could find a way to express in words how I feel about my animals like she did about Cia. My heart goes out to her for this terrible loss.

For all but one (so far) of my animals, I have not been present at the moment of their death. Either the animals died alone outside (our dogs Skipper and Sandy) or my parents were with them when they were euthanized (dog Sheba, and cats Sweet-Pea, Tappy, and Bart). It was a wrenching experience for them, very sad and I am sure they are still in mourning. Maybe not as intense as when it first happened, but mourning in their way none-the-less. I dread the day that I have to say good-bye to the animals I have now. Ladybug, my cat, is getting up in years and starting to have medical problems. Treif is an old dog (I adopted him just this past May); I never even knew him when he was a puppy and a young dog. So I will not have many years with him. Ladybug was also older when I adopted her and I will not have as many years with her either. I hope that I can be strong when the day comes that I must say good-bye. And I desperately hope that I will see all my animals again someday.

"Heaven - all the animals that ever loved you will be waiting at the gate!". If they are not there, then I don't want to go!!

Saturday, March 03, 2007

Another childhood creation


My father's hobby was rehabilitating birds of prey. So I made this buzzard!