Facebook Quiz #5

More Have You? questions:

Had the Chicken pox: yes
Ever gotten a scar: yes i got a ton
Had a broken nose: no
Had your tonsels removed?: no
Had ice cream in the morning: yes
Had to give the heimlich: no
Dated outside your race?: no then again I haven’t dated much.
Given a hickey?:...  um…not that i remember
Dated your good friend/best friend?: no
Sung in the shower?: yeah probably
Spit in someone's drink?: no
Dumped someone?: yes
Opened your Christmas presents early?: no
Peed outside?: yes all the time. I work/live around farms its a skill you know.
Seen "The Goonies" more than 10 times?: no
Had more than five REAL bf/gf?: no
Played a computer game for more than 5 hours?: yes
Ran through the sprinklers naked?: no
Ate food that fell on the floor?: yes
Went outside naked?: no....I don't think so anyway
Made out with your best friends bf/gf?: no
Mooned somebody?: no
Been on stage?: yes
Made someone cry?: yes
Been in a parade?: yes
Been in a school play?: Yes
Drank beer?: yes
Gotten detention?: yes
Been on a plane?: yes
Been on a cruise?: yes
Broken into a house?: my own
Gotten a tattoo?: not yet
Gotten piercings?: Ears
Cried so hard you threw up?: Not that I remember
Gotten into a shouting match?: hell yes
Been skinny dipping?: no
Spun yourself in circles to get dizzy on purpose?: yes
Laughed so hard it hurt?: yes all the time
Tripped on your own feet?: yes I’m a klutz the stories I could tell.
Cried yourself to sleep?: yes
Cried in public?: yes
Thrown up in public?: Yes but I was pregnant. So it doesn’t really count does it?
Lied to your parents?: yes
Skipped class?: Yes
Slept in class?: No

Facebook Quiz #4

The What Is? portion

Your good luck charm: lets not talk about it
Best song you ever heard: ever? that’s a hard one I don’t think there is just one
Stupidest thing you have ever done: Uhm probably falling onto a fence
What's your room like: small crowded, and full of electronics
Last thing you said: Meh
What is beside you: Cat
What shampoo do you use: Uhm whatever I can afford
Worst thing that has happened to you this year: I have managed to ‘kill’ 2 cars, and had my favorite goat die
Your body type? : Medium
Your skin tone?: Farmer’s tanned
Your most missed memory: My machine from my summer job
the first thing that comes to mind when you hear: Blue?: sleep
Today's date: December 14th 2009
What is the best grade you've ever gotten on an essay: Probably an A-
What is the shortest distance between two objects?: a squiggle
Your biggest fear?: a lot of things
Your happiest moment?: my daughter’s birth
On your feet?: blankets

More MISC questions:
Would you eat a live hamster for $1,000,000?: possibly is it recently washed?
Would you go to a Manson concert if you had a free ticket?: No. Just no.
If you were stuck on an island, what people would you want with ...: Uhm..*pretends to ponder* Kavan Smith, and my BFF
If you loved someone and you were keeping something from them an: an what? I'm not sure what I'm being asked
Do you admire anyone?: yeah I do
Who is the last person that called you: The Elementary school
Who was the last person you slow danced with: oh dear quiz must you remind me I haven’t danced in 4+ years?
What makes you laugh the most: My BFF
What makes you smile: Lots of things I have an odd sense of humor
Do you like filling these out: kinda
Do you wear contacts or glasses?: glasses have for years.
Do you like yourself: no..wait..yes…wait…maybe?
Do you get along with your family: Depends on whom you are referring to
Do you have piercings below the waist: nooooo
Have you stolen anything over $30?:  nope
Are you obsessive?: Yes. Yes I am.
Are you compulsive?: Definitely. You should see my filing system on my computer.
Want to have children?: have them :)
Do you like mornings?: Mornings are nights to me.
Do you enjoy seafood?: I live in Washington…so sort of..if cooked right
What are you listening to right now: “Mr Cavendash, I Presume” by Julia Quinn
What makes you happy: Night time
What did you do yesterday: watched football
Got any awards: yes I have several
What car do you wish to have?: one that runs reliably.
Do you want to get married: maybe
If you could change anything about yourself, what would you change: too many things
Good driver: yeah
Good dancer: heck…no
Good Singer: in the car
Have a lava lamp: no
How many remote controls are in your house: too many.
Are you double jointed: no
What do you dream about: Let’s not discuss it okay? It would probably scar you for life
Last time you showered: yesterday
The last movie you saw at the theatres: Honestly? probably “Marley & Me” or “Star Trek”
Scary or happy movies: happy
Root beer or Dr. Pepper: Dr. Pepper if I have to choose
Mud or Jell-O wrestling: neither.
Vanilla or chocolate: Both
Skiing or Boarding: I’d like to learn to ski
Summer or winter: Summer
Silver or Gold: White Gold
Diamond or pearl: depends- who’s giving it to me?
Sunset or Sunrise: Sunset is my sunrise
Sprite or 7up: neither ick.
Orange juice or apple juice: orange juice
Cats or dogs: dogs
Coffee or tea: Both
Phone or in person: who am I talking to? 
Oldest, middle, youngest or only child: Oldest of 2
Indoor or Outdoor: indoor
Describe Yourself In One Word: Amalgam
What's your biggest fear?: lots of things
What's your biggest mistake?: lets not talk about it.
Your proudest accomplishment?: my daughter
#1 Priority in your life: the kid
Dream job: Veterinarian
Special talents: does being a walking version of IMdB count? oh what about walking Jukebox?
Where are you right now?: in my bed
Where would you rather be?: Vancouver
Famous person you'd like to meet: Well I already met him once…but I’d gladly meet him again
Place to visit before you die: Europe
Song to be played at your funeral: something snappy

Facebook Quiz #3

This is the Have You Ever? portion

Swam in freezing water: Yes yes I have
Jumped off a house: a house no a barn yes
Been attacked: depends on what you mean by ‘attacked’
Been on a plane: yes
Gotten injured: yes I’m a klutz
Bungee jumped: No
White water rafted: no
Pulled an all-nighter: I worked night shift for four years so you do the math 
Broken a bone: I sprained/fractured my wrist last winter
Lied about your age: no
Been in a hot air balloon: nope
Surfed: nope
Stolen anything?: yeah when I was 7
Been drunk before noon?: no
Had sex in a public place?: uhm…no?
Got caught telling a lie?: yes
Got a speeding ticket: Never
Been arrested: nope
Littered: yeah
Fantasized about a co-worker:  no I work in agriculture have you seen farm boys?
Cheated on a test: no
Cheated in a relationship: no
Failed a class: yes..ugh
Screened your phone calls: yes
Eaten food off the floor?: yes
Stuck gum under a desk: nah
Wished you were someone else: yes
Cried during a movie: yes
Had a one night stand?: Tried to…can we not talk about it?

and the Do You? Portion:
Hold grudges: sometimes depends
Play an instrument: no
Read the newspaper: try to when I have time
Believe in ghosts: yeah I guess
Have an obsession: Heck yes I do. We just won’t talk about it.
Like winning: Nah I like staying out of the spotlight
Like waiting: depends what I’m waiting for
Have freckles: no
Snore: no?
Believe in love at first sight: I thought I did at one time
Wear contacts or glasses: glasses
Like yourself: sometimes i do sometimes I don’t
Get along with your family?: some of them
Do you wish you lived somewhere else?: All the time
Do you like roller coasters?: no way
Enjoy spending time with your Mom?: heck no
Ever think about the price of gasoline?: yeah I drive by at least 10 gas stations on my way to school every day
Sleep with a fan on?: in the summer
Have a good handle on spelling?: uh…ledz c…no?
Ever type "kik" instead of "lol"?: huh? Idk?
Know how to play chess?: no
Want to get married?: Maybe someday
Ever miss being a little kid?: heck yeah
Like seafood?:

Facebook Quiz #2

This one is the Basic Info and Favorites portion...

Name: Kassandra
Birthday: 8/10/1987
Current Location: Washington state
Eye Color: Brown
Hair Color: Brunette
Height: 5’7” ish
Single or Taken: Single 
Do You Smoke: no
Do You Shower Daily?: try to
Hug or Kiss?: Hug
Soup, Salad or French Fries?: Soup
Do you believe in God?: mostly
Country Born in: USA
Shoe size: 8
Innie or Outie: innie
Righty or Lefty: Righty
Where do you work?: Too many places
When did you start using Facebook?: I don’t remember
How much time do you spend on Facebook a day?: too much time
Do you own a cell phone?: yes
Do you like to text?: not really
Play an instrument?: no
Have any tattoos?: not yet
Fruit: apple
Flower: Cyclamen (good luck finding them), Gerber Daisy, Pink Roses
Ice Cream: Chocolate mud
Restaurant: Chinese
Sport: Football(to watch), Volleyball I guess to play
Number: 42 ;)
Soda: Club
Song: too many to name
Color: Crimson and grey
Saying: If it is to be it is up to me
Alcoholic Drink: Beer I guess
Sight: Moonrise
Smell: Vanilla
Breakfast food: Bacon
Favorite possession: uhm…I don’t think I have just one unless you count blankie.
Mall store: what is this 'mall' that you speak of?
Fast food restaurant: Jack in the Box
Comedian: Jeff Dunham for one....
Sandlot or Little Rascals: neither
Holiday: 4th of July
Number: 42
Hard Candy: Werther's Original
Cartoon Character: A lot
Kind of pants: Jeans

Facebook Quiz #1

Okay I’ve been at a complete loss lately as to what to post(hence no posts). So I found some fun Facebook Quizzes over at one of my favorite blogs “A Thousand Words” since I am nothing but a dork I decided to borrow them.

Basic Info
Do you like to cook?: Sometimes
Do you eat out more often than you cook?: if I can
Do you like sports?: Heck yes
How do you spend your free time?: on the internet or reading
What state are you from?: Washington

Favorites
soda?: Club soda (yes I do realize I’m a freak)
kind of cooked fish?: Salmon I guess?
activity to do with your kids?: depends on the day
thing you like to do alone?: read, write, surf the net
thing you like to do with your loved one?: nothing

Have you Ever
been camping?: yes
sucked helium from a balloon?: yup
walked around your house naked?: sure a long time ago
wanted to live in another country?: hell yeah. All the time. I blame my Canadian blood
been banned from somewhere?: not that I’m aware of

Do you
lie or always tell the truth?: Try to always tell the truth
have a college degree?: working on it
have a lot of friends on your facebook?: I guess you could say that…
grow your own vegetables?: sure do
feel your are a creative person?: depends on in what way you mean? Writing yes. Art? No

What is
your mother like?: Insane, like totally insane in the not good way
your father like?: Fun to be around most of the time
your motto?: Always do what you can.
your religion?: mixed
something you couldn't do as a child that you do now?: tons of things

This/That
Crosswords or Word Search?: Word Search
Are you passive or aggressive?: depends on the situation
Play in the snow or Stay inside and drink cocoa?: play in the snow. until someone starts to cry. Than it sucks.
Better to be rich and alone or poor with lots of love?: Uh…it’s a toss up.
OMG or WTF?: WTF OMG!

Relationships
On a first date, what would make you leave early?: idiocy and uncomfortableness I guess
Do you kiss on the first date?: uh well I don’t know I’ve only been on a few first dates
How old were you when you first dated?: 16
Would you date someone that used to do drugs?: yeah
Would you care if your significant other went to a strip club?: depends I guess…

Finish...
If I had to spend $1000 in one day I'd....: not know where to start.
I usually shop at...: the feed store
My biggest concern right now is....: a lot of things but probably my car
I'm so happy that....: it stopped snowing
I am totally craving a....: snickers

Firsts
Halloween?: I think it was a bee?
time you bought a computer?: four years ago
text today?: I don’t think I want to repeat it.
person you talked to today?: Some random person at my college
person you called today on the phone?: see above

Lasts
time you caught someone lying?: uh…I don’t remember
time you went shopping?: Saturday. It was hell.
time you flew in a plane?: November 21st, 2008 I think? It was after I went to Burbank
trip you took?: Vancouver, April 2009
time you slept on the floor?: This summer

V*Con wrapup

So in the past I may have mentioned a time (or six) that I am a HUGE Blood Ties fan.  A number of months ago I heard that the author, Tanya Huff, was going to be appearing at a convention in Vancouver. Living not too far south of the border I vowed that even if I had to hitchhike or fly or whatever I WAS going to be there.

 

Saturday morning I woke very early(apparently when nervous I wake up *way* too early) and headed off to Vancouver. After visiting with some great friends from twitter and meeting a lovely French Bulldog I headed to the convention.

 

Much to my credit on my way from the early meet-up to the con I did NOT get lost. Unlike on my way to the early meet-up when I spent a good portion of time following Canadi-Tom’s directions to Granville Island.

 

This being only my second con I didn’t have much to compare it to but it was MUCH more fun and relaxed(though that may have been because I wasn’t freaking due to traveling).

 

I went to both of Tanya’s panels for the day and then after the second one got to spend a fair amount of time chatting with her. She was absolutely entertaining and enchanting despite having a cold. I really wish I could have spent more time at the con(as her panel that I really wanted to see was Sunday) and also spent more time with her as well.

 

I do have one picture of her and I together and it is this one:

 

Day 4 in a row…

I work again tonight it ought to be interesting to see if its a full night as they promised or just a partial. Have had some ‘fun’ fields the last few shifts.

Saturday night we had 2 fields- a measly 8 acre that took about 2 hours to do and then a larger 20ish acre one. The 20ish acre one came complete with its own light show as a large lightning storm hit the area with something we rarely see in the northwest- Bolt lightning. I was unfortunately too busy driving/trying not to freak the crap out(I do NOT like lightning) to take any pictures of it as some of it was really beautiful.

Sunday we had 2 fields as well one that we finished up(it was fun because it was really dead throughout) and one that had the mother of all ditches. Normally when we encounter ditches they are along one or 2 sides of a field and really narrow but this one ran along the back 2/3’rds of the field was curvy, wide and deep. Thankfully I’m the queen of bin filling and was able to slide and shift my bin to the point that I was able to just make it off the ditch before having to dump and got myself an ‘atta girl’ from the helper.

Last night we just had one field that was a 'treat’ in and of itself because it had a couple of unique features- it had a tree and a well in the middle of it. Now while that may not sound real special its a pain in the butt. Especially when farmers plant right up to the tree/well/thing we aren’t supposed to run over. I took on the tree and then cleaned up the edge of the field and a couple of odd corner pieces that had to be chopped up as well. Got off early and came home.

For today’s video we have a sample of what its like to be in the cab for 12 hours. Literally all we have to follow is in front of us, the readout is the only *real* light in there. In the brief shot of my readout my barrel pressure is about 1800-2000 and my speed is 2 MPH(that is zipping right along actually).

I have some others and I hope to be able to snap more soon but I’m not making any promises as to snap videos requires relinquishing control of the machine to someone else and getting out of my cab.

So, another exciting season begins.

Tuesday was the opening night of pea season. This meant a couple of things- 1) its my 4th season overall, 2) its my 3rd season right seating(driving alone), and 3) that I have to train freshies(first year drivers).

Now points 1 & 2 don’t have much bearing on the first couple days aside from the fact I am the *senior* driver on the crew. I have the unique pleasure of having my lovely foreman from last season and on Tuesday night I made it clear to him that I had *CHOOSEN* his crew over everyone else’s because I like and respect him as a foreman and would prefer to be with him.

Point 3 has been the one that has been driving me most insane as we are on a second shutdown night tonight(last night was my night off but the crew ended up not running). Which means that I will have trained drivers on Tuesday and Wednesday nights and go back tomorrow and have to RETRAIN them again.

Now with the driver I had Tuesday night that will be fine. I had him left seating for about an hour before I let him drive and he caught on very quickly to driving. He was good enough that I felt comfortable booting him out of my machine and into his own machine(even though we had and continue to have only 2 machines) after about 3 hours. He did swimmingly well and I was quite proud of him.

I was actually comfortable enough that I felt okay going out and snapping some video of the peas falling off the podder chain into the bin while he drove:

The driver I trained Wednesday night was a little different. He was much slower to catch on(never really did actually) and really frustrated me. I had him left seat with me while I helped to finish up a field and even had him drive a little but he was very nervous and didn’t fully seem to listen to me or my instructions (I.E.- “Now you go to full throttle, that’s the rabbit”) . I demonstrated how to open a field, and dump and everything I could.

Then I put him in the driver’s seat and left seated with him coaching him gently through everything, prompting and guiding. I finally got up and went out on the catwalk for a while because he just was NOT getting it and I thought maybe if I got out of his hair he would have it click. Nope. So back into the left seat for another round of coaching and prompting, then down to the crew truck to help the foreman for a while.

As I was trial by fire’ing the driver he not once, not twice but at least 3 times couldn’t remember how to engage the harvester(pull up on the GIANT yellow knob) or how to idle down. I was in and out of the machine a few times but the last time I came back in, I asked him why he hadn’t idled down while waiting for the truck to pull up. He points to a button(not the throttle that is labeled ‘throttle’ and goes “well I was pushing THAT one and it has a rabbit and turtle on it” turns out he’d adjusted his reel speed(how fast the picking reel that pulls the peas in spins) down into the 150’s range(it was supposed to be up at 200RPM). I took over for a while, getting the reel speed back up and finishing the field(we were almost done).

Needless to say I am really hoping that tomorrow when we go in(as right now its about 90% chance we ARE working) that we have the Tuesday drivers.

So let’s try this again

Remember last year I worked harvesting peas?  And remember how I said I wasn’t going back? Yeah, that didn’t work out so well.

 

Tomorrow is supposed to be the start of pea season. It ought to be interesting considering as far as we all know there are no machines on this side of the state.

 

I’m once again going to try blogging a bit about work, and some of the ‘new’ and ‘fun’ things that happen.

There are a few things I do know going into the season this year-

• the guy who I had the most problems and whom I was promised would not return this year? Is back.
• However as soon as I found that out I raised a stink and requested not to be on his crew as I would NOT want to be forced to file a complaint again this year.
• I requested the foreman I had last year as at least he knows me and respects me for what I am- a female driver. I don’t have to try to outdo everyone(doesn’t mean I still don’t do it anyway)

I will keep you all informed and bring back videos and pictures when I can!

So buckle up and hang on for the bumpy exciting ride!

Introducing the Kid

So late yesterday afternoon(while I was supposed to be out running errands) we had our first and last kid of the year.

 

He is currently being called “Max” though I am going to suggest renaming him “Dread Pirate Roberts” for the Princess Bride allusion.

 

Sorry about the quality since he isn’t quite 24 hours old he doesn’t quite have the knack of standing/walking on the tile floors.

I took a Giant leap of faith today

As you may know I've recently been dabbling in photography a bit more since I got shiny new Mr. Cannon in November.

I'd gotten a few shots that had friends and acquaintences in awe so today when I logged online and saw that Google was running a contest for student photographers, I decided to enter. I figure the worst that can happen is that I not make the short list. Right?





By the way on the off chance I do win, I guess I should learn who Martin Parr is, hunh?

The Kirk that they don’t want you to see

In case you don’t follow me on twitter, you may not have heard that I recently finally figured out a name for my ducks outside. (the adults)

 

The female we’d just been calling ‘duck’ for a while became “Smedley Ducker” (it was just too funny NOT to get used.)

 

As you may recall Smedley was a part of the ill fated group of ducklings from last spring. She has been through a lot in the past year. She survived the first culling by raccoons with just a bit of a limp, and then survived the later culling by an unknown predator that left her re-injured and limping again.

 

Shortly after she recovered from that I got her a ‘friend’ who was supposed to be a female *insert my snort of derision for the idiots who sold me the duck here*  turns out? Not so much. That female was in reality not only NOT a Blue Swedish(like Smedley) but also NOT a female.

He? Is an Indian Runner(a duck that looks like a wine bottle on legs) and very much a male.  The pair of them live out in the chicken yard with the 20 + regular chickens we have. He? Is interested in every single one of them.

 

As you can see Kirk is tall, dark and handsome (every woman’s dream duck ;) ) but he seems to forget that he is a DUCK and they are CHICKENS and have their very own roosters should they feel the need to get frisky. Of course he usually forgets this right about the time company shows up to the house and is wandering around the property looking at the various critters.

Its ALWAYS fun to explain to strangers WHY he is chasing those chickens. Especially when those strangers tend to be little kids.

Last weekend Kirk and Smedley became the proud parents of two new ducklings(that were ‘imported’) a gorgeous little Blue Swedish, and a handsome little Rouen. 

The Swede is on the left the Rouen on the right.

We also picked up 2 Silver Laced Wyandottes, 2 Arucanas/Americanas (the green/pink egg layers) and 2 Marans.  These 6 moved outside today along with the other two blue Swedes that I picked up about a week and a half ago. (Pictures of the group are from right after we got the new Swedes).

 

Ducks, ducks everywhere, yet not a duck to spare

 

    Today saw the arrival of two new ducklings to the poultry clan. They join the other two ducklings who are already chilling in the cage with the chicks and are yet un-named. So this will bring us to a total of 6 ducks.

4 Blue Swedish

1 Runner(seriously he needs some therapy)

and a Rouen.

 

Ought to be an interesting mix.

 

Neither of the older two ducks are named as nothing has quite seemed right(even though I’ve had the older swede for almost a year now) so any suggestions are welcome.

 

Oh and if you recall last year about this time:

 

Life’s little Ironies

So today in English class the Professor of DOOM! handed back our Personal Essays that we wrote approximately 3 weeks ago now.  When I’d originally gotten mine back I had FREAKED out because of how many changes and edits the Prof wanted. Then I spent a whole weekend editing and ripping my hair out and re-editing, and revising until it was ‘perfect’.

 

Today when he handed it back he looked at me and asked:

PoD: “So have you ever been published?”
me: “Uhm, no, no I have not. I’ve submitted but never been published.”
PoD: “Oh. Well you should change to an English Major. You’re good at this”

me: o..0 “Uh…Okay, sure whatever.”

 

I felt like being all “yes, I’ve been published and that is totally why I am in this REMEDIAL English(okay, actually I am taking it by choice as I could have tested out of it but decided not to) class.

 

Was a little peeved that the PoD didn’t seem to notice my comment about the book we are reading that flat out called the book despicable. Though it may have just been the cloak and dagger I used to disguise it when I was jabbing it into his precious title.

If this post doesn’t get me the Google Pervs nothing will

Ah yes, living in the country is normally an idyllic lifestyle full of croaking frogs and quiet nights.

 

Until something like yesterday’s incident occurs.

 

Now that its spring it was time to officially start mowing the field and get in on all the excitement.

 

I was making the first pass of the field and was approaching our light pole that is in the field(on the side of the road) when I noticed *SOMETHING* attached to it.  I was still a good distance away and saw that it was brown and figured it was a way ward leaf or something that’d blown onto the pole.

As I started getting closer I noticed something ODD about the item- it was triangular and more importantly cloth.

 

It wasn’t until I was up close that I saw what it was:

 

 

Oh yes, that is a THONG nailed to a pole. Its not just any thong though, its a leopard skin one…

 

 

I went on my way mowing, since I didn’t have anything to remove it with on the tractor. When I was finished I ran back to the house and got the crow bar, to take it off.

 

Get back out pry the nail loose enough that I can take it off the pole using the crow bar(is NO way I was touching it *shudders*) and decide that instead of taking it to the house I’d just “dispose” of it in the woods across the street. (Frankly I’d much rather see the neighbors have to deal with it than take it to the house).

So I’m getting ready to cross the street with the thong on the end of the crow bar, when I hear a Car coming. Stop to wait and of course the car slows down, and the driver gives me one of those “WTF?!” looks when he sees what I’m holding.

 

I’m pretty sure that the neighbor now thinks I’m some kind of odd perv or something standing on the side of the road with a thong on a stick. Ought to be fun this summer when we have our open house ;)

Today I bade goodbye to my best friend

Cactus*Point Jesse’s Girl 1*M

Over the last 5 years I have had one goat that stood out above the rest in terms of her endearment to me.

She came to me as a 4 year old doe who had just had Twins. A mottled black doe with the eyes of an angel and the face of happiness. Jesse quickly wormed her way into my heart and my show string as my Fit and Show doe.

We spent many a long hours working on show routines and just hanging out in the pasture, her being convinced that she’d given birth to me and that she must guard me from all other ‘usurpers’.

A few years ago I retired Jesse from having kids after two particularly traumatic kiddings back to back. She’s since just hung out with the herd being a pasture ornament and teacher to the younger ladies who have graced my herd.

Always a calm and reasonable doe, she was first one to the milk room each morning(even when she wasn’t milking) and the last one to bed most nights. I could spend hours just snuggling into her and staring at the sky as the time passed us by.

She had a tough winter this year with the four feet of snow in December but I thought that we had turned a corner finally with the advent of Spring earlier this week.

This afternoon my sister went to do chores, and came running for me saying that Jesse had gone down. Instantly I was out the door and in the goat pen, but the moment I saw her I knew that I would be saying goodbye.

Jesse had suffered a stroke and lost the ability to control the left side of her body, and was having mini-seizures on her right side. I quickly tried to get her to a sternally reccumbent position, but found she couldn’t so covered her in my sweatshirt and sat on the ground with her waiting for the reinforcements to hurry up and eat help move her.

Called the vet and explained what happened he said he’d be out as soon as he could and to keep her comfortable. We moved her to the barn where I settled in to say my goodbyes and wait with her.

Thankfully when he arrived he quickly confirmed my diagnoses and prognosis, and agreed that I had made the right choice.

I know you will be waiting for me my dear friend, someday at the Rainbow Bridge. Until then, enjoy the pastures.

So many posts I could be writing but instead I’ll write this one…

I love my British friends.

 

See they know what I like and they send me wonderful care packages. I love getting mail, but i love it even more when that mail is either laugh out loud funny or filled with chocolate and other goodies.

 

My first British care package arrived sometime late last year. It had a short funny story that one of my awesome friends Barcardi wrote for me. I’ve carried that thing to many an event where I knew I might need cheering up and it has helped to keep a smile on my face.

 

Then at Christmas she sent me another lovely care package filled with chocolate and presents for the wee one. Not just any chocolate mind you, but the GOOD British Cadbury’s (and yes there is a difference from American Cadburys).  I’m a sucker for chocolate.

Throw in an adorable bear for the wee one and I’m a goner.

 

The end of last month another friend Mirth sent me a care package chock full of Wagon Wheels:

 

Which are similar to the American Moon Pie but 100 million times tastier. She also sent me a LOL picture, but I am too stingy to share it(because frankly it’s a personal running joke, and would take far too long to explain). Lets just say it is totally fun and I grin every time I look at it.

Same day the WW’s and the LOL picture arrived I also found a new little friend in the mail:

 

That is a pewter squirrel pin that my good friend Sam sent me.

 

So imagine my surprise the other day when I went to the mailbox and found from Barcardi an envelope chock full of English Cadbury goodness. I’ve now hidden it away in hopes that this time it lasts me more than 2 days. Though with a night like tonight that is doubtful.

Just a little more proof….

I’ve always known that I’m considered to be the ‘smart one’ amongst many of my friends. Tonight I also got further proof of the fact that while I may be the ‘smart one’ it does NOT mean that I am the ‘artistic one’.

 

See last night I was at my parenting group and we had a local physician come in talk to us about a variety of subjects. One of the questions had to do with vaccines/vaccinating. He asked if anyone knew the history of the Iditarod race(that it recreates the path that they took to get the diptheria medications for the people of Nome).  I know this(see last bit) and so tenatively raise my hand and answered the question. He also spoke a little on some other subjects of which I also have knowledge.

We then moved into the ‘craft’ portion of the night. In honor of Valentines day we were doing cake decorating. I was given 2 colors of food coloring with which to decorate- green and yellow.

So I made the following cake:

 

Kudos to anyone who knows what it *Actually* is.

Where has the week gone?

I don’t know about you but for me this week has just flown by.  Monday was pretty much a waste as I was still dead on my feet from Saturday and then today I was talking to my dad and he was asking about my plans for tomorrow night. When I told him I didn’t have any he kindly reminded me that it was the first Friday and that I’d mentioned we had our parenting group.  That made me realize that it was *gasp* Thursday and I didn’t even do ANYTHING productive this week.

 

I think that I decided that in April I will be going to Vancouver for a ‘me weekend’ and going to the Con up there even if no one really likes it because darn it, I deserve to have some fun.

Was hired today by my Uncle to do some warehouse work for him, and I now get to spend the next month and a half learning all about Fishing reels, rods, crab traps and assorted other sporting goods- ought to be a fun time.

Got CanadiTom some new voices and maps and am now(fruitlessly) trying to convince him that I really do live at my house. He seems to think that I have moved since I re-taught him my address this morning.  Though he now has some fun new voices(a new Canadian, and Darth Vader among them).

I’ve spent a lot of time lately playing with the camera and taking just a million shots so that I can improve my familiarity with it…

Just a quick update

I just wanted to let you all know that yes, I am still alive. I hope to be blogging more now that the 2009 CLE/CWS is over and done(yesterday).

As far as I know preliminary data suggests that overall everything went well. The pre-registration number was around 680 as of Wednesday so I’m sure that we had more then that but I haven’t heard a final count yet.

Overall I enjoyed teaching again this year though my advanced class was a bit difficult. I had one of those students who decided that everything I taught was wrong and that it was *their* job to inform the others of the error of my ways.

I was glancing at my searches and had a few rather interesting/funny/what the heck ones jump out at me from the last couple months.

• uncensored cg gallery from mama club
• weather in resloute
• what is something slippery / something slippery
• joe biden powerpoint
• agoat the bomber part 1
• what is a proverbial horse / proverbial horse

The oddest search term that led to my blog has GOT to be:

• watersink uk so named as water sinks through ground walk

 

Hope that all of you are doing well, and I hope to be back with in a few days with some new photos that I’ve been playing with.

Just to give you a preview of what you’ll see:

 

GFC Update

So you may remember I promised the GFC last year. Well there was a slight hitch in that when there was a rival group that took over the GF's hang out.

 

 

We call 'em the chicken gang (CG for short).

Its a rogue band of chickens that breaks free of their enclosure and roam the property raising havoc with the other creatures, especially members of the GF's.

 

The Ring- Leader aka "Fluffy foot"

 

The Boss- aka 'ole red.

 

These two are the most wily(and annoying) of all the bunch, stalking anybody who dares exit the front door without any food in hand. Evasive action must be taken to avoid them.

So apparently, I need to re-home some books

The other day I went to open my DRESSER and found the reason it has been creaking and groaning omninously from the corner in which it resides in. Apparently I stuffed it full of books.

Paperbacks, hardbacks, big books, little books all shoved in one of the drawers after I read them and forgotten like, well, books.

 

Actually looking at some of these I don't remember ever reading them, or buying them for that matter leading me to believe they are amongst those that mysteriously arrived from the book club I once belonged to even though I dutifully canceled every 'selection of the month'.

 

Since I have a to read stack that is a bit insane at the moment:

 

though just glancing at it I can see 4 books(the top 4) that can be knocked off the 'must read immediately' list.

 

I guess I will be needing to re-home some of the basket dwellers:

 

And drawer livers:

  

See just looking at those photos though I can see certain members of my 'family' that I just can't bear to part with:

 

Momzillas - a cute, hilarious read about the seedy underworld of the Type A mommy.

Mother- a story that brought me to tears, as I have always had a very rocky relationship with my mother at best

Marley & Me - a wonderful hilarious story about life with a dog, that sounds so much like some of mine(I get to see the movie tomorrow!)

Onion John- this may be a 'childrens book' but it has stuck with me through 2 moves, and several life changes.

Holy Bible- though I rarely read *THIS* copy anymore it was my first one that I ever got when we were actually going to church regularly. I have several other copies around, that get more use.

 

This leaves a few books out in the cold though:

You might be a Redneck if.... - just meh, considering who wrote it. Don't even ask about the patch on the front.

Nora Roberts Innocent in Death - I'm thinking this along with the James Patterson and the Johnathan Kellerman are from the book club of doom.

 

As for the basket books I found them and have to go through what looks like my 'humor' section and see what will make the cut.

 

Looks like I'll be doing some serious cutting if I want to get my room and such into shape though. *sighs*

Oh how the time flies...

So I was digging through some of my photo folders and found some pictures of snows gone by:

Kenzie's first snow (January '07, 10 months)

 

And the one that is SURE to win me mother of the year someday:

 

Her 2nd Snow (January '08 1 year 10 months)

 

Finally this last snow (Dec. '08 2 years 9 months)

I'm still here....tired...but here

So with the holidays now over, and no goats yet expecting(so *not* my job this year thankfully) I now turn my attention to more important things.

 

Like CLE/CWS planning. In 25 short days I will be teaching not 1 but 2 full length classes and only have one set of curriculum fully finished. I am freaking out because I'm not sure what(or how) to teach the other class.

 

Since I returned from Burbank I have slept very little as I *hate* this time of year when it is dark more than light.

You can find my notes on Burbank HERE. I had a great time and now just need to figure out how to keep being able to go to these things.

 

We recently spent 12 days stranded by the snow. That was an exercise in patience and fun. The insane amounts of snow have stuck around though we have gotten down to about a one foot average across most of the yard, though the driveway is still lined by snow boulders from the kindly neighbors' CAT.

 

This Friday will mark the end of a very fun chapter in my life. Stargate Atlantis' 100th and final episode will air.  They have already green lit a movie but no word yet on when it will be out.

 

Kavan Smith and I

AKA: The Reason I went To Burbank and made a fool out of myself :D