Hook me up

We have finally joined the digital age. Today we made the switch from cable to....digital cable. You would not believe all the cool stuff digital cable comes with.
There is a guide, this allows you to search for different programs, gives you synopsis of the show in question and then allows you to go to that channel.

• There are more channels! Good friggen god there are channels in the 100's and the 200's and the 800's.
• You are able to pause live television
• You are able to record live television
• You can find every Star Gate episode showing and record it (or Star Track, or or or)

OK so I am a dork. We were having problems with our internet and I called to have them fix it, once they did they asked if I wanted to hear about their new bundles. I said shure. We have general cable, phone and internet all through Comcast. To upgrade to digital I would save about $30. To get a DVR box I would be paying an extra $6 a month. Have you taken a look at the 2008 fall season? There are about 7 new shows that I am interested in seeing. I figure out of the 7 shows at least 1 of them should last more than a season. What a freaky deaky deal!!!

So far we have watched every Buzz Lightyear on Demand, Tom and Jerry on Demand, Iron Man, Spider Man, started watching Disney's Tarzan, but Spotty got board so I taped that bad boy so I can finish it and now Boy Toy is watching some mixed marshal arts thing ON DEMAND.

BE AFRAID

Newton Wellesley ER

We spent Saturday night at the ER with Spotty. He had been complaining about his back hurting him several hours earlier and I checked to see if his diaper or shorts were scratching him, but there were no marks. In the next 3 hours my usually exeuberant child who runs into trees head first looks up says "sorry" and runs off to play again. The same child that will cry when he has fallen down the stairs and is all cut up and bruised, but stops after a few seconds so he can run somewhere else, changed. He was crying hyserically whenever he tried to walk, shriking that he had an owie and to make it stop hurting.

Spotty is fine.

I have never been so scared in all my life. I called the on call doctor who thought his symptoms were alarming and wanted him seen by the ER, but told me to give him some Motrin before we left. As I am sure you could all expect, he was fine and dancing around by the time we actually got to see the doctor. While the doc was checking him out Spotty did complain when they were checking out the movement of his right leg. The doc thought it was probably a viral inflammation of the hip joint. As the Motrin was working he told me to keep an eye on him and if the pain got worse or if Spotty got a fever to bring him back into the ER.

Newton Wellesley has a pediatric ER unit. They were good, friendly and didn't treat me like a hypochondriac mom while he danced and goofed around. I hope no one ever needs to bring their child to the ER, but if you do, you could do a lot worse than this place.

Book Review: Witches Abroad

Diskworld
I was afraid that Pratchett had let me down. At first I could not get into this book, but luckily the book paid no attention to me and went on to explain that as witches know their time of death they don’t have to worry about wearing “good underwear in case you are in a horrible accident”.

This is a story about a fairy godmother and the witches that want to help. Apparently they kick the crap out of a vampire without noticing. (the cat finishes it off). Beat the crap out of the bulls in the running of the bulls (bulls needed to be rescued from the cat who wanted to “play") and so thoroughly trounced a group of card sharks that you will never be able to watch someone cleaning out their ears again. There is of course a bad fairy (or is she the “good” one, I got confused) who is forcing an entire kingdom to follow “THE STORY” and live happily ever after. Whether they want to or not.

There is Voodoo, gumbo and pumpkins. And then the book gets funny

Thematic Photographic 8 - Monochrome

I am so pumped by Carmi's latest Theme. I LOVE B&W photos!

As I read other posters that join in the photo madness they wax on poetic about what thematic photos are all about. I am more a wax off kind of gal. But Carmi is always so sweet to post helpful comments that I just assume that everyone clicks on his name and heads over there. If you don't know what the hell I am talking about go here and do what he says.

Now for my photos.

This is one of my very favorite photos, Spotty was 3 months here, the two of us would sit outside early Sunday mornings and just enjoy the day

This is from a year later, this one makes me cry, Spotty always plays with my hair, don't know if you can see it, but he is holding onto daddy's hair

I don't think I need words for this one

I have no idea why this is in sepia and not B&W, all of these photos are done with B&W film that I have processed. This was camping last year.

I could have sworn I had B&W's from this year....

Thematic Photographic 7 - Animals

Don't be a Turkey and join in the fun over at Carmi's

We found this beauty in a wildlife preserve just after her shower...

Groom and Boom

I had a bridal shower to attend on Saturday so I left the boys to their own devices. Boy Toy told me he was going to finish the Sandbox. I said “oh really, with Spotty?” he replied rather smugly that he could accomplish all sorts of things with Spotty. He just told Spotty to do his own thing while he does his. My biggest complaint about having a child is that I can’t seem to get anything around the house done. Cleaning, whatever, I either have Spotty running behind me undoing whatever I had just done, or I feel guilty because I am not with him all week and feel that I should be playing/reading etc. Needless to say I came home, the two of them were napping and….they played video games all day and watched movies. HEH

Sunday I decided to do a wash. YES I am still without a dryer. I decided on whites. I looked outside and saw that it was sunny so it seemed a good idea at the time. We had lunch outside and the clothes were still a bit damp when I asked if Spotty Chop wanted to go swimming. Now the sky looked rather…stormy and I knew that I could grab all the clothes off the line and try and find places inside to hang everything so it could finish drying, but the chances were good that I might not get a chance to swim with my boy. Well, what would you have done?

Our pool was warm; giggling was abundant (possibly due to the two of us trying to ride the giant lobster). When thunder struck we jumped out of the pool and hung out on the porch waiting for the storm to go away. Boy Toy was trying to finish the sandbox (apparently the Black and Decker drill I bought him for father’s day was a piece of crap.) So we all hung out until Boy Toy watched the radar and said the coast was clear. We ended up having to get out of the pool a few more times, but Spotty was happy to keep running back and forth in the rain. I had on my brandy new swim cap. It is gorgeous, lots of flowers and a chin strap. Hey if I’m going to be wearing a swim cap, it aint gonna be no sissy assed cap. Spotty finally had enough of swimming the 3rd or 4th time we had to jump out and he and boy toy decided to go into the house. In a torrential downpour I ran to pick up some of the beautiful whites that were now on the muddy ground. Some I salvaged and hung back up, some were a lost cause and were tossed on the table. I peeked into the house and saw Boy Toy and Spotty snuggling so I did a quick dash to the pool (yes the thunder had stopped…I think, can’t hear well with the bathing cap on). I just hung out in the perfectly temperatured pool with the rain beating down on and around me.

Swimming in the rain is one of life’s greatest pleasures. If you have never done so you should try and make it a priority in your life.

Book Review: Magic Study

Study Book 2
Yelena is in Sitia on her way to learn how to better control her magic. On the way she meets the family she doesn’t remember; her mother Perl, who makes perfumes, scents and has never forgotten her baby girl; her father Esau, an inventor who has drawn a picture of his daughter each year on her birthday, and comes very close to the real thing. And finally her brother Leif, who hates her with a burning passion. First Yelena is kidnapped/captured by Cahil the dethroned King of Ixis who brings her to the First Magician to prove she is a spy. The First Magician invades her mind and in desperation Yelena thoughts turn to Valek, she shouts for help and he gathers her into a hug. When she wakes up its to Cahil who sheepishly apologizes for thinking she was a spy.

Not only does Yelena need to learn magic, but horseman ship she once again is fighting with Cahil who disagrees with her choice of steed. She needs to keep out of the way of Goel who wants to hurt her badly, and help find a serial killer that is terrorizing the county. And as if that is not enough, she also has to contend with a people whose public enemy #1 just so happens to be her lover.

I hope the 3rd book is a good as the first two.

Thieves

This email made me giggle

I thought I lived in a secure neighborhood.....but I think this is happening to me!!!I know you have read the scare-mail about the personwhose kidneys were stolen while he was passed out. Whilst that was an "urban legend," this one is not. It's happening every day. I'm sending this warning to all of my closest friends. You, too, may have been a victim. Read on.

My thighs were stolen from me during the night of August 3rd a few years ago. It was just that quick. I went to sleep in my body and woke up with someone else's thighs. The new ones had the texture of cooked oatmeal. Whose thighs were these? What happened to mine? I spend the entire summer looking for them. I searched, in vain, at pools and beaches, anyplace where female limbs might be exposed. I became obsessed. I had nightmares filled with cellulite and flesh thatturned to bumps in the night. Finally, hurt and angry, I signed myself to living out my life in jeans and Sheer Energy pantyhose.

Then, just when my guard was down, the thieves struck again. My butt was next. I knew it was the same gang, because they took pains to match my new butt, although it was badly attached. It was three inches lower than the original to the thighs they had stuck me with earlier.

A year later, it was my breasts. Once full, yet perky, they now lie like bags of water on my chest, no longer proudly pointing forward to greet the world, but looking down at my feet, as though hanging in shame.

Two years ago, I realized my arms had been switched. One morning while fixing my hair, I watched, horrified but fascinated, as the flesh of my upper arms swung to and fro with the motion of the hairbrush. Bat wings!! And I didn't even see the Bat Signal! This was really getting scary!!! My body was being replaced, cleverly and fiendishly, one section at a time. In the end, in deepening despair, I gave up my t-shirts. What could they do to me next?

Age? Age had nothing to do with it. Age was supposed to creep up, unnoticed and intangible, something like maturity.

NO, I was being attacked, repeatedly and without warning.That's why I've decided to share my story. I can't take on the medical profession by myself. Women of the world wake up and smell the coffee! That isn't really "plastic" those surgeons are using. You know where they're getting those replacement parts, don't you?

The next time you suspect someone has had a face "lifted," look again! Was it lifted from you? Check out those tummy tucks and butt raisings. Look familiar? Are those your eyelids on that movie star?

I think I finally may have found my thighs, and I hope Angelina Jolie paid a really good price for them!

This is NOT a hoax! This is happening every night to women in every town all across the world. Warn your FRIENDS!!!!

Jinkies

Our postcarder is back! I thought they had forgotten about us, but apparently they have been hitchhiking around the Pacific NorthWest and then living in the wilderness of the Yukon Territory. It sounds like this person (persons?) is truly having a blast with their life. I am enjoying the fact that they are sharing it (in a wacked out way) with us.

We are wondering if it is just one person or a group of people as the handwriting on the various cards is different. They also are addressed differently. Whatever it is it's keeping us guessing.

Keep traveling Post Card Dude!

4th of July at Fransted Campground

We went camping with Spotty Chop over the 4th of July. We went up on Thursday and got to the campground around 5:30pm. We had just started putting up the tent when the heavens opened. Luckily we had the “outer” tent up for the most part. Boy toy dealt with the tent and Spotty and I played in the car. That was the end of our rain drama. The rest of the weekend was beautiful. We tried to go off and do a hike on Fri but Spotty Chop wasn’t buying it. He wanted to play in the river. We did leave the campground long enough to go to Chutters (the world’s longest candy counter) to pick up some “GOLD COINS”. Spotty has been watching a DVD about GeoTrax and one of the episodes talks about chocolate coins covered in gold. This is all he ever talks about. So we were determined to get him some. But then we had to hurry back to the river. Rock throwing and swimming with dada were necessary.

Saturday was a blast with the Franconia Old Home Day parade. We parked by the river in the shade and walked around looking at the book sale and enjoying the fireman’s BBQ. Boy toy decided to sit on the roof to see the parade and we convinced Spotty to get up there too. We scored SO BIG when it came to candy. It seemed like everyone and there brother was either tossing it to us, or getting out of the firetrucks to give him some. Thank God for cute kids. Once the parade was done we went to the Fransted 4th of July fair. Spotty had such a great time. There was a giant moon walk and a water slide, but the biggest hit by far was the dunk tank. We had a minor melt down when we told him he could not be the dunkee. But once Boy toy got him in line to toss the ball (and he got to punch the big red button to drop someone into the water) he was hooked! He had to have done that a dozen times and would have done it all night if we had let him.

It was a pretty low key weekend. We ate crap. We hung out. We snuggled. Spotty Chop actually slept on his own all weekend, and would come into our side of the tent around 7am, so I got to sleep, except for the times I woke up because he wasn’t in the bed. I had hoped to go hiking or go to Attitash, but Spotty was being a home body, and who were we to say we needed to leave the campground? Besides there is always Labor Day weekend….

Thematic Photographic 6 - Light

I know I have been MIA. Nothing special, just lazy. But I need to get back in the swing of things. So here is my entry to Light. Carmi keeps pulling themes from...the mysterious beyond. This weeks theme is a good one. Not the best photo, but Boy Toy and Spotty were in love with the SpectroMagic parade at Disney. I think it is the best parade in
the MK

Dear Spotty Chop you are 40 months old today

You have started telling us that “going to bed/brushing teeth/taking bath/ is not an option”, and from your point of view I can see where you are coming from. Plus it is gosh darn cute to hear you say it. You also like to tell me (with a smile) mama that would be terry-bill!


We had our very first Parent/Teacher conference. They told us they loved you and you were wonderful. As if we didn’t already know. You are great at playing alone and using your imagination. You need to work on sharing and transitions. It’s great to know that the shit fits you throw for us, you are throwing for them as well.


We opened the pool and you are LOVING it. You insist we go in every day, even though it is colder than…cold. But you so love it as long as you are naked. You are not as big a fan of the swim suit.


Mantha is back for the summer and you couldn’t be happier. You are excited to pick her up and so sad to see her leave. I am so happy that you will be able to do more with her, now I just have to convince her to stay the hell outside.


The peas in our garden are ready and you have stripped them all, apparently you like the idea of picking your own, I had hoped to send you to school with some fresh veggies, but you eat them as fast as they are picked, we are planting more, just to keep up with you.


The other day when I was explaining that my hands hurt a lot and I couldn’t play a video game with you, you walked over to me, kissed my chest and said “I kissed your heart, that will make you feel better”, and wouldn’t you know? It did.


You LOVE to burp, and I know your father taught you how to do this. The two of you just laugh and laugh when you coming running up to me to burp on my shoulder. I think the two of you are dorks.


We also went to our first Carter family picnic. This was held at Defazio field’s tot lot. We brought pizza and Terminator and Buzz Cut came too. Terminator is a flame and you and Buzz Cut are the moths. You chased each other around all night. You also spent time with your school friends which made me happy to see and then Terminator and Buzz Cut would start looking for you. I can definitely see the three of you causing all sorts of mayhem as you grow older. God help us all.


You told me the other day that you wanted to be a doctor. Today you said you wanted to be a doctor in space. Dream big baby! You also said that you needed a “pop” (freezer pop) “it will help my tummy be healthy and strong!”

You are your mother’s son. You love to play in the rain. You love puddles and having the rain splash in your face. Ask auntie Moo about walking around in the rain sometime.


While reading a new book last night “I can read: Star Wars Podracer” You told me that you wished you could be in a podracer with Obi-Wan Kanobi or Luke Skywalker and me. He also hoped his daddy would be there in his podracer. You have never seen the movies. We have the Star Wars Lego PS2 game (it covers 1,2 and 3). But you seems to just absorb it from me. Reason # 454,348,762,436,586,970,361,532,674,849,476 why I love you


You have the softest tummy around. I love to give you belly rubs and tickle your ribbies.

We are off to our next camping adventure, can’t wait to see what happens, not sure what we are going to do. You have been asking to climb big rocks, and as we will be in the White Mountains, I think we can satisfy your craving. Happy 4th of July Spotty Chop!

The TOP 10 Things We Want To Hear Samuel L. Jackson, "Jedi Master Mace Windu," say

10. You don't need to see my goddamn identification, 'cause these ain't the motherfuckin' droids you're looking for.

9. Womp rat may taste like pumpkin pie, but I'll never know, cause even if it did I wouldn't eat the filthy motherfucker.

8. This is your father's lightsaber. When you absolutely, positively, have to kill every motherfuckin stormtrooper in the
room...accept no substitutes.

7. If Obi-wan ain't home then I don't know what the fuck we're gonna do. I ain't got no other connections on Tattooine.

6. Feel the Force, motherfucker.

5. What ain't no planet I've ever heard of! Do they speak Bocce on What?

4. You sendin' the Fett? Shit, Hutt, that's all you had to say!

3. Yeah Chewie Rocky Horror's got a hair problem. What the brother gonna do? He's a wookie.

2. Does Jabba the Hutt look like a bitch?

1. Hand me my lightsaber... it's the one that says, "Bad Mother Fucker."

Book Review: Moon Called

Mercy Thompson Series, Book 1
Mercedes Thompson (Mercy to her friends) is an auto mechanic she refurbishes old VW bugs. Her former boss is a gremlin, one of the lesser fae. The Gray Lords forced the fae out into the open a few years ago because science was on the verge of outing them anyways. It didn’t go as well as planned; most of them now live on reservations. The rest of the supernatural community isn’t thrilled with the response of the “regulars” so are still in hiding. This includes the Alpha Wolf who lives next door to Mercy and the Vampires whose cars she works on because she can not afford the protection money they insist upon. And then there is Mercy. She is a skin walker. Different than a werewolf, she changes shape naturally thanks to her American Indian heritage, but she was brought up by a werewolf pack. “
Things were status quo until a young, untrained werewolf showed up in her shop looking for work. What we get next is battles with werewolves, death, destruction, mayhem and a bit of lust.

Great book, hopefully great new series. Don’t be frightened off by my mentioning of lust. This isn’t one of those supernatural soft porn series, (or at least the first book isn’t). It’s a quick read, but the characters and story will make you wish it were longer.

My obsession continues….

Ok so I just finished up Season 5 of SG1 I won’t mention what happens at the end of Season 5, I knew it would happen eventually, but boo hoo.


O'Neill: I'd be happy to debrief you all after I've debriefed myself for a nice hot shower.
Hammond: Permission to shower granted. In fact, I insist on it, Colonel.
O'Neill: Bad?
Jackson: I wasn't going to say anything...

O'Neill: So, what's your impression of Alar?
Teal'c: That he is concealing something.
O'Neill: Like what?
Teal'c: I am unsure. He is concealing it.

Anise: Your strength is five times that of a normal human.
O'Neill: So, no increase then, huh?

O'Neill: What kind of archaeologist carries a weapon?
Jackson: Uh... I do.

Markov: The sub is Swiss.
Jackson: So they occasionally catch fire, but they keep perfect time. pause Sorry. I think I've been hanging around Jack O'Neill too much

Unas refusing food: Ka!
Jackson: Now don't say Ka until you've tried it

O'Neill: There's a man... He's bald and wears a short-sleeved shirt, and somehow he's very important to me. I think his name is Homer

Teal'c: I have read of a place where humans do battle in a ring of Jell-o.
O'Neill: Call Daniel.

Colonel Simmons: Need I remind you, Dr. Jackson, of the dangers that we're trying to defend Earth against?
Jackson: Oh, could you? I mean, go slow.

Carter: "I've never blown up a star before."
O’Neill: "They say the first one is always the hardest."

Daniel: "I figured that flashing wasn't good news. And the fact that in Goa'uld it says, 'Warning, Warning..."

Teal'c: "Trust in me, O'Neill."
O’Neill: "What if I'm not O'Neill?"
Teal'c: "Then I was not talking to you."

Jack: to Hammond "IN THE MIDDLE OF MY BACKSWING?!?"


Anise: You may call me Anise.
Jackson: Anise?
Anise: It means "Noble Strength".
Jackson: I'm Daniel. It means, uh, "God is my judge".
O'Neill: I'm Jack. It means... What's in the box?

O'Neill: Well, I guess now we can go back and tell General Hammond that the Tok'ra boned us again!

Jackson: We were hoping you could kinda…um, like…beam them out.
Jacob: Beam them out? What am I, Scotty?

Major Davis: [Over the radio]: Jack or Teal'c, please respond.
O'Neill: Flight, Digger One. We read you. We have lost control of the craft to some sort of hidden recall device that apparently the scum-sucking, slimy, snake-ass Apophis installed in his death gliders. Over.

Carter, Teal'c and Narim entering Narim's house
Automatic voice (it's Sam's voice): "Greetings, Narim. Welcome home. Atmosphere control is active. Shall I prepare a mid-day meal for you and your guests?"
Narim: "No, thank you."
Carter: "Narim?"
Narim: "Yes, Samantha?"
Carter: "Is that my voice?"
Narim: "I'm sorry, I was hoping you wouldn't notice."

Jackson: (disbelieving): "...little grey butts."

Teal'c has another memory: "Do not test my temper, woman"
Jackson: "Woman? Did..did he just call me a...a...a woman?"
O’Neill: "Yes, I believe he did."

Carter: "So...is it working? Is he...did he say anything?"
O’Neill: "Talked about fabric, briefly."
Jackson: "He just called me a woman."

O’Neill: "Ah the sound of the other shoe"

Carter: If it comes right down to it, we can detonate it right here. What's our position?
Jackson: Well, personally, I'm against it. But if you want to know where the ship is, we're about five meters above the surface at the bottom of the crater.

O'Neill: It's always suicide-mission this save-the-planet that. No one ever stops by just to say hi anymore.

O'Neill: "I'd like to take this opportunity to say that this is a poorly designed bomb and we should say something to someone when we get back."

O'Neill: We brought dinner and a movie.
Teal'c: Star Wars.
O'Neill: Teal'c's seen it what, eight times?
Teal'c: Nine.
O'Neill: Nine times. If Teal'c likes it, it's gotta be OK.
Carter: You've never seen Star Wars?
O'Neill: Well, you know me and sci-fi...

Teal'c: If I were still loyal to the Goa'uld you would know it.
Col. Simmons: Really?
Teal'c: It would be immediately apparent, as I would not hesitate to kill you where you sit.

O'Neill: I have great confidence in you, Carter. Go on back to the SGC and… confuse Hammond.

Cassandra: What do you see when you look at me now?
Carter: I see you. And until your head starts spinning around, and probably even then, I will still see…you.

Jackson: I just hope we don't regret giving them those Gate addresses.
O'Neill: I don't think we will, the first one being a black hole and all. They get progressively darker after that.

Jackson: You'd think a race advanced enough to fly around in space ships would be smart enough to have seat belts, huh?
Jacob: We just prefer not to crash.

O'Neill: Ah, they'll fix it up.
Jackson: I'm confident.
O'Neill: Me too.
Teal'c: As am I.

O'Neill: Hammond will find us.
Jackson: I'm confident.
Carter: Me too.
Teal'c: As am I.


Now what is incredibly suckful is that Costco no longer seems to be carrying the SG1thinpak (or fat). Do I really want to spend $40 for the next 5 seasons? No. Will I? Stay tuned…