That Lazy Cat

Sal may not like the Hinna-Hin, but Freddy doesn’t seem to mind. He stood, kneading Hinna for a good while, and then finally nestled into her.

Fred is a happy, but very strange cat who, instead of eating upright like a normal feline, likes to plop on his side next to his bowl and fish food out with his paw, bringing it to the ground to eat. I’m in awe that he would seriously be that lazy, but apparently… he is.

He also likes to jump up to the table and sit on it, which I DO NOT LIKE AT ALL, seeing as we EAT there and everything. Pheenie went and snapped a photo of the evidence of his naughtiness when I’m not around. Thank you Pheenie.

. . .

Idonotwanttogotowork. Idonotwanttogotowork. Idonotwanttogotowork.

ADD Knitter

I’m a knitter, but I’m not a knitter, if you know what I mean. I like to knit. I enjoy making fast and easy projects. But I can’t make a sock, or a sweater. And, for the most part, I have the tendency to abandon projects. I guess in my head I’m not abandoning them, but more “moving on to something else” for a bit. Right now I count… 1 blanket, 1 prayer shawl (ripped that out, though, made a major boo-boo with that… first time on the circs), 2 or 3 scarves, one dishcloth. Just off the top of my head.

I’m an ADD knitter. It is what it is.

Boredom with my current scarf project motivated me to dig out my box of yarn. I figured I could use up some of it on a project — maybe a hat. Mind you, there’s nothing to salivate over, no yummy hand-dyed yarns or expensive ooh-la-la skeins. A bunch of discarded yarns, really, bought for some project I meant to make but still haven’t gotten around to. Some of it is Sugar and Cream leftovers from my dishcloth making obsession, yarns for preemie caps, Fun Fur, stuff like that. Did find some nice wool in there. I have additional skeins lying around in mid-project or in bags, waiting to become yet another abandoned project.

Tub contents:

The rest in the tub:

Yarn is like books for me. I shouldn’t buy anymore until I use (read) what I’ve got. I could make hats for the kids. We can never have too many. Or an abundance of hats, scarves, mittens, preemie caps, maybe a prayer shawl for charity. But, as compulsion would have it, as the yarns slipped through my fingers, I felt inspired to run to Hobby Lobby and pick up yarn for a scarf pattern I found.

The fancy yarn, marked $9.99, I got for $1.99. Lootie helped pick it out (he loves the craft store). I needed a second yarn, but ended up going back a couple days later to painfully pick that out (hard time making decisions). I’m about 1/3 through the scarf. I messed up in the beginning bringing the yarn up the side as I knit and didn’t realize that I was carelessly adding in some stitches for a few rows. Was yapping with the husband, too lazy to go back and take it out.

I’d really like to finish this scarf. I need a new one badly. And I still have that itch to knit a hat.

Dove Chocolates

I have just one thing to say.

Dove Chocolates. The Eggs. Only at Easter. Eight years ago the twins were born. Pre-matureĀ  (8 weeks). Emergency C-section. Percoset put me over the edge, but Dove Chocolates sincerely helped me endure the month that they were in the hospital. If there was a shortage of those eggs in our city Easter 1999, I take the blame. At that time I hadn’t the palate for dark chocolates (don’t think Dove made dark ones anyway), so I devoured the milk chocolate eggs. They were in my purse constantly. When I ran out a state of panic ensued. Sal got really sick (some of you know that). Developed septicemia, blew every IV they put in (head, hand, feet…) and finally got a central line put in for the anti-biotics. Thank God that worked. They both came home within a month, on the same day.

Dove Chocolates, the eggs, will always remind me of their birth.

Big Birthday

Lootie had his birthday last weekend. He turned 11. Two days before his birthday, he decided he’d like a party. So he started to invite people, calling them at a time when probably most of the kids were already in bed. I didn’t realize this because I was occupied. At any rate, having been sick all week I wasn’t up for much fanfare. Pizza and cake, treat bags. Those were my provisions. And shelter. Some balloons. He’s not picky. He just wants people to come over and have fun. An excuse to get sugared up and facilitate good fun for the people he enjoys. The majority of the kids I knew, but one was new to school.

“I have to let you know that (name of boy)… you have to know something. He’s big. Very chubby. You can’t say anything.”

I looked at him like he was a bit mad. “Lootie. I’m big. When have you known me to say things about people because they’re big? Or because of anything like that?”

“I’m just saying. People tease him sometimes.”

He left the room. Lootie’s like that. Matter-of-fact. Done. It was his way of saying, I’m inviting this kid and I don’t give a crap what anyone else thinks.

A day before the party, Frank picked up 2 Tres Leches cakes. Last year I made them. Didn’t have it in me this year.

The day of, two hours before the party, we went to Wal-mart to get plates and treats for the goodie bags. I bought 3 bags of balloons to blow up, figuring if I scattered them around the house, it would look festive enough, coupled with the 99 cent “Happy Birthday” plastic tablecloth.

The boys, about 13 of them (3 of which were mine — Dants was in Minnesota and Pheenie was at a friend’s house) plus one little sister… they had a blast. Lootie may have his “issues” at times (we all do) but he’s good at showing people a good time, making sure everyone is included. I didn’t have one report of teasing the big kid. He thought it was way cool that within a week of starting a new school, here he was at a party. (His mom, when she picked him up, was over the moon, said it made his week. Lootie has a very genuine way of doing things like that.)

Most of the time was spent running around, eating pizza. The stations of interest were: television (we rented a couple wrestling videos since most of the boys are wrestling freaks), computer — (which I had to remove them from because I thought they’d mess it up), video games. And then, the highlight of the night, running around with the Nerf guns, taking prisoners and evading getting hit by the foam pellets. I literally had to hide in Pheenie’s room for a breather. They found me though, and happily occupied that corner of the house as well.

All in all it was a swell gathering. We didn’t spend too much money. And Carlito didn’t notice or care that we didn’t give him a gift (although he went to a wrestling show back in Fall as an “early birthday present”). He said the party went too fast, and that he had a blast.

Frank was in charge of picture-taking.

You’d think it would come natural to a group of 11-year-old boys, but taking a “goofy picture” can be so awkward.

Opening gifts. He’s got no problem being excited about each gift. But then he’s also great at sincerely thanking people.

The Tres Leches cakes. Frank picked out one coconut and one coffee flavored. Not sure why he got a coffee flavored one for an 11-year-old’s birthday. But strangely enough, it was just what some of the kids wanted.

. . .

In answer to some of the comments… YES, momma uses a Neti pot (and to my brother — it was completely UNnecessary for you to post that hideous link to the sinus pictures, which is probably why you did it in the first place *thwack*). And I did get some relief from that. The major relief came from using the sinus spray in combination, though, just to get over that hump. My mouth pain was gone within a day. I love me a Neti pot, though. Those things are awesome. Suellen, not sure on the eye thing. Although, I wondered if flushing irritated my nasal passages. It was after I started flushing that I became inflamed.

. . .

Well, now I’m off to shovel snow. I need the darn exercise.

Intermittent Goo

Knitting keeps me warm. Occupied. Feeling productive. I’ve been keeping busy knitting a scarf. Well, actually I have about 8 scarves started, but got sick of them, abandoned and started this one. Wanted something a bit funky and different from my regular Fun Fur festivals, and needed to use up some yarn. Here she is about 1/4 of the way done.

. . .

The feeling of a small troll, crammed between the roof of my mouth and my nose brought me to the doctor this afternoon. I guess I’ve got some sinus stuff going on. He recommended Afrin twice a day for a few days to open up those passages and let the goo drain. Attractive, I know!! I’ve been feeling intermittent goo slide down the back of my throat, and my tummy is a bit unsettled, so this wasn’t a big newsflash. I’ll admit, if I’m in my car or outside or somewhere where I’m not ashamed to show my lady-ness, I hack it up and hock it in a snowpile (or Kleenex and dispose, yes I do). I can spit pretty well, totally not proud of it– not putting it on the resume or anything. It’s just a fact. Cradle snot in a curled tongue and whuuck like a blowdart. I don’t like that crap going in my tummy. Save those calories for the good stuff, ya hurd?

I do know to be careful with that spray because, a few years back, I lost my sense of smell from the stuff for a while. It was my own fault because I got a bit overzealous with the nasal spray, using it even when my nose was clear. Foolish.

. . .

Christy’s got a contest going on. She’s giving away an Angie Stone CD. Go check it out.

Super Bowl Post-Game Observations

What would a Monday be without a Super Bowl post-game wrap-up by Sir Groovy Mom? I just don’t know. (I like “Sir” as an English title, leave me alone)

Yes, we watched the game. Me and three of the boys. Frank had to take the eldest of the boy freaks to Milwaukee for a soccer training, missing a good half of the game. Soccer training during the pinnacle of American football!!? Say it isn’t so, well it IS so, the snobbish wankers.

Me, still not feeling so well–

(I ran a temp of 102 for a day or so after my stoopid yeast-cleanse, felt like crap, mom said “Sounds like flu!!” and am still not feeling 100%. Now, though, it is more of foggy-head, sinus crapola.)

— camped out on the couch most of the day, watching Super Bowl pre-game stuff during the Mrs. Doubtfire commercial breaks. I did take Pheenie to work and made one lap around the store, picking up some photos, grabbing Hot Cheetoes for the boys (is it really CheeTOES, like feet/toes ?? I’m too lazy to check), soda, began to feel dizzy and sweaty, so I grabbed some hot-n-ready fried cheese curds (for medicinal purposes only, silly!!), and checked out.

Lootie’s been rooting for the Giants, even when they were up against the ‘Cheese, and had a not-so-good feeling that they were going to get whomped this time around. Die-hard fan he is, save for a split second where (something) happened in the game and he told the team they were “Sucky” for one reason or another. He quickly retracted, though, with an apologetic chin nod and continued his supportive cheering. At that last two minutes when that darn Moss caught the ball and Lootie’s mother (Sir Groovy Mom) declared it was OVER, she was shot daggers. We were held prisoner in our own home by a 10-year-old, forced to “Clap!!!” when NY got the ball, “CLAP!!!” to show our support (two boys did not clap, seeing as they are NE fans). It was Peter Pan for the sports fan: Do you believe in Giants ?? Then CLAP, by golly. Clap!!

(Lootie leading the clap with Sal in the background – Picasa)

A few post-game observations:

1.) I’ve enjoyed the robot that’s been warming up on the screen during these NFL games. Each time it jumped around I was entranced. Had no idea it was a Terminator.

2.) Driving while feeling fluish can be quite a silly adventure. Ask me how many times I almost raised our insurance during my drive (too many to not be ashamed of).

3.) I think I’d like to be a pro NFL player, gritty and dirty with sweat, dirt and grass, fartin’ it up on the field. Looks like fun. Just… for like an hour, or something though.

4.) I sometimes get the game play confused with a video game. It looks surreal from some of the camera angles.

5.) With a birthday in less than a week, my job is to locate a Eli Manning New York Giants Super Bowl XLII Jersey for Lootie. There’s one here
but it is for menfolk. I’m looking for one that’s a bit smaller. I bought him one that was 18/20 (bought big to last more than a day) for Christmas from that company — great service, would definitely use them again.

Yeast Cleansing

I’m a self-diagnosed hypochondriac. I think I’ve mentioned that before. Google is my friend and my foe.

After Googling for nearly a year, and reading up on Candida (there’s a million links for this, that’s just one of them — here’s another), I pinpointed that as possibly one of my “issues.” I’ve been taking acidophilus for over a year, trying to restore some balance to my system, but thought maybe I needed to take a bit of a stronger approach.

Took myself to Whole Foods, stared at the different oils. I initially went there for some oregano oil, but then realized they had a slew of different products specifically related to yeast cleansing, wouldn’tcha know? I talked with the nice lady there who was very knowledgeable and patient. We narrowed my purchase down to two different yeast cleansers. I went with this one: Solaray Yeast-Cleanse .

In retrospect I don’t know how on earth I ended up buying this stuff, considering I went in there for oregano oil, NOT a yeast-cleanse and I have a hard time taking nearly any medication without reading up on it to exhaustion. Hmm.

Anyway, I opened the bottle and took 3 pills in the car. Again, not sure how (why??) I did that without even coming home and Googling “Solaray Yeast-Cleanse” first.

That night I couldn’t sleep. I was so cold. Would doze off… or did I? Couldn’t tell. Woke up feeling like total crap. Dizzy, headache, chills. I knew about the “die-off” effect with candida treatments and chalked that up to a possibility and tried to soldier through it. Went to work. Felt like a space-cadet and definitely felt like I was coming down with the flu. Started to wonder what kind of moron would take pills that would cause their body to have the flu.

Left work, came home and flopped on the couch. Slept off and on until evening with chills, nausea and a broken ego. Called Whole Foods and chatted with the kind and patient lady again. She said it is hard to discern. Being flu season I could just simply (and coincidentally) have the flu. But I could also have “die-off.” She said she felt like she was on the brink of the flu as well and after work would be going home to take care of herself. It was decided I would stop the yeast cleanse for a few days and see how I felt.

My mom, a phlebotomist (and the woman who gets to hear about my medical rantings) but not much of an “herb/holistic” person, and generally a pretty calm and quiet lady, told me I was basically a moron for taking “unregulated” herbs like that. No, she didn’t think I’d die from it (one of my many questions), but I should stop taking it. “Nobody regulates that stuff, you know? That’s why people in the medical profession warn against it. Is there anything on the Mayo Clinic’s site, or a reputable site about yeast and cleansing?”

Sigh. No. But tons of people blog about it. Forums… personal testimonials..? Nope. Not good enough for my mom.

I went to bed with the chills again and a temp of nearly 102. Today my temperature is down and I’m sweating. And I took off work. I haven’t taken any yeast-cleanse pills since that first day. And I still don’t know if I have the flu or “die-off.”