Spring Sonnet I took out an old quilt and sleeping bag and went to the front yard to soak up the sun and cool mountain air. Irresistible for dogs and puppies and a cat as the stillness was soon broken and I was beseiged by furry wet puppy kisses. The big dogs seek out your hands making each effort to pet them a little easier. Fuschia and red azalea bushes are proudly on display in full bloom. Crab apple trees, poplars, walnut, and elm are showing off their new growth as well. The tulips have bloomed and already burst as if to say I should have clipped more to bring indoors. And the faithful ivy hugging the brick in various shades of green is trying to outdo the 'never-say-die' kudzu across the road. Had I been in charge of Spring's design, would I have done anything differently? Absolutely not.
Gourmet lollipops. No extra charge for the bugs.
There's an art to baring it all in public. NSFW (Not Safe For Work).
Wednesday, April 23, 2003
Tuesday, April 22, 2003
Tuesday's This or That
1. Yummier: Chocolate ice cream or strawberry cheesecake? Chocolate ice cream
2. Better to watch on TV: Movies or sports? Sports. Well, I guess it would depend on which movie and which game. If Duke basketball is on, it takes precedent over everything else.
3. A better web browser: MSIE or Netscape (or tell us your own favorite!) I like them both, but use IE. It's what I "learned" on at work.
4. A better way to travel: Automobile or bus/train? Never been on a bus or train ride before, but a train trip might be nice.
5. Your preferred camera: Digital or film? I prefer digital, but my piece of shite pc drivers won't let me use one.
6. A Cooler Vehicle: Motorcycle or sports car? Sports car. I wanna share the adventure. Although my first husband and I had dirtbikes we rode together and had a blast.
7. More fun: Video games or board games? I find myself longing for old-fashioned board games. Scrabble, Monopoly.
8. Sexier: A perfect body or an intelligent mind? I've ALWAYS been attracted to intelligence.
9. A stinkier smell: Skunk or gasoline (petrol)? The skunk, definitely.
10. Thought-provoking question of the week: What is more important to you: making a ton of money and being at the top of your field, or finding your soulmate and living a comfortable but not wealthy life? Oh, the soulmate. No question about it.
Great questions this week.
1. Yummier: Chocolate ice cream or strawberry cheesecake? Chocolate ice cream
2. Better to watch on TV: Movies or sports? Sports. Well, I guess it would depend on which movie and which game. If Duke basketball is on, it takes precedent over everything else.
3. A better web browser: MSIE or Netscape (or tell us your own favorite!) I like them both, but use IE. It's what I "learned" on at work.
4. A better way to travel: Automobile or bus/train? Never been on a bus or train ride before, but a train trip might be nice.
5. Your preferred camera: Digital or film? I prefer digital, but my piece of shite pc drivers won't let me use one.
6. A Cooler Vehicle: Motorcycle or sports car? Sports car. I wanna share the adventure. Although my first husband and I had dirtbikes we rode together and had a blast.
7. More fun: Video games or board games? I find myself longing for old-fashioned board games. Scrabble, Monopoly.
8. Sexier: A perfect body or an intelligent mind? I've ALWAYS been attracted to intelligence.
9. A stinkier smell: Skunk or gasoline (petrol)? The skunk, definitely.
10. Thought-provoking question of the week: What is more important to you: making a ton of money and being at the top of your field, or finding your soulmate and living a comfortable but not wealthy life? Oh, the soulmate. No question about it.
Great questions this week.
Sunday, April 20, 2003
Easter Memories
Most of my Easter memories involve my sister (Robin--2 yrs younger) and I when we were small. There was the anticipation of buying a great Easter dress with crisp white cotton gloves. And, equally important.... new shoes to match. They had to match or we'd have to get them dyed which took longer. I remember a favorite pair of pink patent leather shoes with bows that I'd rub together, even during church, just so I could hear them squeak. If we'd whine a little more than usual, we might get a new handbag and a hat with a matching grosgrain ribbon hanging down the back. I even painted my stubby fingernails for the occasion.
Sunday School during Easter was spent making fun things for kids like crosses out of Popsicle sticks and yarn. Or writing John 3:16 in glue, and sprinkling glitter on it on construction paper to proudly display in the Church's main hall. And after church, we had the obligatory egg hunt.
During the Easter season I always wanted a blue or pink, or orange, or green chick. A local grocery store sold baby chicks that were kept in a pen with heat lamps. They had been dyed different colors and we'd all have a favorite one picked out in the hopes we could get one. Kids would gather around them and would beg their parents for a colored chick and finally my neighbors got two of them. The chicks later moved to some "farm" their Dad said. I'm certain dyed chicks would cause a major stink nowadays.
When I think back on Easter as a child the first scene that I see is Robin wearing a light pink silk shantung dress. She had her jet black hair in a pixie haircut with straight-cut banks. She looked so beautiful. And I think of a home video of us on a sunny Easter afternoon, swinging our full Easter baskets and walking up the sidewalk to the house after a day of celebration.
I recently ran across one of those old Easter photos when I cleaned out my grandmother's old pictures. Probably one of the last ones of my sister and I in all our Easter finery. Robin and I were posed in my grandmother's yard and were about 12 and 14 years old. Smart-ass smirks planted firmly across our faces tell you this is the last time you'll get these dresses on two tomboys who'd rather be in blue jeans fielding grounders on a Sunday.
I got a million of 'em. A million plus memories of Robin that will see me through just fine.
Sunday School during Easter was spent making fun things for kids like crosses out of Popsicle sticks and yarn. Or writing John 3:16 in glue, and sprinkling glitter on it on construction paper to proudly display in the Church's main hall. And after church, we had the obligatory egg hunt.
During the Easter season I always wanted a blue or pink, or orange, or green chick. A local grocery store sold baby chicks that were kept in a pen with heat lamps. They had been dyed different colors and we'd all have a favorite one picked out in the hopes we could get one. Kids would gather around them and would beg their parents for a colored chick and finally my neighbors got two of them. The chicks later moved to some "farm" their Dad said. I'm certain dyed chicks would cause a major stink nowadays.
When I think back on Easter as a child the first scene that I see is Robin wearing a light pink silk shantung dress. She had her jet black hair in a pixie haircut with straight-cut banks. She looked so beautiful. And I think of a home video of us on a sunny Easter afternoon, swinging our full Easter baskets and walking up the sidewalk to the house after a day of celebration.
I recently ran across one of those old Easter photos when I cleaned out my grandmother's old pictures. Probably one of the last ones of my sister and I in all our Easter finery. Robin and I were posed in my grandmother's yard and were about 12 and 14 years old. Smart-ass smirks planted firmly across our faces tell you this is the last time you'll get these dresses on two tomboys who'd rather be in blue jeans fielding grounders on a Sunday.
I got a million of 'em. A million plus memories of Robin that will see me through just fine.
Saturday, April 19, 2003
Me: (walking into my teen daughter's room) I know you ain't using my face makeup.
Daughter: sh-ooooooo-t. I really need to get my own someday.
Me: Uh-huh. Talk about it.
Since tomorrow is Easter, I'm doing my usual procrastinating thing and haven't bought my fixin's for dinner yet. Will go out in a bit. Since Stu is now a diabetic, I'll stay away from the usual baked ham, but unsure of what to now have. I make bake a turkey breast or a whole chicken. UPDATE: Bought a whole chicken for hubby and I; daughter's staying with a friend and my son is now living with his dad in Tennessee.
Daughter: sh-ooooooo-t. I really need to get my own someday.
Me: Uh-huh. Talk about it.
Since tomorrow is Easter, I'm doing my usual procrastinating thing and haven't bought my fixin's for dinner yet. Will go out in a bit. Since Stu is now a diabetic, I'll stay away from the usual baked ham, but unsure of what to now have. I make bake a turkey breast or a whole chicken. UPDATE: Bought a whole chicken for hubby and I; daughter's staying with a friend and my son is now living with his dad in Tennessee.
Friday, April 18, 2003
I am seriously considering doing a meme site with the theme of "What's For Dinner?" If I thought there would be enough interest for it to be worth my time. I'm sure we could find a neat template to use. You would post what you're fixing or had the day before, etc. Of course, we'd have comments. Many of my friends and family are always saying they're in a rut and need ideas for dinner. Picnic stuff, outdoor grilling, low fat meals, soul food, southern cooking, holiday cooking, meals from our Canadian friends and others, etc. I think it has possibilities. But I need to find someone else who can get excited about it that would help me put it together. The fact that there's already Red Kitchen out there is holding me back. It's cooking and recipes for mostly blogging folks.
Tips your mother never told you. Some drag queen friends in college taught me some beauty tips to use in a pinch that I've recently passed onto my daughter.
1) If you're away from your makeup and need to touch up your eyebrows, just use a regular #2 lead pencil.
2) If you lose the back of your pierced earring, you can use the eraser of a pencil to hold the earring in place just fine.
3) If your pantyhose gets a run in one leg only, save that pair and cut off the leg part only. When you get two pairs with one bad leg, you can wear them both pair and have one good set of pantyhose.
Tips your mother never told you. Some drag queen friends in college taught me some beauty tips to use in a pinch that I've recently passed onto my daughter.
1) If you're away from your makeup and need to touch up your eyebrows, just use a regular #2 lead pencil.
2) If you lose the back of your pierced earring, you can use the eraser of a pencil to hold the earring in place just fine.
3) If your pantyhose gets a run in one leg only, save that pair and cut off the leg part only. When you get two pairs with one bad leg, you can wear them both pair and have one good set of pantyhose.
Wednesday, April 16, 2003
My husband and I just enjoyed a brunch of toasted bagels with brie and grapes, a banana and hot green tea with ginseng and honey. He is feeling SO much better (since his diabetes diagnosis and now taking his medicine). He's not been working for some time now. He's a contractor and was able to finish the last few jobs. But now he's going to take time to heal and delegate work from the couch. Last night for dinner I tried something new. I fixed a huge Caeser salad, but I added chicken and feta cheese to it. It was a big hit with everybody. I had hoped to have some chicken left over to make more for my lunch today, but my daughter, Skyler, polished it off late last night.
Tuesday, April 15, 2003
Tuesday's This Or That
1. File taxes as early as possible, or wait until the last possible minute?
Since I usually have to pay, it's at the last minute.
2. File electronically, or mail paper forms? Electronically, for the past four years now.
3. Prepare your own taxes, or have someone do it for you? Always do it myself. I enjoy working with figures.
4. Are you a saver or a spender? A saver.
5. Do you prefer to carry cash, or pay with plastic (credit/debit cards), or by check? Plastic; my check card.
6. You're broke and desperately need a job, but the only places that are hiring are retail or fast food places. Which would you pick? Retail.
7. Keeping track of your money: are you more meticulous or careless about it? Almost meticulous.
8. What do you do if you find yourself with a lot of change weighing down your purse/pocket/wallet? Do you try to spend it to *get rid of it*, or do you put it in a jar or a piggy bank? Spend it.
9. Which form of fake money do you like better...Monopoly money or those chocolate coins covered with gold foil? the CHOCOLATE
10. Thought-provoking question of the week: You find a wallet containing $5,000 in cash, as well as several credit cards and the owner's drivers' license. Your rent is due tomorrow and you're short $200. Do you take the money (some or all of it) and mail back the wallet anonymously...or do you return the wallet with all contents intact? Call the owner to return it. It would be great to get a reward. If not from the owner, I know that kharmically (?), I'll be rewarded. Good deeds return to you ten-fold. Especially when you don't tell anyone about your good deed. Anyway, that's the way I think about it.
1. File taxes as early as possible, or wait until the last possible minute?
Since I usually have to pay, it's at the last minute.
2. File electronically, or mail paper forms? Electronically, for the past four years now.
3. Prepare your own taxes, or have someone do it for you? Always do it myself. I enjoy working with figures.
4. Are you a saver or a spender? A saver.
5. Do you prefer to carry cash, or pay with plastic (credit/debit cards), or by check? Plastic; my check card.
6. You're broke and desperately need a job, but the only places that are hiring are retail or fast food places. Which would you pick? Retail.
7. Keeping track of your money: are you more meticulous or careless about it? Almost meticulous.
8. What do you do if you find yourself with a lot of change weighing down your purse/pocket/wallet? Do you try to spend it to *get rid of it*, or do you put it in a jar or a piggy bank? Spend it.
9. Which form of fake money do you like better...Monopoly money or those chocolate coins covered with gold foil? the CHOCOLATE
10. Thought-provoking question of the week: You find a wallet containing $5,000 in cash, as well as several credit cards and the owner's drivers' license. Your rent is due tomorrow and you're short $200. Do you take the money (some or all of it) and mail back the wallet anonymously...or do you return the wallet with all contents intact? Call the owner to return it. It would be great to get a reward. If not from the owner, I know that kharmically (?), I'll be rewarded. Good deeds return to you ten-fold. Especially when you don't tell anyone about your good deed. Anyway, that's the way I think about it.
Monday, April 14, 2003
Shirl had a fun question on her site this weekend about your obsessions. I was able to reel some off the top of my head, but it really takes some thinking to get them all in. I love singing, playing the guitar, sock monkeys, 'just the right shoe' collectibles (tiny 3" shoes), ballet (years of dance classes), Duke Bluedevils Basketball, Mick Jagger, The Simpsons. I've written about the 'Just The Right Shoes' before and also linked them in my 'currently' feature on my EBC site. They can usually be found at Hallmark stores, are inexpensive and fun to collect.
My daughter is on Spring Break. She's got more events lined up, but isn't going out of town this time. He grandmother in Atlanta is pretty upset. But I can relate to being almost 15 and no longer wanting to spend time with your grandmother. You don't really want to spend it with your folks either, but you're stuck with them. I suppose the "Empty Nest" will be a factor in this household one day. Where does the time go?
My daughter is on Spring Break. She's got more events lined up, but isn't going out of town this time. He grandmother in Atlanta is pretty upset. But I can relate to being almost 15 and no longer wanting to spend time with your grandmother. You don't really want to spend it with your folks either, but you're stuck with them. I suppose the "Empty Nest" will be a factor in this household one day. Where does the time go?
Saturday, April 12, 2003
Sky is at a party and as I wait for her to call me to come get her, I'm going to try and read some of my favorites blogs before I have to scoot.
Wednesday, April 9, 2003
These hand-painted fun fashion accessories are cute and everything, but I'll be damned if they're gonna get $350.00 from me for one of their handbags, not matter how good they look.
Listen to my bluebird laugh.
She can't tell you why.
Deep within her heart, you see,
She knows only crying.
Buffalo Springfield - Bluebird That's what my husband was singing at the niteclub when I first saw him play. He was tuning up his old Stratocaster onstage and bent over to the mic and sang a few lines of that song. I've always had a weakness for lead guitar players. Looking back on our life together, I think about what he still says to me, "Who else would you have?" Somedays I think: "Let me get back to you on that." But mostly I just think, "Yeah."
Listen to my bluebird laugh.
She can't tell you why.
Deep within her heart, you see,
She knows only crying.
Buffalo Springfield - Bluebird That's what my husband was singing at the niteclub when I first saw him play. He was tuning up his old Stratocaster onstage and bent over to the mic and sang a few lines of that song. I've always had a weakness for lead guitar players. Looking back on our life together, I think about what he still says to me, "Who else would you have?" Somedays I think: "Let me get back to you on that." But mostly I just think, "Yeah."
Tuesday, April 8, 2003
Here are my Tuesday This-Or_That
1. Sexier (female)...Pamela Anderson or Jennifer Garner? Jennifer Garner.
2. Sexier (male)...Ben Affleck or Matt Damon? Neither do anything for me.
3. The better piano player...Billy Joel or Elton John? Elton John Seen him; love him.
4. Funnier...David Letterman or Craig Kilborn? Letterman; no question
5. The dumber cartoon cat...Stimpy (of *Ren & Stimpy*) or Tom (of *Tom & Jerry*)? Stimpy. My daughter introduced me to them years ago..
6. A better news anchor...Tom Brokaw or Dan Rather? Brokaw is bought and paid for; so's Rather, but he's got more unbiased. Not a big fan of network news.
7. A better TV chef...Emeril Lagasse or Jacques Pepin? Couldn't tell you. I don't know either one of them.
8. The trashier talk show host...Maury Povich or Jerry Springer? Springer's the King of Trash, right?
9. The worse fast food burger joint...McDonald's or Burger King? McDonald's for their global land stripping in the name of progress.
10. Thought-provoking question of the week: Only a handful of U.S. Presidents have been considered to be *great* Of the following two, which one do you consider to be greater...Franklin D. Roosevelt or Abraham Lincoln? Why? I think it took a lot for Lincoln to free the slaves in that time. So I admire that about him.
1. Sexier (female)...Pamela Anderson or Jennifer Garner? Jennifer Garner.
2. Sexier (male)...Ben Affleck or Matt Damon? Neither do anything for me.
3. The better piano player...Billy Joel or Elton John? Elton John Seen him; love him.
4. Funnier...David Letterman or Craig Kilborn? Letterman; no question
5. The dumber cartoon cat...Stimpy (of *Ren & Stimpy*) or Tom (of *Tom & Jerry*)? Stimpy. My daughter introduced me to them years ago..
6. A better news anchor...Tom Brokaw or Dan Rather? Brokaw is bought and paid for; so's Rather, but he's got more unbiased. Not a big fan of network news.
7. A better TV chef...Emeril Lagasse or Jacques Pepin? Couldn't tell you. I don't know either one of them.
8. The trashier talk show host...Maury Povich or Jerry Springer? Springer's the King of Trash, right?
9. The worse fast food burger joint...McDonald's or Burger King? McDonald's for their global land stripping in the name of progress.
10. Thought-provoking question of the week: Only a handful of U.S. Presidents have been considered to be *great* Of the following two, which one do you consider to be greater...Franklin D. Roosevelt or Abraham Lincoln? Why? I think it took a lot for Lincoln to free the slaves in that time. So I admire that about him.
Monday, April 7, 2003
I have a bum knee. I had arthroscopic surgery on it about 20 years ago. They made 3 tiny incisions in my knee and repaired the torn cartilage. Know what my diagnosis was? Bartender's Knee. Don't laugh. It's a bitch. Three other girls at this particular bar had already had this same surgery. After a good while of working on your feet, it makes your legs, ankles, and knees weak. Add the constant squatting to get liquor bottles, and it takes it's toll on your body. Your "well" drinks are right in front of you, but you go through so many bottles a night that you're squatting to get them all the time. It can be quite a good workout if you work at a very busy bar where you're running the whole night making and delivering drinks; trying to get to everyone in time. More drinks = more money. This knee gets painful when there's a lot of moisture in the air. Like today.
Sunday, April 6, 2003
Thanks to meg, aka Michelle, from Mandarin Design for instruction on how to make my "Susan*Jayne" yellow title with the shadows on the text. I had downloaded the "Kirby" font; and made a title to match the other text on here. Made it transparent, uploaded it, put it on the template, and it came out scratchy. So, I remembered my good ol' pal, meg, and what I'd just read on her site a few days ago. And it worked and matches the other stuff here. Isn't she great?
Oh, and here ya go, meggers....And Gary.
Gary Turner
has changed his name to Slake. Pass it on.
It's a Google thing.
Oh, and here ya go, meggers....And Gary.
Gary Turner
has changed his name to Slake. Pass it on.
It's a Google thing.
Hear's The Deal I've had a susan*jayne site for almost a year now, but this is a new template. It was at Blogspot and I recently decided to move it to my server. Soon, I'll have my 2 year Bloggiversary coming up on Easy Bake Coven. EBC starts out sleek, more a classic style. But I keep adding, and adding and adding onto it. I just took off tons of crap from it and may move some over here. Buttons and rings, etc. Don't really know yet. All I know is that I need to tone EBC down, and liven this one up. But, this site will have NO POLITICS. Nothing heavy. If I feel a rant coming on, I'll head on over to EBC. SUSAN*JAYNE is like an Easy Bake Coven Lite. Always has been. I had neglected it when I got my own domain name 4 months ago, but now it's time to get them both straightened out.
Saturday, April 5, 2003
Well, I've got to get this template straightened out. I should have things looking spiffy by Monday or so. Thanks for stopping by. No. Really. I mean it. Do I go to all this trouble just for little ol' me? It's all for y o u!
Thursday, April 3, 2003
Ok. I've been working on this site today. I loved the bright colors for Spring. Lovely!! Don't know if I'll stick with it or not. It's so hard to find something I like to look at every day.
Wednesday, April 2, 2003
Fortunately, I was already clued in about the This Or That April Fool's joke. I believe I saw it on Witchy's site.
I've been spending a lot of time with my husband lately at home during the day. So I've not been visiting as many weblogs as usual. I was so relieved to find out that we can start treatment of some type for Diabetes. But, it'll be some time before we find the right medicine he needs and for it to work. For now, he's sleeping a lot. And he's been scared into eating good. I thought he'd be stubborn on that, but he's doing excellent. And taking vitamins. He's nuts for that Coral Calcium. And swears it makes him feel good. I've not tried it. I'm real funny about medicine or any type of pills. I won't hardly take anything at all. Guess I had my fill years ago when I was a raging drug addict. An occasional advil or ginseng pill is all I've had in 12 years.
Blogrolling says they'll be pinging Blogspot. I don't know if they've started that or not. I won't manually ping this and then I'll check.
I've been spending a lot of time with my husband lately at home during the day. So I've not been visiting as many weblogs as usual. I was so relieved to find out that we can start treatment of some type for Diabetes. But, it'll be some time before we find the right medicine he needs and for it to work. For now, he's sleeping a lot. And he's been scared into eating good. I thought he'd be stubborn on that, but he's doing excellent. And taking vitamins. He's nuts for that Coral Calcium. And swears it makes him feel good. I've not tried it. I'm real funny about medicine or any type of pills. I won't hardly take anything at all. Guess I had my fill years ago when I was a raging drug addict. An occasional advil or ginseng pill is all I've had in 12 years.
Blogrolling says they'll be pinging Blogspot. I don't know if they've started that or not. I won't manually ping this and then I'll check.
Tuesday, April 1, 2003
Well, let's all play This Or That Tuesday.
1. Tag or hide & go seek?
Tag
2. Hopscotch or wiffle-ball?
whiffle-ball
3. Chutes & Ladders or Candyland?
Chutes & Ladders
4. Chess or checkers?
Chess, definitely.
5. Parcheesi or backgammon?
Backgammon
6. Twister or Yahtzee?
Twister
7. Trivial Pursuit or Scrabble?
That one's too close to call.
8. Monopoly or The Game of Life?
Monopoly
9. Go Fish or Gin Rummy?
Gin Rummy, definitely. My father taught me how to play (Vegas style) when I was a small child. I'm very good.
10. Thought-Provoking Question of the Week: You have a young child (or just babysit one), who is about 6-7 years old, and you like to play various games with him/her. Do you: let the child win sometimes to help improve his/her self-esteem, or play normally, in order to teach the child that we can't always win in life?
Let them win occasionally. Have done it before.
1. Tag or hide & go seek?
Tag
2. Hopscotch or wiffle-ball?
whiffle-ball
3. Chutes & Ladders or Candyland?
Chutes & Ladders
4. Chess or checkers?
Chess, definitely.
5. Parcheesi or backgammon?
Backgammon
6. Twister or Yahtzee?
Twister
7. Trivial Pursuit or Scrabble?
That one's too close to call.
8. Monopoly or The Game of Life?
Monopoly
9. Go Fish or Gin Rummy?
Gin Rummy, definitely. My father taught me how to play (Vegas style) when I was a small child. I'm very good.
10. Thought-Provoking Question of the Week: You have a young child (or just babysit one), who is about 6-7 years old, and you like to play various games with him/her. Do you: let the child win sometimes to help improve his/her self-esteem, or play normally, in order to teach the child that we can't always win in life?
Let them win occasionally. Have done it before.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)