Aliens among us

alien


When I saw this photo of a man walking in the rain-soaked streets just prior to Katrina, my first thought was "That looks like an alien." I still giggle when I see it.

Although, I am not at all amused by the total chaos happening in the wake of the hurricane. I am troubled, speachless, bowled-over and anxious. What can I do? What is the best course of action? Send money,
I suppose.

I have one heck of a week coming up. With gas prices jumping higher, I find myself looking at five trips north this week alone. Sometimes it just happens that way. Not work related. Sigh.

What is with my Daisyloo? I moved her from the patio to the front yard. She was leaning up against the front porch railing. I had to pick her up again. She was face-down in the wet grass. When the rains were coming, I moved her onto the porch into a potted plant. A big potted plant. I found her yesterday leaning out over the porch, face-down in the wet grass again! What is it with this doll?

Anyway, her stick had come out of her.... out of her, errr.....burlap sack area and I had to sort of re-arrange her or put her back together. Kind of like the scarecrow on The Wizard of Oz. When I placed her back in her full upright position, I noticed dozens of I think they are called "pill" bugs. They can roll themselves up into a tight ball. So, I figured during the rains they crawled up onto Daisyloo to keep from drowning. My, she is quite the rescuer. I am going to have to tie that girl down.

NOLA

sp moss


Here is a photo from my nephew's collection when he visited New Orleans in the spring. I am hoping for a speedy recovery for the area.

I cleaned my gutters out this evening in anticipation of Katrina hitting Ohio. They say it won't be as bad as Ivan/Frances last September, but I know my gutters. I have one that I just cannot reach. My ladder is six foot, I am five-three, and the stick I had was two feet. But, of course I only go to the third step on the ladder because of the uneven ground. Sigh.

Going outside started my head hurting. Or, maybe it was the cleaning of the gutters. I pretty much flung slop all over myself and my house siding. The headache remains and I took some ibuprofin. Maybe the barometric pressure is changing.

Ugh! My head was itching and I just found a clump of slop from the gutter cleaning. Well, off to the shower for me. Adios.

Gorgeous, outrageous, hideous and marvelous

wildflower purple


Gorgeous:
I was attracted to the bright purple wild flowers growing alongside the back roads all of August this month. I was determined to get some pictures of them. They grew along the road, in the fields. Although the one above is a little blurry, it is the best one I have from the Bunker Hill adventure.

Outrageous:
I started my Sunday morning out the same way I do most every Sunday. Cup of coffee, reading glasses and the Sunday paper. Picking my way through the living room bodies strung out on the couch, the chair and the floor, I make my way quietly to the front door and retrieve the paper and escape back into my bedroom.

I usually start with the news and read most of the paper. The Sports section is left for bathroom reading - for my bird! Thankfully, I do not have to read the classifieds, either. I also skip any religious sections and the social columns. What do I care who is getting engaged or married?

Finishing up with the comics and slick advertisements, I complete my Sunday morning ritual. Now, I like coupons as well as the next person, but this one really got to me. $2.00 off on four boxes of cereal! Get real! I recall getting angry when they would make you buy two of something in order to use the coupon, but I realized that I do a lot of "two" buying. Two cans of peaches, two cans of olives, etc... But, come on - four boxes of cereal! With the price of ceral being close to five dollars a box, that is nearly a third of my grocery bill for the entire week.

I was the type who ate toast each morning. I did not like anything sweet for breakfast. Until I was pregnant. That was one of the first triggers that alerted me to my pregnancy. I noticed that I was craving sweets much more than I normally did. At the family cook-out, I ate the candy and not the hot dogs or potato salad. What in the world? Then, I had to go and take a nap. Hmmm.

Travelling with my large family on summer vacations we would go to the pancake house. I always ordered eggs. The thought of pancakes in the morning just turned my stomach. Or, I guess it was probably the syrup.

My daughter likes cereal. She really likes milk. So, I do purchase cereal, but not four boxes at a time. Good gracious. Growing up, I recall one of my brothers eating cereal. He ate lots of cereal. He also added sugar to his cereal. Blech! (I love sugar later in the day, don't get me wrong.) I never started that habit with my daughter, there is no need with all the sugar in cereal today. I don't even think she knows where I keep the sugar.

Hideous:
This is what I saw in my bathroom this morning. Now, I am all for free expression as much as the next liberal American, but this kind of caught me off guard. Even with all of my open-mindedess and "live and let live" philosophy, I was taken aback with this particular piece of apparel.

belt buckle

It is a belt buckle made from the.... from the... (with a wince on my face) this is hard to put into words. What do you call it? A dental mold of the mouth of one of my daughter's friends. My coffee is turning sour in my stomach. I guess I have a weak stomach, I don't know.

My daughter didn't question why I came out of the bathroom, got my camera and went back in for a minute. She probably didn't want to know why.

I swear, in all my days I never imagined someone would want to display this sort of device (for lack of a better word) on their body. She has no relative in the dental industry that I am aware of. Once I overcame the initial shock, the only person I could even dream of wearing this would be a dentist or their relative. Hmmm.

Marvelous:
My nephew is expecting a baby (well his female partner is) and my niece is already due in October. Finally! Real babies in the family again. Other than a step grand-child, we have not had any blood relatives producing in fourteen years. I am so excited. I wish my Mom were here. I do, I do, I do!

Who was that masked blogger?

sun burstbh


Who was that blogging on my site on Wednesday? Must have been Daisyloo sneaking into my computer and logging onto my blog. I think she was still mad because I left her out lying face down in the grass for so long.

She is now out front, with the porch railing as a back support. Hopefully, the hard winds won't knock her down anymore. Sorry, Daisyloo.

She was very pessimistic in her blog. That just wasn't me at all.

Picture above is from my drive on Wednesday over Bunker Hill. Sun bursting through the tree leaves.

Gonna get me some!

light stream


Motivation! Gotta get me some of dat. Don't know how, don't know where, but I gotta find me some. Gotta reach way down inside and pull it out. It been hidin' from me.

Yeah. I'm fed up with myself and my lack of motivation. I have been dragging myself around the past couple of months. Could be the heat. Well, if that is the case, then my attitude should change because we have much cooler weather.

Everyone I talk to says "Get out and move! Walk. Walk the dog. Play some upbeat music. Go meet friends." I want to lock my doors and stay inside. When I walk the dog, I see beautiful lawns and I get depressed. I shouldn't be out here walking the dog, I should be home tending to my lawn. It's a disease. I don't want to see any friends. I don't have a good time.

I feel horribly guilty for writing this. My friends deserve better. They are beautiful, wonderful people. The problem is me, not them.

Anyway, the photo above is from today. I took a nice back road to the school I was fixing today. I stopped along the way and recorded some of the beautiful wild flowers on the back roads. I posted this one to contrast the one I put up yesterday. Yes, I deal with boring network wires and such sometimes, but other times I get to drive on wonderful back roads on a day so sweet as today.

If today was so beautiful and sweet, then why am I so low?
red barn


Check out this blue sky! This photo is untouched. There wasn't a cloud in the sky. Of course not, they were all in my head.

hidden grasshopper


Why stop there? Click on the above photo to see a closeup of someone hiding. I tried to center him. His big brown eye is just a little up and to the right of the center of the photo. Follow him down his golden body and to the right you can just make out his long back leg used for hopping in the grass. Hopping in the grass.

This is it.

wires


Mmmm Hmmm. Welcome to my world. My work world. A picture is worth a thousand words. This one gives me a headache. Find that loop!

Autumn Road

autumn road


My favorite time of the year is approaching. As soon as things settle down, I can relax and enjoy the beautiful Ohio scenery again.

We have freshman orientation tonight. We leave in twenty minutes (in order to get a parking space) and my daughter just got into the shower. She takes a lot longer than twenty minutes, I can tell you that. She did nothing today. No chores. Not only was I in a bad mood when I came home, headache, tired, hot and everything else; I come home to find that she has done nothing to help out. I am fuming. We have been shooting sparks at each other all evening.

She wanted to burn a CD. I got her started (she has done this before, so I don't know what the deal was), and she kept saying it wouldn't work. I finally sat down at her computer and checked into it. It kept failing on me, too. Then, I realized that the spindle of disks was from my niece's stash downstairs. They were used disks. That is so like a teenager to burn a disk and not label it.

I got the new disks and the burning worked just fine. I popped the CD into the player and listened to the songs. The CD is now in the trash. Because of this song and I ripped the CD out of the player before it finished the next one, which was even worse if you can imagine that. We are going to be doing a clean up on her pc. The next time I told her, I won't be so nice.

I finished watching Million Dollar Baby. The second half was much better than the first half. I do not like boxing, I do not like blood spurting out at every angle. If I wanted to see blood I would have become a nurse or doctor. I don't and I won't.

Sigh. On to the high school.

Better left alone.

blue lake


One of the lake pictures, after I touched it up in PhotoShop. I kind of like them left untouched, but I like to play. Certain ones look better, and I do like my blue. But, I think I will leave the rest of the photos alone. You can see more of them on my home Photos page.

moody lake

tree on lake


Today was gone before I realized it. It zipped by way too quickly. Sometimes you just turn around and "poof" it is gone. Where did the time go? Was I so preoccupied that I was not aware of the time passing by? Sounds like a song.

After the Storm

tappan lake


Whoa. I want to tell you. I drove through some pretty harsh weather after leaving the mall in Pittsburgh. It is about a two hour drive for us, and this one took longer. Cars were pulled over to wait it out.

Once I arrived a little closer to home, I noticed this beautiful scene on the lake. Tappan Lake. I took a little extra time and snapped away. I didn't wait around for the sun to set completely. We were tired and we wanted to be done with the trip.



School shopping is done as far as the clothes go. We didn't get a supply list. The area stores have the lists up until eighth grade. My daughter is starting high school. Yikes.

A nice couple

mom and pop


This photo was taken a couple of years ago. We were passing through West Virginia on our way to Florida and stopped here.

I know gasoline prices are high, but we did not go on a vacation this year, so I am taking my daughter and her boyfriend shopping here, today.

All the latest and greatest fashions that they enjoy and plenty of caffeine suppliers for moi.

I am making sure to wear my SAS sandals.All that walking and my feet will not be happy. They hurt already and I have only walked to the kitchen for coffee. I have half a chance with the ugly SAS. San Antonio Shoes. They are showing some wear, but my budget will not allow me to purchase another pair. Not anytime soon.

I remember the days when I would wear the white heels (like the lady in the above photo). I wore all kinds of shoes back in the day. I remember every Easter getting a new outfit and a new pair of white shoes. I also remember the scuff marks. And, sunrise service.

Never speak religion, politics or sex. Was that the old saying? What a can of worms each of those topics will open up. And when you blog, never mention work. Or your employment work, I should say.

Well, I had better get moving. I am gathering up old computer monitors and equipment today and taking them to the recyle drop off this morning. They are old pieces that people have left at my house when they were "beyond repair." Sigh. Let me dispose of them. Monitors are tricky to dispose of because of their cathode ray tubes. I will still call a monitor a CRT now and then. That is what we called them in the 80's. CRT's. And, I have batteries. I save them in an old tissue box until recycle day.

Then it is off for a long day of shopping. Yippee. Not my favorite sport, but it needs to be done. We are not shoppers (my daughter and I). We both hate it. I can't stand the smells in the department stores. I have my migraine medicine with me just in case.

Big and Blonde

belgians


There are some very nice looking big blonde Belgians that I look for each time I drive into Carroll county. There is a farmer there who has had this breed of horse for years. I especially like the foals, but did not get a picture of one today.

There are many other horses along the way, but time did not permit me to stop and partake in much photographing. Busy season for me. Between schools starting back up and the late summer storms, I am hop, hop, hopping. Or, drive, drive, driving. I blow a kiss to the gas stations as my Honda Civic zooms past every one of them. Putt, putt, putt.

Changing the subject, if you ever want a good read from a stark, female perspective of Chernobyl and the government in the Ukraine, go here. She never ceases to amaze me.

Edit: Daisyloo (from Sunday the 14th's post) fell flat on her face sometime this evening. I need to go and pick her up. Not sure if she had too much to drink or just got tired of standing around.

Back Off!

atwood lake


Beautiful space at the lake a week ago. Not what I encountered today, at the mall. I drove my daughter and one of her friends to the mall to pick up some more school supplies and while they were wandering about, I browsed the local bookstore.

I had not even opened the first book when the sales lady jumped over to me, "Do you need help or are you just browsing?" Not yet perturbed, I smiled at her and replied "Just browsing." Which to me means I would like to be left alone. A couple of aisles later, I noticed she was very, very close to me and trying to reach for a book underneath my arm. That was enough for me. I walked out of the store and more than likely will not return to that store. I was going to purchase the book I was looking at, too. I would go to a Borden's but the closest one is an hour's drive away.

Strange thing is, I had enormous feelings of deja-vu. As if this same scene had happened before and in that store. I do not like my personal space invaded. Clear your throat, cough or heaven forbid say 'excuse me' but do not step on me! Blah!

Am I blue

blue lamp 2


Am biting everybody's head off this afternoon. I need a nap. The above picture is an iridescent lamp shade that I received as a gift. The blue part in the background are my drapes. The lamp shade is cellophane.

Since my niece has moved out, I plan to regain control over my basement. One side is a fireplace/t.v. room/ sofa area with a full bar. I have asked for beer lights/signs. I have a lot of stuff to put up. The other side of my basement is where my niece was, but I am thinking of turning it into my own art/craft area. Creativity abounds. However, my daughter wants a pool table. We'll see. Can I wait another four to five years for the art/craft area? Probably.

And, ergo; stress, worry, and pressure creates a headache. I feel like I am moving in slow motion. Zombacized.

Daisyloo wanted to party

daisyloo


This is Daisyloo. She stood just off the patio (most of the time the rain was pouring down on her) and I think she wanted a beer. But, we never gaver her one. She just kept smiling. We laughed at her and we admired her. She never said a word. She never complained about the music being too loud and she never had to go to the bathroom. Not once!

We think Daisyloo makes a great party guest.

Sun spray through the trees

sun spray


This picture is from the Atwood dam on Wednesday. I lost a day somewhere this week. I am not sure which day I blocked out, but it must have been a very hot one. I think it may have been Monday. That is the day that I bit someone's head off.

I hate that. I get hot, irritated and frustrated. They ask me a "why" question and I just go off on them. "Why does this equipment keep doing this?"

Me: "If I knew the answer to that, I would fix it! Do you think I enjoy coming out here in 90 degree heat and sitting here? When I have a lovely air conditioned office I could be sitting in?"

Oh, there was a lot more to it, and they didn't deserve it. I must apologize to them the next time I see them. But, that could be weeks or months, depending on when the equipment decides to flake out again.

To quote a line from the Berenstein Bear books "Lizzy, Lizzy in a tizzy!" My name isn't Lizzy, but I was sure in a tizzy. Supposedly the word "tizzy" refers to an old time radio character named Tizzy Lish who was always in an agitated state. Some people twist it and say "Lizzie Tish."

Sigh, breathe, calm down. Cool down. And this too, shall pass.

My lunchroom

picnic table


Well, just for today. I was working next to Atwood Lake. I grew very hot and tired sitting in the stifling wiring closet. I headed out to the open air. There is a small dairy bar near the entrance to the Lake/campsite. I grabbed a good old American hot dog and a Pepsi.

Even the outside air was a relief from the intense heat inside the building.

After the hot dog, I headed a quarter mile on down the road to the dam. I regained some of the pictures I lost last fall. A father/son or grandfather/grandson was fishing on one side of the little park, and I didn't want to disturb them so I focused my picture taking to the other side.

The lake was beautiful, calm and peaceful. I do so love this state.

Take a closer look

moonflower upclose


Getting a little closer look at my moonflower. The bloom only lasts one night, but there are many, many on the plant. I have one entire side of my house (the west side) blooming with this delicious, sweet smelling flower.

My daughter goes to Kings Island with her friend and their family tomorrow. I hope she enjoys herself. She and her good friend do not like rides. Neither one ever did. They may spend their time on the water park side. I'll make sure she packs her sunscreen.

While browsing my news sites, I came across an article about certain states having a tax-free day for sales. What is this? I am starting my letter to my state representatives as soon as I finish this blog. Although, Pennsylvania is tax-free on clothing. If I feel up to it, I may drive my daughter there for some school shopping. But, what I save in tax, I will spend in fuel. So, maybe not.

Here is an interesting site that lists taxes by state. Rhode Island comes in with the highest gasoline tax at .31 cents per gallon, and Georgia comes in with the lowest at 7.5 cents per gallon. Yowza!

Don't start smoking if you live in Rhode Island or New Jersey. Not only did RI have the highest tax per gallon of gasoline they have a whopping $2.40 tax per 20/pack of cigarettes. NJ was the same. Cheapest cigarette tax was found in North Carolina at .05 cents and SC at .07 cents. I don't know why my sis goes to WV to purchase her cigs, the tax is the same as Ohio at .55 cents per pack. I don't smoke. I can't stand second-hand smoke.

It is also an interesting site to see what states determine to be tax exempt. My state does exempt food, and prescription drugs. I'll never forget when I went to Yellow Stone National Park. We flew into Montana. I think it was Billings? I bought a pair of sunglasses and there was no sales tax. A new experience for me.

Well, I'm off to Staples to purchase a new USB cable with a mini B port for my daughter's Zen. We lost her other one. She wants to download music to her mp3 player for the trip tomorrow. Cheerio!

Moonflowers blooming

two moonflowers


After the torrential rains last week, my moonflowers did some blooming. Here are two of them from one evening this past week-end. Their fragrance is very romantic.

The only other romantic evening flower smell that I recall, was in Flordia when I caught a whiff of the orange blossoms. Sweet!

Fire in the sky

sky fire


The sky over my neighbor's treeline this evening was spectacular. If I had more time, I would have taken a drive to my grocery store where there are less power lines. I get a really good view of the western sky there.

My moonflowers were blooming away, also. More pics of them can be found here.

Still many beautiful scenes and scents expressing the summer.

Tubular!

tube1


It all happened so fast, I barely had time to grab my camera. A huge thunderstorm hit my town early this morning. My daughter was taking our dog outside and lightning hit so close to her she nearly jumped out of her skin. She came rushing in to tell me that there was a cyclone or microburst.

I grabbed my camera and headed for the front porch.



The pictures are blurry, but I figure that was because I was barely awake and probably shaking from the intensity of the storm.



I could make out just the outline of it through the tree break in my neighbor's yard. This is the area where I get most of the pink for my sunsets. The object would appear to get closer and then retreat. I couldn't see any lights.



It didn't stick around long. And, I didn't really like being outside in my robe.

What was it? Or, what is it?

........

........

My bad. It was a pine needle hanging from my front porch on a spider web. Okay. What can I do? My sister cancelled on me today. She was bringing her pre-schoolers down for a lunch/picnic at our town park. People come from miles around to visit our park. It is quite nice. Since it was such lousy weather, she was forced to cancel. And, I am forced to relax and goof off for the day since I took a vacation day from work. Ahh, the life!