Jeweled Web

Hey! Check out this interview about the tomatoes. It's interesting:

Radiator Charlie's Mortgage Lifter Tomatoes

In other news: Grandmother Genie refused evacuation from Houston. I offered to buy her a ticket, but she wouldn't hear of that. My brother David, and sister Suzanne also tried with no luck. She felt evacuating was "silly". She's 95 and has ridden out every storm that has come her way. Her home in Houston is not flood prone. She had water, wine, and food. What more did she need?

Turns out? Nothing.

Houston escapes the worst of Hurricane Rita. Those who evacuated were stuck in traffic for 6 hours plus and running out of gas on the highways. No gas at the stations. And then it was still so hot. One of my aunt's friends spent 9 hours at the airport waiting for a flight that got cancelled. What can I say? My granny is pretty savvy. Maybe that's why she's still doing so well. I called her on Saturday and she said, "we've had a little wind, a little rain, but it's not bad. I'm doing my laundry."

Rehearsals for CRIMES OF THE HEART are going well, but we're still in the blocking and reading phases. Too early to get a handle on how it's going to turn out. The set is going to be good from what I can tell. Pictures to follow asap.

Went to M.N.O. last night with Shelby and Marcy. That is a once yearly party in this area and stands for "Men's Night Out". It started that way, it has grown BIG around here. You have to have a ticket to get in. You can not buy these tickets, you have to KNOW someone in the know. Old families have built buildings around this farm land. At either end of the large field are two well-built stages with lights, and sound equipment and two bands. In between is like a track oval, in the middle are bathrooms and a hot-dog stand. However, no one goes to the concessions. Around the "track" are buildings, small shop-like constructions that are really well made, and are sponsered by individuals or companies for their friends and guests. Each one serves drinks and food. There are more pig cookers and barbeque pits than I have seen at tail-gate parties. There are throngs of people and they take "laps". You walk the circuit and I guarantee that you will eventually run into more people that you haven't seen in a "coon's age" than you would have thought possible.

I ran into a girl I went to college with and haven't seen for 5 years. I ran into a former boss, several co-workers, and even family. Yes, family. I saw my step-brother and his wife who live an hour away and I had no idea they would be there. This is a huge drinking party and taxi service and camping out are the way to go. But both Marcy and myself had to work today. We kept the drinking very low. Shelby was our DD, as she is still nursing.

All in all, it was a large time.

Have a great day y'all!

Here are some pictures of some of the baby gifts I've done this year. This one was for Teresa's little girl:




This one was for April's cousin, Anne Catherine. She didn't want to know the gender and I ended up using her favorite color, purple:




Then this one is for Amanda, another cousin of April's! This is an exciting time for her whole family. Babies everywhere!




And this one was for April. She had her baby this Friday. He's perfect. Ten fingers, ten toes, and quite a little attitude. Although I did meet him on the day he was circumsized, so he may just have been cranky. Pictures of him to follow as soon as possible!




And this one is a picture of the cat who has adopted me:



As for me? The change in jobs has been strange. But I'm getting used to it, I think. And everyone has been so nice.

God Bless!

I have to admit it. I have to be completely straightforward. I was not going to watch SURVIVOR this season. Nothing in any of the ads caught my attention. I was over the whole thing. But I was home and I was knitting, and I thought I'd watch the first few minutes to see who would be playing. Yada, yada, yada ... nothing new and exciting and THEN ... they brought out Stephanie and Bobby Jon from last season.

They got me

They brought back (you could argue the point, but why?) the most deserving and strongest player to ever play the game. Not the meanest, not the nastiest, not the sneakiest ... just plain out, the best person to play the game. Stephanie is back. Bobby Jon, yeah well, whatever. He's cute, I'll give him that much.

I don't hold out much hope of Stephanie winning. These people would be idiots not to vote her off, not after having seen how strong she was last season. But girl, you got my vote.

OTHER NOTES:

Once again had to frog a section from "Branching Out" (it's a lace pattern). Have to say it out loud. Gotta love those safety lines!

FINISHED: No, not my lace pattern, although it's getting pretty long. No, I finished the series YuYu Hakusho. I'm so happy! And I'm disappointed. No more Hiei or Kurama, or Jin the Wind Master. Chu the Aussie-kind-a fighter, Koenma, Botan, Shizuru (and yes, I know the spellings are hideous, but I am NOT looking up all their names right now). Kurama, Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Genkai. BTW, did you know that the voice actor of Genkai is the voice actor of Kurama's actual mother? And she also was the voice for Lord Freiza on DBZ? I'll be able to let go. There are other series out there that I'm following (InuYasha most noteably). But there is a touch of sadness at having reached the end.

UNFINISHED: No, not my lace pattern, although it too is still unfinished. But to what I am referring is the vinyl siding for my house. The mess and noise haven't been the worst, but it's still bothersome. My landlord has been over every day overseeing what they're doing. Riding herd on them (some have tried to goof off). But he's not there today. He and his wife have property down by Atlantic Beach and there was some small hurricane damage and they needed to go check it out. So I'm a bit worried what my yard will look like when I get home.

FINISHED: No, still haven't finished the lace pattern since writing the above paragraphs .... My job. This is my last day at this job. Although, to be technical, it's the last full-time day since I will be back the weekend after this one to work some PRN hours. My new job starts Monday. I'm a little nervous, but basically ok. My friends here threw me a going-away breakfast and I ate waaaay too much. It's hard leaving and I can only be grateful for all the friends I have made here in the past five years. They're not going anywhere, they will still be friends. But that daily communication will be gone and I will miss that. Even though none of them know (or care) about the difference between anime and manga, they humored me. They put up with my corny jokes. They came to see me on stage when I went back to the theatre after 10 years and even brought me flowers (ran up and gave them to me during curtain call). Ok. This is harder than I thought it would ever be.

Gonna run now.

My friend, Mary, tried to show me how to use double point needles a few weeks ago. It was a disaster, and not her favorite either. So I set it aside until I finished my current project.

BABY GIFTS DONE!!!!!!

I am currently working on the knitty pattern, "Branching Out". It's a lace pattern and let me just say for the record. Safety lines RULE! Saved my proverbial buttocks from frogging the whole thing at least once. Love the pattern, but in order to make a table runner, I think I may have to move from lace weight to crochet cotton. Just unsure what size needles to try. It's an experiment. I have some left over crochet cotten in black, not the color I want for a table runner, but for a practice run, it'll work. Am also working on my "French Market Bag".

I thought once I finished all my baby gift projects, I would be free to do things for myself. Now, there are so many projects I want to work on, I'm in something of a quandry. Or at least a quagmire. It's so hard to decide! The only reason I started the "Branching Out" pattern is that I love the feel of the yarn.

Casting News!

No, this does not pertain to "casting on". I've been cast as Lenny in the upcoming community theatre production of CRIMES OF THE HEART. It's a more somber role than I've been used to of late and a deeper character than I've played all of last season. And since it had been 10 years since I'd been on stage before last season, well, I'm starting to feel "the challenge". Can I tour the emotional depths of this character and do the role justice? A little nervous over here, folks. No one at work understands. They feel that once you've been on stage once, it's no big deal to do it again.

Anyway, gotta run!

God Bless and a special SHOUT OUT to my baby sister who turned a birthday that "shall not be named" yesterday. It's not that she minds the birthday, she feels great. It's me that looks back and blanches, saying "my BABY sister is HOW old????"

My landlord is having vinyl siding put up on my house. I was gone most of the day yesterday, but the two hours I was there, wow. The constant hammering and banging, it sounded as if they were trying to demolish the walls! It's a wonder I didn't develop a headache.

Anyway, cast list for CRIMES OF THE HEART go up today. I'll write more as soon as I know more!

Well, the countdown starts. Two weeks until I start my new job. The commute is longer, thus gas prices become a concern. But the drive is a pretty straight shot down the Interstate. Not a problem.

The diet goes not as well. I avoided donuts that someone brought in this weekend, but did not exercise. All in all, it could have been worse.

ON THE NEEDLES: Almost done with my final baby blanket. Just as I thought that, my hand slipped and pulled three stitches down at least 2-3 rows. It's a lacy pattern and ... not good. I ripped about 4 rows, inserted the needles, and tinked (un-knitted) one more row to make sure that when I inserted the needles, any twisted stitches got fixed. I was able to pick the pattern back up and now I have knit beyond where that point was and it all looks good. Hurray for not panicking! Still, I hesitate to mention how "almost" done I am, just in case.

"The Closer" had their season finale last night. If you have not been watching this show, I highly recommend it the next time it comes around. Excellent scripts, characters and actors. Nicely done. "House, M.D." starts back up next Tuesday as well. Since I like to watch these shows as I knit, the baby blanket should be done in good time. I hate just to sit and watch, I have to do something.

POLITICS: You know there HAD to be a comment. Roberts for the Supreme Court. I don't care how he stands on issues. He should not be asked to judge cases out of context. All I need to know is if he can put aside his personal preferences and judge cases on their merit? Can he be fair? By all accounts, it looks good. He should be confirmed from what I have seen so far. However, to suddenly name him CHIEF Justice? He hasn't even been named to the court yet. Now THAT smacks of partisan politics. Go ahead, put him on the bench if he's a good judge. But I shake my head at the cheesy politics. Someone else needs to be named Chief.

My two cents, and in today's inflation - it ain't much!
God bless!

During times of crisis and disaster, heroes come to the surface. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, this has proven to be true.

Thank you.

Thank you to the Coast Guard who has now officially rescued more people in the last few days than it has in the past 50 years put together.

Thank you to the fire and police officers who have put their lives on the line for those victims of the hurricane and flood and the crimes that have followed. Several have abandoned their posts. And sadly, at least two have committed suicide, one possibly after learning his wife had drowned. But the vast majority continue working having also lost loved ones, friends, and their own homes. They too were often without shelter, water, clothing, and food.

Thank you to Texas and all other states that have offered and given assistance.

Thank you to those overseas who have offered help. Although I'm not sure the offer from the Venezuelan president wasn't more grandstanding than anything else. I was sincerely touched that the countries affected by the December tsunami have offered what they could. Especially Sri Lanka. They have not forgotten those that came to their rescue and that offer of $25,000 from a country struggling to rebuild means a whole lot.

All of these people are heroes. There were and are many, many more. Men in Mississippi who paddled around in boats during the storm pulling people to safety. Someone in New Orleans with the means to evacuate leaving a condo with every container filled with clean water to strangers so they could take shelter. Untold peoples who have opened their homes, their hearts, and their wallets.

Events like this bring out the worst and the best in people.

Where to start. My sister called me yesterday evening with word that someone her partner was close to has died. He was in his late twenties. He died waiting for dialysis. He died in Louisiana.

First reaction: blaming someone. But whom to blame?

The doctors or nurses who stayed behind in horrendous conditions, working without electricity, supplies, or relief? Hardly. I have worked in a hospital setting when the air conditioning went out. We evacuated. We still had water, ice, medicine, electricity and transportation. The conditions in these hospitals are not just bad, they are catastrophic. Can you imagine manually pumping air into someone's lungs manually for hours on end? Can you imagine the persons in your care dying by inches, suffering and having the simplest necessities beyond your reach? No. Don't blame the medical people who have been doing all that they can possibly do to save lives.

Then the rescuers? Or the National Guard? No. The rescuers are doing all they can as well, often working without rest in extreme conditions. And the National Guard can only do what they are ordered to do, and only with the supplies given to them. These people, I am confident, are caring people who have done all they can, and more to help those in need.

The problem, from where I sit in North Carolina, far removed from the immediate disaster area. Without first-hand knowledge. Following the reports and stories. My only conclusion, and not an insiders one, is the breakdown in communication.

Even at full strength, which they weren't, the levees may not have been able to withstand a hurricane the strength of Katrina. So setting aside those idiots (and I do not use the term lightly) who cut the budget for the levees - setting that aside. The levees didn't hold. Not a surprise to anyone who knew the topography of New Orleans. Not a surprise to anyone who had run nightmare scenerios of a catastrophy of this nature. This should not have taken those in charge by surprise.

Alright. New Orleans was going to flood. Evacuations were ordered. But what of those who could not (not those that would not), but could not physically leave? Where were the plans for removing those most in danger? I don't know enough about this area, so I'll just ask the question and move along.

Homeland Security was created to do what exactly? To protect us obviously. But another function was supposed to facilitate fast and favorable response to disasters of both man-made and natural creation. FEMA was put under Homeland Security to make it better, to utilize it's resources in a more efficient manner.

Where's the blame? I don't know. But I know where to start looking.

Check it out, it's worth your time. This is an interview from the NY Times with the Mayor of New Orleans.

NY Times Interview

Well folks. I have officially resigned my job and accepted a new position elsewhere. Travel time is a bit more, but everything looks really good. Life should be great. Except I spent a lot of time watching CNN.

Just a quick note before I begin RANTING that those I personnally know in Louisiana are fine. They may or may not have lost a home, but no family members or pets and are currently staying with friends in Texas.

Now on to my RANT:

1. If this had been Florida, the help would have already been there!

2. You are NOT a looter if you are only taking food, water, and baby items in order to stay alive and should NOT be shot!

3. If you are told to go someplace for shelter, there had better be shelter or at least a plan for one!

4. Food and water are NOT luxury items! (Neither is oxygen, insulin, dialysis, etc.)

5. Do not shoot or hijack rescuers only trying to evacuate the sick and helpless!

6. We did better for those in the wake of the tsunami than we have for our own!

7. If I had a bus, I'd be there. Instead I'm sending my money and my prayers and whatevever else that I can.

8. Don't tell me "help is on it's way", it should have been on it's way days ago and there already!

This is all so awful, I don't even know what to say beyond that. It's not much of a rant. But, I'm sorry, this is disgusting.