Whew!

TGIF! I even had an extra day off this week, right in the middle of the week, but my arse is dragging! We scored a huge new account, but it's a lot of work. I spent all day yesterday working on one portion, the night crew worked on another portion, but ran out of supplies. Boss man got supplies and I finished it off this morning, after drafting just about everyone else, lol. I seriously had all but two people working on this job, and one of those two people managed to disappear when I wanted him to help or I'd have had him working on it too! Oh and boss man was on a conference call, so he got a pass, lol. Got everything done by 10 AM though.

Which is good, since they came back later with more work! It's going to be another busy week!!!

Another thing I'm glad is over

My yearly doctor's visit. Now I just have to wait impatiently for lab results and call for an appointment for a mammogram. Conveniently I can go to the hospital right by our house and they have evening appointments, so I won't have to take another day off work.

I decided it was time to go back on birth control pills as well. Have I mentioned that my doctor rocks?? He's is so worth the hour drive! He actually checked into my insurance to see what they would or would not cover for me. They won't cover a freakin' thing!!!! They'll pay for a pregnancy but not contraceptives. K, that sucks. Luckily, my doctor has done his research and he knows which BC pills are the cheapest. I'm pretty sure I'm getting my pill much cheaper than I used to before. Yay!

The one drawback to the doctor's visit is I now know exactly how much I weigh. I thought I was comfortable with my weight until I actually saw the number :(

Soooo glad it's over!

I know the election will continue to be in the news for a while, but at least the phone calls will stop. American Crossroads, you are the most annoying people out there! For one thing, I voted early, by mail in ballot, so your phone calls did nothing but annoy me.

And the attack ads will stop. At least until American voters realize that once again, the people that they've elected on the basis of "change" really don't have a magic wand and the next two years are going to be as big a struggle as the previous two years...

Sorry, I've kept quiet until now, but Obama is not the root of all evil. He inherited a lousy situation: a poor global economy, a not so popular war. He's not done all bad, change just hasn't come fast enough for most American voters (Because again, he doesn't have a magic wand!).

But the Tea Party platform of cutting taxes while retaining services is ABSOLUTELY FUCKING STUPID! Going back to "the way things were in the times of the Founding Fathers" is just STUPID. We cannot reasonably go back to that era because things change. And frankly, I'm happy with my right to vote, with every citizen's right to vote. I'm ok with paying my taxes to support public education, a police and fire department and services to help those who need it (Yes social services needs to be reformed, but that's another rant). I'm ok with hunters paying a fee to go hunting on public and private lands, it keeps the herds from getting wiped out and it helps supports public lands. I'm ok with fishing licenses for the same reason. I'm ok with auto registration fees, 'cause something is needed to help pay for the miles of roads in our states. Frankly, I'm ok with all these voluntary fees. That's right, voluntary. You don't want to pay a registration, don't drive. you don't want to pay for a hunting or fishing license, don't hunt or fish.

But really, I didn't intend to rant here. I meant to celebrate. The end of the phone calls, attack ads and speculation. And the fact that Amendment 62 failed in Colorado. And the passage of Referred Measure 2C. (I honestly don't have a problem with medical marijuana. What I have a problem with are the few bad apples who spoiled it for the lot. The pot shop in front of my local high school, the big mouth who went on the news bragging, in a shit economy no less, about how he was pulling in $300k a year selling pot, which is guess what, still a Federal offense. The message boards where MMJ users brag about getting high "legally." That's the kind of stuff that makes us vote you all out.)

Just sad and wrong

I read this article and wanted to cry.

I have a ten year old daughter. The thought of her having a baby is crazy!! This is why we recently checked books about puberty and sex from the library. I want my child to have the facts. I don't want my child to be playing (or think she's playing) with or letting some boy "play" with her.

That anyone should need to have a detailed sex chat with a 10 year old is so sad, but unfortunately in this day and age kids are growing up faster and faster. My daughter already thinks she knows everything, but she doesn't. What your kid doesn't know can seriously hurt them. :(

Happy Halloween!!!

Got me a lovely pumpkin spice latte and I'm getting ready to roast pumpkin seeds. I love roasted pumpkin seeds. We had a total of 4 pumpkins this year, one I carved for work and 3 for the family. I already roasted (and ate!) the seeds from the work pumpkin. So yesterday while cleaning out the family pumpkins so we could carve them that evening, I carefully saved all the seeds. Except for the last pumpkin, which had some funky mold growing in there, ewwww. I still ended up with a full cookie sheet of seeds.

So last night I rinsed and boiled them in salted water (serves the dual purpose of cleaning the seeds a bit better and salting my seeds). I spread them out on the cookie sheet to dry over night. Unfortunately, they were still quite wet, so now they are in a warm oven drying. In a little bit I will melt some butter, add some seasoning salt and pour that over the seeds, then stuff them back in a 300 degree oven to roast until nicely brown and crunchy. Yum!

I'd show you the carved pumpkins but our tripod has wandered away and the pictures I took last night sucked. Gotta find that tripod today!

Instead, I'll show you a picture of the F & F scarf blocking ;) It's not real straight, lol, but it turned out nicely. Now to start the kiddo's Baroness Beret. Hopefully this one won't take me as long as the scarf did, since it's getting cold and the kiddo really could use a hat!

Ouch.

Had to suspend someone at work this week. After getting caught working on some highly inappropriate personal material at work, this person was written up and told a second offense would lead to termination. The type of personal work on the clock changed, but it was still using company time to do their own thing instead of helping out in other areas when needed. After repeated warnings to all my staff to discontinue personal work, I finally had to say something to my supervisors. Then another person complained and we started taking screen shots and copying files (which were slyly hidden where no one would look, but duh, Publisher shows you the last several documents that have been saved...). Everything was sent to HR. More warnings about personal work followed, and were ignored again and again.

We had to get the person's written statement about the activities and finally got word back that we were to "suspend pending investigation." It's highly unlikely this person will be coming back.

Part of me feels terrible, because I know this person has health issues and needs the insurance provided. But the other part of me wonders just how many times we have to warn people before they get a clue! I mean, knowing that you needed this job (especially since the economy is still crap here) wouldn't you try your damnedest to not screw up?? I gave so many informal warnings (chances) before I finally had to say something.

Woot!

The Feather and Fan scarf is done. Well, ok, it still needs blocking, and the ends woven in, but the knitting is complete ;)

Really??

I think I am going to have to stop watching TLC. L.A. Ink turned into a total soap opera. And putting the Duggars on TV was bad (I wasn't a big fan of Jon & Kate either). But then came Sister Wives. Nothing like giving money to and glorifying people who are blatantly breaking the law. What's next? Pot Growers, Inc.? (Oh wait, news channel in Denver did that and the guy that bragged about his "legal" pot income of $400k a year was busted by the DEA right after *g*).

But now they've really done it. They've given Sarah Palin a mini reality series. Puh-leaze.

Looks like it's going to be a good day...

I love all things pumpkin. This morning started on a high note with a lovely pumpkin pie latte and an English muffin slathered in Pumpkin Apple Butter. Yummy!

Pumpkin Apple Butter

15oz can pumpkin
1 3/4c applesauce
1/2c brown sugar
1t pumpkin pie spice

Combine all ingredients in saucepan. Bring to boil over medium heat. Reduce heat, simmer for 1 1/2 hours. Chill. Keep refrigerated. It freezes well too.

In a bit I'm going to run off to the library and pick up the 5 books I have on hold (and the video of the BBC programme on the 6 wives of Henry VIII). And none too soon, either, the books I grabbed last week left me cold.

The kiddo had her first parent/teacher conference at the new school on Thursday. It was good. Her teacher wants her to start reading some non-fiction books, because the level of fiction books she should be reading are most likely not age appropriate (She reads at at least an 8th grade level). So we shall be searching the juvenile non-fiction section at the library today as well.

I also need to buy a new day pack today. My poor North Face backpack has served me faithfully for 20 years. It was given to me as a gift by my mother when I started college. It's toted text books and numerous library books, it served as a diaper bag when the kiddo was small, a carry on on every flight I've taken in the last 20 years and it totes my junk to and from work with me every day. Which makes it the best damned gift my mother has ever given me! But all that work has finally caught up with it and the zipper has blown out :( I will definitely be shopping for a new North Face bag today.

Going to start Christmas shopping today too :)

And I found Glee Radio on the net too, so now I am happy musically too, lol.

Update: Got a nice new backpack. It's this one, though I didn't get it at Sports Authority, and mine is red. It was on sale too, so that's even better :)

Really

Looking forward to Glee tomorrow, lol. Kurt sings, "Le Jazz Hot" from Victor/Victoria and what I've heard is brilliant. And he has two songs with Rachel too, so it's a Kurt-licious episode :)

YUM!

I love fall. One of the reasons I love fall is because the pumpkin spice latte comes back. But it's a habit I don't like to indulge too often, because it gets expensive. But now I just bought this. Davinci Pumpkin Pie Sauce! I bought a half gallon a few years ago and it was devine. But I was annoyed because I bought it through that link, paid shipping and then found out the vendor was local!!! Like just a few miles from my house local.

So just for the heck of it, I went to their website today and found that they are offering free local delivery on orders over $25. So now the hubby gets some White Chocolate syrup as well, and I get my pumpkin fix ;) (I'd rather pay a few $ more to get something more than pay for shipping, and I had a 15% off coupon code too, so that helps). Yum!

Oh noes!

Our air conditioning seems to be on the fritz. I walked in and it was 77 degrees inside, I thought maybe hubby has turned it off and only just turned it back on again, but no. It's been running non-stop all day from the look of things. No wonder hubby didn't sleep well. This sucks, because neither of us sleep well in a warm house, and the idiots below us are from Louisiana and already have their heat on, which keeps the house warmer than I'd like right now. Come winter this will be a good thing, but not right now!

At least it's someone else's money that will pay for repairs but it also means we have to wait for the property service to send someone out.

BIG Month

I love October. But there are too many things I want to do for the month. I love Halloween, and I want to decorate my blog to match. But I think Breast Cancer Awareness is a huge thing and I want my blog to reflect that too.

So don't be surprised if I switch back and forth all month long :)

Banned Books Week

Celebrate the Freedom to Read! Go read a banned or challenged book! Open your mind.

Honestly, some of the reasons for challenging books are just ridiculous and petty. Others come from people who have never even read the books but jumped to snap conclusions.

According to the ALA,

"Often challenges are motivated by a desire to protect children from “inappropriate” sexual content or “offensive” language. The following were the top three reasons cited for challenging materials as reported to the Office of Intellectual Freedom:

1. The material was considered to be "sexually explicit"
2. The material contained "offensive language"
3. The material was "unsuited to any age group"'

But it's my job as a parent to protect my child. It's my job to look at anything questionable and decide if I want her to be reading it. But it is NOT my job to police other children's reading. And it's not your job either.

I read plenty of things that I'm sure my mother would have had fits about had she known. As a pre-teen I read "Forever" by Judy Blume (my mother knew the author's name, but not the subject of the book, and needless to say I never shared that with her!) and found in a stack of my older sister's college books the story of Linda Lovelace. I can't say I would want my daughter to read the Lovelace book right now, but they didn't turn me into to some twisted sex fiend ;)

Books, Glee and other unrelated stuff

I love to read. You probably figured that out already from previous posts. My daughter loves to read too. She's 10 and reads at a 12th grade level. Very cool, that. And when her new teacher asked her just before school started if she read over the summer she of course answered, "Yes." He asked her what she'd been reading and she told him "Oz books." She's totally in to the Oz series by the amazing Frank L. Baum.

Recently her teacher surprised her, by checking out a new Wizard of Oz graphic novel at the local library and letting her read it. Very cool, that as well! She devoured it, and is now reading Fairest by Gail Carson Levine (the author of Ella Enchanted). Who knows what she will be reading next!

Anyhoo. Glee. I'm a bit disappointed, because they teased us with competition for Rachel and then got rid of her. Boooo! I wanted Rachel to have the competition. I don't like her. She's a snot and really, I would love to see Mercedes and Kurt get more front time. And I'm sorry, but the whole boob job story line was just over the top. I think I laughed more at Jane Lynch's "Don't be a Sue" advert than I did over Glee tonight :(

And speaking of high school... I totally felt like I was back in high school yesterday thanks to 3 co-workers. Two of them are dating, and I think the third is jealous, so she told the girl half of the couple something about the boy half of the couple and now they aren't friends anymore. Yeah, how old are you all?? I'm just waiting for the first time they all 3 work together again, sheesh.

The crappy unnamed cable company is about to get the boot. We switched the phone already, internet changes tomorrow and hopefully the DirecTv folks will show up soon with our dish and then I will have We tv and get to watch My Fair wedding every week on Sundays, lol.

Ok, enough random babbling. Night!

World of Warcraft Cataclysm expansion

So I finally got my Beta key and between hubby and I, spent a few hours in the game last night.

Originally they said there would be NO huge equipment upgrade, like from original to BC. Really?? 'Cause there sure as heck is.
First green quest reward item I saw was better than a lot of Tier 10 gear. Not that a single bloody piece of equipment for my Balance druid has been offered. Everything is geared to kitties.

I like being able to fly everywhere.

But I don't particularly like that they've put in flight paths everywhere in the old world. WoW in easy mode...

They originally said that it would take as long to go from 80-85 as it took to go from 70-80. Really? 'Cause I'm about to hit 81 after only a few hours of play. Sorry, but 20k+ exp for a quest is tooooooo much. At this rate, I will have no reason to go to the other new areas, I'll hit 85 in Hyjal. Hmmm. At least with Wrath I went to most areas before I hit 80. I've got most of the quest acheivements, except for Icecrown because I was 80 before I ever really spent any time there.

It's pretty. The new underwater zone is lovely. But annoying as hell when trying to get into buildings.

So far, the bad is outweighing the good for me and I'm not seeing a lot to tempt players who have grown bored and left the game to come back, let alone drop another $50 on the expansion. People like me, lol. I'll play the beta, because it's free and different. But grinding levels still bores me and unless the new instance/raid content is really good (not too easy/not too hard) I just don't see myself playing for long.

Is it Friday yet??

Today was just one of those days. I am sooooooooo tired. I went in at 8 AM and clocked out at 6:20 PM. I did manage to get a 15 minute break and a 30 minute lunch, but the rest of the day was just non-stop. And no one had anything easy, lol.

All I can say is thank goodness I dawdled this morning and had to drive to work. I think if I had gotten off work and had to walk home I'd have cried. Or called the hubby and made him come get me ;)

I just want to go to bed now. Night, night.

Fun!

At work we have a regular client who owns a cute little boutique. Every time she comes in she's wearing a different necklace. I finally asked her about them and she told me I had to come in and look because she has a ton of them, and proceeded to pop out the middle of her necklace. It's a magnet. A Magnabilities to be exact.

So today I went over and looked at her stock and got me a nice chain and pendant and 4 inserts for it. Now I want to get just the round pendant too, lol.

But the best thing is, she has waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay more inserts than are available online! (Of which I actually have a small part in the making of, but I'm sworn to secrecy and can't say anymore, haha)

So if you ever happen to be near Centerra, pop into MAXimum Boutique and take a look.

Up until now

I haven't really been interested in using Facebook to reconnect with folks from high school. But today, just for the heck of it, I searched the name of one of my best friends in high school. And I found her. We were best buds until our junior year when I moved away and we lost touch. Now I just have to see if she accepts my friend request. It would be fun to reconnect and catch up a bit.

But I'm still not adding my maiden name to my profile. It's fine if I search people out, but I don't want anyone finding me, hahahaha.

I want to bake this weekend

I don't know why. Maybe it was the chill in the air this morning as I went to work, bringing fall closer, while still holding on to summer during the day. I want to bake a pie of some sort (Well, really I want to bake something pumpkin-y, but my hubby hates anything pumpkin, so I will make something else we can all eat, though it is getting to be time for pumpkin butter again, yum!).

I think it's time for a strawberry pie. I haven't made one in years and it was always my favorite treat when my mother made it. I'm going to cheat and buy a pie crust, purely because I don't have any flour and I can't be bothered to buy any (I don't bake enough to use it before Christmas). Go figure, I will buy corn starch, but not flour...

Anyhoo, here's my family recipe for strawberry pie. I like this pie because it doesn't have the gelatin that so many berry pies have.

Ingredients

1 (9 inch) pie crust, baked
1 quart fresh strawberries
1 cup white sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 T. lemon juice
1 T. butter

Directions

Arrange half of strawberries in baked pastry shell. Mash remaining berries and combine with sugar in a medium saucepan. Place saucepan over medium heat. In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and with some of the juice from the berries. Gradually stir cornstarch mixture into strawberry mixture, bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer mixture until thickened, about 10 minutes, stirring constantly, add lemon juice and butter, stir well. Pour mixture over berries in baked pastry shell. Chill for several hours before serving. Eat alone or serve with whipped cream or ice cream.

Note: I've found that you need extra cornstarch at higher alitudes or you end up with strawberry soup!

Enjoy!

Edited to add: Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr. Pie crust, baked it and the damned thing slid down in the pie plate. So I baked the other crust, taking care to make sure the dough was stretched and fluted well. Same damned thing. I hate wasting time and money. This is the first time I have ever had a blind baked crust do that, too. I am way peeved :(