FDA Declares Melamine in Baby Formula "Safe" - thedailygreen.com
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Thursday, November 27, 2008
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Disappointment again
Today I was informed that LOTS of people, full-time people, with LOTS of seniority and experience have also applied for the job I am trying to get, and that also the job itself if probably going to be downgraded to a part-time position anyway, since the resale of rental cars is wayyyy down. And on, and on. What do I want out of a job? Well, I said, I want to be busy; I want to have lots and lots to do; I love paperwork and computer work and I am smart and efficient, etc.
None of that makes any difference.
Forget it; get over it; look elsewhere.
None of that makes any difference.
Forget it; get over it; look elsewhere.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Saturday, November 22, 2008
What's it Take to Eliminate Factory-Farmed Eggs?
| I guess not everybody can have eggs like ours. | |
| What's it Take to Eliminate Factory-Farmed Eggs? http://www.plamondon.com/b2evolution/blogs/blog4.php/2008/11/20/wha... |  |
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'Microwave Safe' Plastics Leach Bisphenol A - thedailygreen.com
| Of course, more lies by the plastics industry. | |
| 'Microwave Safe' Plastics Leach Bisphenol A - thedailygreen.com http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/bisphenol-a-... |  |
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Saturday, November 01, 2008
Quick note
I can't believe it has been so long since I posted. I should probably start copying to this blog every time I write a long chatty email to anybody. I DID do that for a while but got to thinking maybe people wouldn't like seeing their letters on the net. I have so little time these days I am neglecting everything I used to do on a regular basis. It wouldn't be so bad if DH's promise to take care of everything else if I started back to work full-time or close to it was being kept. That's just a roundabout way of saying that HE ISN'T DOING ANYTHING!!!!
His excuse is that he and Diana have been working 2 or 3 days every week. Yeah, soooo???
It just irritates me that when we both go to work I have to do everything just like I was staying home all day. He does do a few things if he is going to be home all day, but NOT stuff like toilets, watering plants, vacuuming, making bread. What does that leave? Well, he will feed the chickens, but only if he isn't going anywhere. ANd sometimes he will do the dishes, but generally not until after I get home. I guess he thinks I won't be grateful he did them unless I am here while he is doing it. He does make supper as long as nothing has to be chopped or grated. Those things I have to do. And all that is still as long as he didn't go anywhere. If we both went , I have to do it all even when we both get home. After all, he is tired.
Duh, am I not tired?
Sorry for the tirade. Sometimes I get to feeling a bit overwhelmed, and it doesn't help that I have halved my Zoloft dosage again, to 25 mg. I MUST get off of it before my health insurance runs out. And my other meds too, but one at a time please.
His excuse is that he and Diana have been working 2 or 3 days every week. Yeah, soooo???
It just irritates me that when we both go to work I have to do everything just like I was staying home all day. He does do a few things if he is going to be home all day, but NOT stuff like toilets, watering plants, vacuuming, making bread. What does that leave? Well, he will feed the chickens, but only if he isn't going anywhere. ANd sometimes he will do the dishes, but generally not until after I get home. I guess he thinks I won't be grateful he did them unless I am here while he is doing it. He does make supper as long as nothing has to be chopped or grated. Those things I have to do. And all that is still as long as he didn't go anywhere. If we both went , I have to do it all even when we both get home. After all, he is tired.
Duh, am I not tired?
Sorry for the tirade. Sometimes I get to feeling a bit overwhelmed, and it doesn't help that I have halved my Zoloft dosage again, to 25 mg. I MUST get off of it before my health insurance runs out. And my other meds too, but one at a time please.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Another letter about Sarah Palin quoted
As an Alaskan, I am writing to give all of you some information on Sarah Palin, Senator McCain's choice for VP. As an Alaska voter, I know more than most of you about her and, frankly, I am horrified that he picked her.
The most accurate description of her is redneck. Her husband works in the oil fields of Prudhoe Bay and races snow mobiles. She is a life time member of the NRA and has worked tirelessly to allow indiscriminate hunting of wildlife in Alaska, particularly wolves and bears. She has spent millions of Alaska state dollars on aerial hunting of these predators from helicopters and airplanes, dollars that should have been spent, for example, on Alaska's failing school system.We have the lowest rate of high school graduation in the country. Not all of you may think aerial predator hunting is so bad, but how anyone (other than Alaska wolf-haters, of which there are many, most without teeth), could think this use of funds is appropriate is beyond me. If you want to know more about the aerial hunting travesty, let me know and I will send some links to informative web sites.
She has been a strong supporter of increased use of fossil fuels, yet the McCain campaign has the nerve to say she has "green" policies. The only thing green about Sarah Palin is her lack of experience. She has consistently supported drilling in ANWR, use of coal-burning power plants (as I write this, a new coal plant is being built in her home town of Wasilla), strip mining, and almost anything else that will unnecessarily exploit the diminishing resources of Alaska and destroy its environment.
Prior to her one year as governor of Alaska, she was mayor of Wasilla, a small red neck town outside Anchorage. The average maximum education level of parents of junior high school kids in Wasilla is 10th grade. Unfortunately, I have to go to Wasilla every week to get groceries and other supplies, so I have continual contact with the people who put Palin in office in the first place. I know what I'm talking about. These people don't have a concept of the world around them or of the serious issues facing the US. Furthermore, they don't care. So long as they can go out and hunt their moose every fall, kill wolves and bears and drive their snow mobiles and ATVs through every corner of the wilderness, they're happy. I wish I were exaggerating.
Sarah Palin is currently involved in a political corruption scandal. She fired an individual in law enforcement here because she didn't like how he treated one of her relatives during a divorce. The man's performance and ability weren't considered; it was a totally personal firing and is currently under investigation. While the issue isn't close to the scandal of Ted Steven's corruption, it shows that Palin isn't "squeaky clean" and causes me to think there ay be more issues that could come to light. Clearly McCain doesn't care.
When you line Palin up with Biden, the comparison would be laughable if it weren't so serious. Sarah Palin knows nothing of economics (admittedly a weak area for McCain), or of international affairs, knows nothing of national government, Social Security, unemployment, health care systems - you name it. The idea of her meeting with heads of foreign governments around the world truly frightens me.
In an increasingly dangerous world, with the economy in shambles in the US, Sarah Palin is uniquely Unqualified to be vice president. John McCain is not a young man. Should something happen to him such that the vice president had to step in, it would destroy our country and possibly the world to have someone as inexperienced and inappropriate as Sarah Palin. The choice of Palin is a cheap shot by McCain to try to get Hillary supporters to vote for him. When McCain introduced her today, Palin had the nerve to compare herself with Hillary and Geraldine Ferraro. Sarah Pal in, you are no Hillary Clinton.
To those of you who, like me, supported Hilary and were upset that she did not get the nomination, please don't think that Sarah Palin is a worthy substitute. If you supported Hillary, regardless of what you think the media and the Democratic Party may have done to undermine her campaign, the person to support now is Obama, not Sarah Palin. To those of you who are independent or undecided, don't let the choice of Palin sway you in favor of McCain. Choosing her shows how unqualified McCain is to be president. To those of you who are conservative, I guess you have no choice for president. But please try to see how the poor choice of Palin tells us a great deal about McCain's judgment. While the political posturing inherent in the choice of Palin is obvious, the more serious issue is the fact that the VP is, literally, a heartbeat away from the presidency. Sarah Palin is totally and unequivocally unqualified to be vice president, let alone president.
I know this is a lengthy and emotional email, but the stakes are high. I thought it might help for all of you, regardless of political affiliation, to know something about Palin from someone who has to live with her administration in Alaska on a daily basis.
Jackie S.
The most accurate description of her is redneck. Her husband works in the oil fields of Prudhoe Bay and races snow mobiles. She is a life time member of the NRA and has worked tirelessly to allow indiscriminate hunting of wildlife in Alaska, particularly wolves and bears. She has spent millions of Alaska state dollars on aerial hunting of these predators from helicopters and airplanes, dollars that should have been spent, for example, on Alaska's failing school system.We have the lowest rate of high school graduation in the country. Not all of you may think aerial predator hunting is so bad, but how anyone (other than Alaska wolf-haters, of which there are many, most without teeth), could think this use of funds is appropriate is beyond me. If you want to know more about the aerial hunting travesty, let me know and I will send some links to informative web sites.
She has been a strong supporter of increased use of fossil fuels, yet the McCain campaign has the nerve to say she has "green" policies. The only thing green about Sarah Palin is her lack of experience. She has consistently supported drilling in ANWR, use of coal-burning power plants (as I write this, a new coal plant is being built in her home town of Wasilla), strip mining, and almost anything else that will unnecessarily exploit the diminishing resources of Alaska and destroy its environment.
Prior to her one year as governor of Alaska, she was mayor of Wasilla, a small red neck town outside Anchorage. The average maximum education level of parents of junior high school kids in Wasilla is 10th grade. Unfortunately, I have to go to Wasilla every week to get groceries and other supplies, so I have continual contact with the people who put Palin in office in the first place. I know what I'm talking about. These people don't have a concept of the world around them or of the serious issues facing the US. Furthermore, they don't care. So long as they can go out and hunt their moose every fall, kill wolves and bears and drive their snow mobiles and ATVs through every corner of the wilderness, they're happy. I wish I were exaggerating.
Sarah Palin is currently involved in a political corruption scandal. She fired an individual in law enforcement here because she didn't like how he treated one of her relatives during a divorce. The man's performance and ability weren't considered; it was a totally personal firing and is currently under investigation. While the issue isn't close to the scandal of Ted Steven's corruption, it shows that Palin isn't "squeaky clean" and causes me to think there ay be more issues that could come to light. Clearly McCain doesn't care.
When you line Palin up with Biden, the comparison would be laughable if it weren't so serious. Sarah Palin knows nothing of economics (admittedly a weak area for McCain), or of international affairs, knows nothing of national government, Social Security, unemployment, health care systems - you name it. The idea of her meeting with heads of foreign governments around the world truly frightens me.
In an increasingly dangerous world, with the economy in shambles in the US, Sarah Palin is uniquely Unqualified to be vice president. John McCain is not a young man. Should something happen to him such that the vice president had to step in, it would destroy our country and possibly the world to have someone as inexperienced and inappropriate as Sarah Palin. The choice of Palin is a cheap shot by McCain to try to get Hillary supporters to vote for him. When McCain introduced her today, Palin had the nerve to compare herself with Hillary and Geraldine Ferraro. Sarah Pal in, you are no Hillary Clinton.
To those of you who, like me, supported Hilary and were upset that she did not get the nomination, please don't think that Sarah Palin is a worthy substitute. If you supported Hillary, regardless of what you think the media and the Democratic Party may have done to undermine her campaign, the person to support now is Obama, not Sarah Palin. To those of you who are independent or undecided, don't let the choice of Palin sway you in favor of McCain. Choosing her shows how unqualified McCain is to be president. To those of you who are conservative, I guess you have no choice for president. But please try to see how the poor choice of Palin tells us a great deal about McCain's judgment. While the political posturing inherent in the choice of Palin is obvious, the more serious issue is the fact that the VP is, literally, a heartbeat away from the presidency. Sarah Palin is totally and unequivocally unqualified to be vice president, let alone president.
I know this is a lengthy and emotional email, but the stakes are high. I thought it might help for all of you, regardless of political affiliation, to know something about Palin from someone who has to live with her administration in Alaska on a daily basis.
Jackie S.
Saturday, September 06, 2008
Work 4 days per week
Well, I finally am officially an employee of Fleet/Lease at the closer of the 2 auto auctions I have been working at. I will work there Mon-Wed-Fri plus continue to work as an upper block clerk at the Thursday sale. My pay however will come from the Fleet/Lease Dept now instead of the Front Office. And Susan (the HR director) says I will get the first new FTE position when the hiring freeze ends. When THAT will be is up for grabs. The auto industry as a whole is trying to find out how to save money and she is stretching a point by giving me more hours officially. If I wasn't already an employee and have been since March, but for one day a week, it couldn't have been accomplished. So anyway I will be there and ready when a full-time position opens up. I wouldn't care, and would happily work PT forever if it were possible to keep my health insurance with PT hours. But those days are gone, and my COBRA insurance will be finished in March. I have always figured that I need to go FT by Jan because of the usual 90 days waiting to get insurance. But that won't apply here, so I have until March. SO I should just relax and concentrate on making myself indispensable. I think I have already done that, just working one day per week for them, so more of the same.
I will have to quit my Tuesday job at the other auction. I will miss the $100 per week extra but will need a day off during the week, and it IS a lot further to drive. I won't quit this week though. I need to see how much money I bring home first. Gotta go.
I will have to quit my Tuesday job at the other auction. I will miss the $100 per week extra but will need a day off during the week, and it IS a lot further to drive. I won't quit this week though. I need to see how much money I bring home first. Gotta go.
About Sarah Palin
http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/kilkenny.asp
An Alaskan's Opinion
Claim: Letter written by a resident of Wasilla, Alaska, offers viewpoint of Alaska governor Sarah Palin.
Status: True.
Example: [Collected via e-mail, August 2008]
ABOUT SARAH PALIN
I am a resident of Wasilla, Alaska. I have known Sarah since 1992. Everyone here knows Sarah, so it is nothing special to say we are on a first-name basis. Our children have attended the same schools. Her father was my child's favorite substitute teacher. I also am on a first name basis with her parents and mother-in-law. I attended more City Council meetings during her administration than about 99% of the residents of the city.
She is enormously popular; in every way she’s like the most popular girl in middle school. Even men who think she is a poor choice and won't vote for her can't quit smiling when talking about her because she is a "babe".
It is astonishing and almost scary how well she can keep a secret. She kept her most recent pregnancy a secret from her children and parents for seven months.
She is "pro-life". She recently gave birth to a Down's syndrome baby. There is no cover-up involved, here; Trig is her baby.
She is energetic and hardworking. She regularly worked out at the gym.
She is savvy. She doesn't take positions; she just "puts things out there" and if they prove to be popular, then she takes credit.
Her husband works a union job on the North Slope for BP and is a champion snowmobile racer. Todd Palin’s kind of job is highly sought-after because of the schedule and high pay. He arranges his work schedule so he can fish for salmon in Bristol Bay for a month or so in summer, but by no stretch of the imagination is fishing their major source of income. Nor has her life-style ever been anything like that of native Alaskans.
Sarah and her whole family are avid hunters.
She's smart.
Her experience is as mayor of a city with a population of about 5,000 (at the time), and less than 2 years as governor of a state with about 670,000 residents.
During her mayoral administration most of the actual work of running this small city was turned over to an administrator. She had been pushed to hire this administrator by party power-brokers after she had gotten herself into some trouble over precipitous firings which had given rise to a recall campaign.
Sarah campaigned in Wasilla as a "fiscal conservative." During her 6 years as Mayor, she increased general government expenditures by over 33%. During those same 6 years the amount of taxes collected by the City increased by 38%. This was during a period of low inflation (1996-2002). She reduced progressive property taxes and increased a regressive sales tax which taxed even food. The tax cuts that she promoted benefited large corporate property owners way more than they benefited residents.
The huge increases in tax revenues during her mayoral administration weren't enough to fund everything on her wish list though, borrowed money was needed, too. She inherited a city with zero debt, but left it with indebtedness of over $22 million. What did Mayor Palin encourage the voters to borrow money for? Was it the infrastructure that she said she supported? The sewage treatment plant that the city lacked? or a new library? No. $1m for a park. $15m-plus for construction of a multi-use sports complex which she rushed through to build on a piece of property that the City didn't even have clear title to, that was still in litigation 7 yrs later — to the delight of the lawyers involved! The sports complex itself is a nice addition to the community but a huge money pit, not the profit-generator she claimed it would be. She also supported bonds for $5.5m for road projects that could have been done in 5-7 yrs without any borrowing.
While Mayor, City Hall was extensively remodeled and her office redecorated more than once.
These are small numbers, but Wasilla is a very small city.
As an oil producer, the high price of oil has created a budget surplus in Alaska. Rather than invest this surplus in technology that will make us energy independent and increase efficiency, as Governor she proposed distribution of this surplus to every individual in the state.
In this time of record state revenues and budget surpluses, she recommended that the state borrow/bond for road projects, even while she proposed distribution of surplus state revenues: spend today's surplus, borrow for needs.
She's not very tolerant of divergent opinions or open to outside ideas or compromise. As Mayor, she fought ideas that weren’t generated by her or her staff. Ideas weren't evaluated on their merits, but on the basis of who proposed them.
While Sarah was Mayor of Wasilla she tried to fire our highly respected City Librarian because the Librarian refused to consider removing from the library some books that Sarah wanted removed. City residents rallied to the defense of the City Librarian and against Palin's attempt at out-and-out censorship, so Palin backed down and withdrew her termination letter. People who fought her attempt to oust the Librarian are on her enemies list to this day.
Sarah complained about the "old boy's club" when she first ran for Mayor, so what did she bring Wasilla? A new set of "old boys". Palin fired most of the experienced staff she inherited. At the City and as Governor she hired or elevated new, inexperienced, obscure people, creating a staff totally dependent on her for their jobs and eternally grateful and fiercely loyal — loyal to the point of abusing their power to further her personal agenda, as she has acknowledged happened in the case of pressuring the State's top cop (see below).
As Mayor, Sarah fired Wasilla's Police Chief because he "intimidated" her, she told the press. As Governor, her recent firing of Alaska's top cop has the ring of familiarity about it. He served at her pleasure and she had every legal right to fire him, but it's pretty clear that an important factor in her decision to fire him was because he wouldn't fire her sister's ex-husband, a State Trooper. Under investigation for abuse of power, she has had to admit that more than 2 dozen contacts were made between her staff and family to the person that she later fired, pressuring him to fire her ex-brother-in-law. She tried to replace the man she fired with a man who she knew had been reprimanded for sexual harassment; when this caused a public furor, she withdrew her support.
She has bitten the hand of every person who extended theirs to her in help. The City Council person who personally escorted her around town introducing her to voters when she first ran for Wasilla City Council became one of her first targets when she was later elected Mayor. She abruptly fired her loyal City Administrator; even people who didn’t like the guy were stunned by this ruthlessness.
Fear of retribution has kept all of these people from saying anything publicly about her.
When then-Governor Murkowski was handing out political plums, Sarah got the best, Chair of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission: one of the few jobs not in Juneau and one of the best paid. She had no background in oil & gas issues. Within months of scoring this great job which paid $122,400/yr, she was complaining in the press about the high salary. I was told that she hated that job: the commute, the structured hours, the work. Sarah became aware that a member of this Commission (who was also the State Chair of the Republican Party) engaged in unethical behavior on the job. In a gutsy move which some undoubtedly cautioned her could be political suicide, Sarah solved all her problems in one fell swoop: got out of the job she hated and garnered gobs of media attention as the patron saint of ethics and as a gutsy fighter against the "old boys' club" when she dramatically quit, exposing this man’s ethics violations (for which he was fined).
As Mayor, she had her hand stuck out as far as anyone for pork from Senator Ted Stevens. Lately, she has castigated his pork-barrel politics and publicly humiliated him. She only opposed the "bridge to nowhere" after it became clear that it would be unwise not to.
As Governor, she gave the Legislature no direction and budget guidelines, then made a big grandstand display of line-item vetoing projects, calling them pork. Public outcry and further legislative action restored most of these projects — which had been vetoed simply because she was not aware of their importance — but with the unobservant she had gained a reputation as "anti-pork."
She is solidly Republican: no political maverick. The State party leaders hate her because she has bit them in the back and humiliated them. Other members of the party object to her self-description as a fiscal conservative.
Around Wasilla there are people who went to high school with Sarah. They call her "Sarah Barracuda" because of her unbridled ambition and predatory ruthlessness. Before she became so powerful, very ugly stories circulated around town about shenanigans she pulled to be made point guard on the high school basketball team. When Sarah's mother-in-law, a highly respected member of the community and experienced manager, ran for Mayor, Sarah refused to endorse her.
As Governor, she stepped outside of the box and put together of package of legislation known as "AGIA" that forced the oil companies to march to the beat of her drum.
Like most Alaskans, she favors drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. She has questioned if the loss of sea ice is linked to global warming. She campaigned "as a private citizen" against a state initiaitive that would have either a) protected salmon streams from pollution from mines, or b) tied up in the courts all mining in the state (depending on who you listen to). She has pushed the State’s lawsuit against the Dept. of the Interior's decision to list polar bears as threatened species.
McCain is the oldest person to ever run for President; Sarah will be a heartbeat away from being President.
There has to be literally millions of Americans who are more knowledgeable and experienced than she.
However, there's a lot of people who have underestimated her and are regretting it.
CLAIM VS FACT o "Hockey mom": true for a few years
o "PTA mom": true years ago when her first-born was in elementary school, not since
p "NRA supporter": absolutely true
o social conservative: mixed. Opposes gay marriage, BUT vetoed a bill that would have denied benefits to employees in same-sex relationships (said she did this because it was unconsitutional).
o pro-creationism: mixed. Supports it, BUT did nothing as Governor to promote it.
o "Pro-life": mixed. Knowingly gave birth to a Down's syndrome baby BUT declined to call a special legislative session on some pro-life legislation.
o "Experienced": Some high schools have more students than Wasilla has residents. Many cities have more residents than the state of Alaska.
No legislative experience other than City Council. Little hands-on supervisory or managerial experience; needed help of a city administrator to run town of about 5,000.
o political maverick: not at all
o gutsy: absolutely!
o open & transparent: ??? Good at keeping secrets. Not good at explaining actions.
o has a developed philosophy of public policy: no
o "a Greenie": no. Turned Wasilla into a wasteland of big box stores and disconnected parking lots. Is pro-drilling off-shore and in ANWR.
o fiscal conservative: not by my definition!
o pro-infrastructure: No. Promoted a sports complex and park in a city without a sewage treatment plant or storm drainage system. Built streets to early 20th century standards.
o pro-tax relief: Lowered taxes for businesses, increased tax burden on residents.
o pro-small government: No. Oversaw greatest expansion of city government in Wasilla’s history.
o pro-labor/pro-union. No. Just because her husband works union doesn't make her pro-labor. I have seen nothing to support any claim that she is pro-labor/pro-union.
WHY AM I WRITING THIS?
First, I have long believed in the importance of being an informed voter. I am a voter registrar. For 10 years I put on student voting programs in the schools. If you google my name (Anne Kilkenny + Alaska), you will find references to my participation in local government, education, and PTA/parent organizations.
Secondly, I've always operated in the belief that "Bad things happen when good people stay silent". Few people know as much as I do because few have gone to as many City Council meetings.
Third, I am just a housewife. I don't have a job she can bump me out of. I don't belong to any organization that she can hurt. But, I am no fool; she is immensely popular here, and it is likely that this will cost me somehow in the future: that’s life.
Fourth, she has hated me since back in 1996, when I was one of the 100 or so people who rallied to support the City Librarian against Sarah's attempt at censorship.
Fifth, I looked around and realized that everybody else was afraid to say anything because they were somehow vulnerable.
CAVEATS
I am not a statistician. I developed the numbers for the increase in spending & taxation 2 years ago (when Palin was running for Governor) from information supplied to me by the Finance Director of the City of Wasilla, and I can't recall exactly what I adjusted for: did I adjust for inflation? for population increases? Right now, it is impossible for a private person to get any info out of City Hall — they are swamped. So I can't verify my numbers.
You may have noticed that there are various numbers circulating for the population of Wasilla, ranging from my "about 5,000", up to 9,000. The day Palin’s selection was announced a city official told me that the current population is about 7,000. The official 2000 census count was 5,460. I have used about 5,000 because Palin was Mayor from 1996 to 2002, and the city was growing rapidly in the mid-90’s.
Anne Kilkenny
August 31, 2008
Origins: Of all the articles (both positive and negative) about Alaska governor Sarah Palin that began circulating via e-mail forward in the immediate aftermath of her selection as the 2008 Republican vice-presidential candidate, the one reproduced above was the one that by far garnered the most attention. It purportedly offers a viewpoint of the candidate written by a resident of Wasilla, Alaska (the town where Sarah Palin served as mayor).
The article was indeed written, as claimed, by a Wasilla resident named Anne Kilkenny, who says she has known Sarah Palin since 1992:
Recently, we received a note about the Web post, "Letter from Anne Kilkenny," about Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, the Republican vice presidential nominee. We thought for sure it was not really, "a resident of Wasilla, Alaska"
who has known Palin since 1992 as the post claims.
So, we checked it out. Kilkenny does exist, and she does live in Alaska. We reached her by phone and asked if she wrote the rather long note that calls Palin "smart" but also questions her abilities.
We asked Kilkenny, "Did you write that letter?" She replied skeptically, "Well, I don't know. Read me parts of it. I'll tell you if it's mine or not."
After we read it to her, she said, "Yes, I wrote that." She sent it out to 40 people, brothers, sisters and friends, on Sunday — two days after U.S. Sen. John McCain announced Palin as his choice. On Wednesday, if you enter Kilkenny and Palin's names on Google, about 200 sites refer to this letter.
Why did she do it? Kilkenny told The Daily Journal she wanted to offer people information and her experiences. She does not flatter Palin, but she said she did vote for Palin when she ran for city council.
"How affirming it has been," she said. "I am pleased to know how idealistic Americans are. They want information not just the politics of destruction."
Last updated: 5 September 2008
The URL for this page is http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/kilkenny.asp
Urban Legends Reference Pages © 1995-2008 by snopes.com.
This material may not be reproduced without permission.
snopes and the snopes.com logo are registered service marks of snopes.com.
Sources Sources:
Schultz, Susy. "Alaska Resident Writes About VP Nominee Palin."
The [Illinois] Daily Journal. 4 September 2008.
White, Rindi. "Palin Asked Wasilla Librarian About Censoring Books."
Anchorage Daily News. 4 September 2008.
The Nation. " The Word from Wasilla."
4 September 2008.
An Alaskan's Opinion
Claim: Letter written by a resident of Wasilla, Alaska, offers viewpoint of Alaska governor Sarah Palin.
Status: True.
Example: [Collected via e-mail, August 2008]
ABOUT SARAH PALIN
I am a resident of Wasilla, Alaska. I have known Sarah since 1992. Everyone here knows Sarah, so it is nothing special to say we are on a first-name basis. Our children have attended the same schools. Her father was my child's favorite substitute teacher. I also am on a first name basis with her parents and mother-in-law. I attended more City Council meetings during her administration than about 99% of the residents of the city.
She is enormously popular; in every way she’s like the most popular girl in middle school. Even men who think she is a poor choice and won't vote for her can't quit smiling when talking about her because she is a "babe".
It is astonishing and almost scary how well she can keep a secret. She kept her most recent pregnancy a secret from her children and parents for seven months.
She is "pro-life". She recently gave birth to a Down's syndrome baby. There is no cover-up involved, here; Trig is her baby.
She is energetic and hardworking. She regularly worked out at the gym.
She is savvy. She doesn't take positions; she just "puts things out there" and if they prove to be popular, then she takes credit.
Her husband works a union job on the North Slope for BP and is a champion snowmobile racer. Todd Palin’s kind of job is highly sought-after because of the schedule and high pay. He arranges his work schedule so he can fish for salmon in Bristol Bay for a month or so in summer, but by no stretch of the imagination is fishing their major source of income. Nor has her life-style ever been anything like that of native Alaskans.
Sarah and her whole family are avid hunters.
She's smart.
Her experience is as mayor of a city with a population of about 5,000 (at the time), and less than 2 years as governor of a state with about 670,000 residents.
During her mayoral administration most of the actual work of running this small city was turned over to an administrator. She had been pushed to hire this administrator by party power-brokers after she had gotten herself into some trouble over precipitous firings which had given rise to a recall campaign.
Sarah campaigned in Wasilla as a "fiscal conservative." During her 6 years as Mayor, she increased general government expenditures by over 33%. During those same 6 years the amount of taxes collected by the City increased by 38%. This was during a period of low inflation (1996-2002). She reduced progressive property taxes and increased a regressive sales tax which taxed even food. The tax cuts that she promoted benefited large corporate property owners way more than they benefited residents.
The huge increases in tax revenues during her mayoral administration weren't enough to fund everything on her wish list though, borrowed money was needed, too. She inherited a city with zero debt, but left it with indebtedness of over $22 million. What did Mayor Palin encourage the voters to borrow money for? Was it the infrastructure that she said she supported? The sewage treatment plant that the city lacked? or a new library? No. $1m for a park. $15m-plus for construction of a multi-use sports complex which she rushed through to build on a piece of property that the City didn't even have clear title to, that was still in litigation 7 yrs later — to the delight of the lawyers involved! The sports complex itself is a nice addition to the community but a huge money pit, not the profit-generator she claimed it would be. She also supported bonds for $5.5m for road projects that could have been done in 5-7 yrs without any borrowing.
While Mayor, City Hall was extensively remodeled and her office redecorated more than once.
These are small numbers, but Wasilla is a very small city.
As an oil producer, the high price of oil has created a budget surplus in Alaska. Rather than invest this surplus in technology that will make us energy independent and increase efficiency, as Governor she proposed distribution of this surplus to every individual in the state.
In this time of record state revenues and budget surpluses, she recommended that the state borrow/bond for road projects, even while she proposed distribution of surplus state revenues: spend today's surplus, borrow for needs.
She's not very tolerant of divergent opinions or open to outside ideas or compromise. As Mayor, she fought ideas that weren’t generated by her or her staff. Ideas weren't evaluated on their merits, but on the basis of who proposed them.
While Sarah was Mayor of Wasilla she tried to fire our highly respected City Librarian because the Librarian refused to consider removing from the library some books that Sarah wanted removed. City residents rallied to the defense of the City Librarian and against Palin's attempt at out-and-out censorship, so Palin backed down and withdrew her termination letter. People who fought her attempt to oust the Librarian are on her enemies list to this day.
Sarah complained about the "old boy's club" when she first ran for Mayor, so what did she bring Wasilla? A new set of "old boys". Palin fired most of the experienced staff she inherited. At the City and as Governor she hired or elevated new, inexperienced, obscure people, creating a staff totally dependent on her for their jobs and eternally grateful and fiercely loyal — loyal to the point of abusing their power to further her personal agenda, as she has acknowledged happened in the case of pressuring the State's top cop (see below).
As Mayor, Sarah fired Wasilla's Police Chief because he "intimidated" her, she told the press. As Governor, her recent firing of Alaska's top cop has the ring of familiarity about it. He served at her pleasure and she had every legal right to fire him, but it's pretty clear that an important factor in her decision to fire him was because he wouldn't fire her sister's ex-husband, a State Trooper. Under investigation for abuse of power, she has had to admit that more than 2 dozen contacts were made between her staff and family to the person that she later fired, pressuring him to fire her ex-brother-in-law. She tried to replace the man she fired with a man who she knew had been reprimanded for sexual harassment; when this caused a public furor, she withdrew her support.
She has bitten the hand of every person who extended theirs to her in help. The City Council person who personally escorted her around town introducing her to voters when she first ran for Wasilla City Council became one of her first targets when she was later elected Mayor. She abruptly fired her loyal City Administrator; even people who didn’t like the guy were stunned by this ruthlessness.
Fear of retribution has kept all of these people from saying anything publicly about her.
When then-Governor Murkowski was handing out political plums, Sarah got the best, Chair of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission: one of the few jobs not in Juneau and one of the best paid. She had no background in oil & gas issues. Within months of scoring this great job which paid $122,400/yr, she was complaining in the press about the high salary. I was told that she hated that job: the commute, the structured hours, the work. Sarah became aware that a member of this Commission (who was also the State Chair of the Republican Party) engaged in unethical behavior on the job. In a gutsy move which some undoubtedly cautioned her could be political suicide, Sarah solved all her problems in one fell swoop: got out of the job she hated and garnered gobs of media attention as the patron saint of ethics and as a gutsy fighter against the "old boys' club" when she dramatically quit, exposing this man’s ethics violations (for which he was fined).
As Mayor, she had her hand stuck out as far as anyone for pork from Senator Ted Stevens. Lately, she has castigated his pork-barrel politics and publicly humiliated him. She only opposed the "bridge to nowhere" after it became clear that it would be unwise not to.
As Governor, she gave the Legislature no direction and budget guidelines, then made a big grandstand display of line-item vetoing projects, calling them pork. Public outcry and further legislative action restored most of these projects — which had been vetoed simply because she was not aware of their importance — but with the unobservant she had gained a reputation as "anti-pork."
She is solidly Republican: no political maverick. The State party leaders hate her because she has bit them in the back and humiliated them. Other members of the party object to her self-description as a fiscal conservative.
Around Wasilla there are people who went to high school with Sarah. They call her "Sarah Barracuda" because of her unbridled ambition and predatory ruthlessness. Before she became so powerful, very ugly stories circulated around town about shenanigans she pulled to be made point guard on the high school basketball team. When Sarah's mother-in-law, a highly respected member of the community and experienced manager, ran for Mayor, Sarah refused to endorse her.
As Governor, she stepped outside of the box and put together of package of legislation known as "AGIA" that forced the oil companies to march to the beat of her drum.
Like most Alaskans, she favors drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. She has questioned if the loss of sea ice is linked to global warming. She campaigned "as a private citizen" against a state initiaitive that would have either a) protected salmon streams from pollution from mines, or b) tied up in the courts all mining in the state (depending on who you listen to). She has pushed the State’s lawsuit against the Dept. of the Interior's decision to list polar bears as threatened species.
McCain is the oldest person to ever run for President; Sarah will be a heartbeat away from being President.
There has to be literally millions of Americans who are more knowledgeable and experienced than she.
However, there's a lot of people who have underestimated her and are regretting it.
CLAIM VS FACT o "Hockey mom": true for a few years
o "PTA mom": true years ago when her first-born was in elementary school, not since
p "NRA supporter": absolutely true
o social conservative: mixed. Opposes gay marriage, BUT vetoed a bill that would have denied benefits to employees in same-sex relationships (said she did this because it was unconsitutional).
o pro-creationism: mixed. Supports it, BUT did nothing as Governor to promote it.
o "Pro-life": mixed. Knowingly gave birth to a Down's syndrome baby BUT declined to call a special legislative session on some pro-life legislation.
o "Experienced": Some high schools have more students than Wasilla has residents. Many cities have more residents than the state of Alaska.
No legislative experience other than City Council. Little hands-on supervisory or managerial experience; needed help of a city administrator to run town of about 5,000.
o political maverick: not at all
o gutsy: absolutely!
o open & transparent: ??? Good at keeping secrets. Not good at explaining actions.
o has a developed philosophy of public policy: no
o "a Greenie": no. Turned Wasilla into a wasteland of big box stores and disconnected parking lots. Is pro-drilling off-shore and in ANWR.
o fiscal conservative: not by my definition!
o pro-infrastructure: No. Promoted a sports complex and park in a city without a sewage treatment plant or storm drainage system. Built streets to early 20th century standards.
o pro-tax relief: Lowered taxes for businesses, increased tax burden on residents.
o pro-small government: No. Oversaw greatest expansion of city government in Wasilla’s history.
o pro-labor/pro-union. No. Just because her husband works union doesn't make her pro-labor. I have seen nothing to support any claim that she is pro-labor/pro-union.
WHY AM I WRITING THIS?
First, I have long believed in the importance of being an informed voter. I am a voter registrar. For 10 years I put on student voting programs in the schools. If you google my name (Anne Kilkenny + Alaska), you will find references to my participation in local government, education, and PTA/parent organizations.
Secondly, I've always operated in the belief that "Bad things happen when good people stay silent". Few people know as much as I do because few have gone to as many City Council meetings.
Third, I am just a housewife. I don't have a job she can bump me out of. I don't belong to any organization that she can hurt. But, I am no fool; she is immensely popular here, and it is likely that this will cost me somehow in the future: that’s life.
Fourth, she has hated me since back in 1996, when I was one of the 100 or so people who rallied to support the City Librarian against Sarah's attempt at censorship.
Fifth, I looked around and realized that everybody else was afraid to say anything because they were somehow vulnerable.
CAVEATS
I am not a statistician. I developed the numbers for the increase in spending & taxation 2 years ago (when Palin was running for Governor) from information supplied to me by the Finance Director of the City of Wasilla, and I can't recall exactly what I adjusted for: did I adjust for inflation? for population increases? Right now, it is impossible for a private person to get any info out of City Hall — they are swamped. So I can't verify my numbers.
You may have noticed that there are various numbers circulating for the population of Wasilla, ranging from my "about 5,000", up to 9,000. The day Palin’s selection was announced a city official told me that the current population is about 7,000. The official 2000 census count was 5,460. I have used about 5,000 because Palin was Mayor from 1996 to 2002, and the city was growing rapidly in the mid-90’s.
Anne Kilkenny
August 31, 2008
Origins: Of all the articles (both positive and negative) about Alaska governor Sarah Palin that began circulating via e-mail forward in the immediate aftermath of her selection as the 2008 Republican vice-presidential candidate, the one reproduced above was the one that by far garnered the most attention. It purportedly offers a viewpoint of the candidate written by a resident of Wasilla, Alaska (the town where Sarah Palin served as mayor).
The article was indeed written, as claimed, by a Wasilla resident named Anne Kilkenny, who says she has known Sarah Palin since 1992:
Recently, we received a note about the Web post, "Letter from Anne Kilkenny," about Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, the Republican vice presidential nominee. We thought for sure it was not really, "a resident of Wasilla, Alaska"
who has known Palin since 1992 as the post claims.
So, we checked it out. Kilkenny does exist, and she does live in Alaska. We reached her by phone and asked if she wrote the rather long note that calls Palin "smart" but also questions her abilities.
We asked Kilkenny, "Did you write that letter?" She replied skeptically, "Well, I don't know. Read me parts of it. I'll tell you if it's mine or not."
After we read it to her, she said, "Yes, I wrote that." She sent it out to 40 people, brothers, sisters and friends, on Sunday — two days after U.S. Sen. John McCain announced Palin as his choice. On Wednesday, if you enter Kilkenny and Palin's names on Google, about 200 sites refer to this letter.
Why did she do it? Kilkenny told The Daily Journal she wanted to offer people information and her experiences. She does not flatter Palin, but she said she did vote for Palin when she ran for city council.
"How affirming it has been," she said. "I am pleased to know how idealistic Americans are. They want information not just the politics of destruction."
Last updated: 5 September 2008
The URL for this page is http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/kilkenny.asp
Urban Legends Reference Pages © 1995-2008 by snopes.com.
This material may not be reproduced without permission.
snopes and the snopes.com logo are registered service marks of snopes.com.
Sources Sources:
Schultz, Susy. "Alaska Resident Writes About VP Nominee Palin."
The [Illinois] Daily Journal. 4 September 2008.
White, Rindi. "Palin Asked Wasilla Librarian About Censoring Books."
Anchorage Daily News. 4 September 2008.
The Nation. " The Word from Wasilla."
4 September 2008.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Long time no
I have been spending so much time on Ravelry that my wordiness here has suffered. Also, I have been working so much that its all I can do to catch up with stuff on my days off. Gone are the days when I really had nothing better to do than sit here and write my thoughts for everybody to see.
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Clothes that fit
I have been listening to podcasts (0n the computer) of a "Missus Smarty Pants" who advises mature women about clothes, style, just generally looking your best at any weight, and she keeps stressing that a well-fitting bra makes a huge difference in how you look and feel, and most women are now wearing a bra too small for them.
That did definitely apply to me. I keep thinking that I will lose lots of weight and these big boobs will go away. But guess what, it ain't happening. Yes I am exercising, and yes, my weight is rearranging itself, but no, I have only lost 10 pounds and can't seem to budge another ounce.
I had some time in town last night so I went to Kohl's and tried on bras. I actually chose Kohl's because the salespeople there will help you if you want, but they aren't insistent about it, like Penney's or the Bali outlet store.
I must have tried on 50 different bras. The salesgirl did help me find sizes, and she was able to suggest different styles (cause the style makes a big difference too), and the one that fit perfectly is an underwire 38DD. That's right, Double D!!. I was surprised.
But guess what, these boobs are up in front of me again instead of trying to head for my waistband and I actually look less fat and I FEEL like I look a lot better.
So I bought 4 identical bras except for color and took my 10 38C bras out of the drawer and into the Goodwill bag first thing this morning.
I think my clothes will fit better too.
Duh.
"Wake Up & Smell The Rebate - Don't Buy It - www.SimpleLiving.net".
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Outside my back gate
This little cactus still has 4 more blooms to open in the next few days. Each bloom lasts only one night/morning and this is probably the most I have even seen open at once.
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Another rejection
I got another email from West Valley Hospital that the position has been filled. This for the day shift as a Financial Counselor. I would have been interviewed by the same people, so I guess they just didn't like me. Disappointing, especially since I am over-qualified for any other position that I can apply for there, and they will use THAT as a reason not to hire me. I wonder what I did wrong.
Podcasts
I have just been going crazy listening to podcasts since I discovered downloading them to my computer and listening whenever I am home alone. I listen to Flylady and all her friends; I listen to Jonathan Roche for moral support on exercising; I listen to several knitting podcasts, several environmental ones, and just today I discovered a couple of quilting podcasts. A whole new world.
It has definitely cut into my NPR listening time though. I only get to listen to the radio when I am home alone anyway, so with the podcasts taking up that time I only hear news when I am in the car-again, alone.
It has definitely cut into my NPR listening time though. I only get to listen to the radio when I am home alone anyway, so with the podcasts taking up that time I only hear news when I am in the car-again, alone.
Multi-tasking, NOT
I never was that coordinated, although I didn't really know it until I married Bill and he of course had to tell me over and over until it had obviously penetrated. Lots of things I never knew until he told me, but that is the subject for another entry.
Since I had started doing my Interval Training walks I have realized that I can barely walk and even THINK at the same time anymore. If I get to thinking too much, I fall down. I can partially blame this on the condition of my walking routes(very up and down), and partially on the fibromyalgia (causes increased incoordination), and partially on advancing age. But hell, it doesn't matter WHAT I can blame it on; it is very annoying to have to keep your mind on your feet in order to stay upright.
I have always complained about Bill refusing to keep walking while he talks, since that makes walks with him very, very slow (he talks a lot), and said jokingly that it was because he isn't very good at multi-tasking. But gosh, I didn't REALLY think that walking and talking at the same time IS multi-tasking. I guess I do now, especially since I realize that, for me at least, walking and thinking are multi-tasking.
This makes it even more important that I continue to exercise and lose weight, as I would be much less likely to get hurt if I fall down at a lighter weight.
Since I had started doing my Interval Training walks I have realized that I can barely walk and even THINK at the same time anymore. If I get to thinking too much, I fall down. I can partially blame this on the condition of my walking routes(very up and down), and partially on the fibromyalgia (causes increased incoordination), and partially on advancing age. But hell, it doesn't matter WHAT I can blame it on; it is very annoying to have to keep your mind on your feet in order to stay upright.
I have always complained about Bill refusing to keep walking while he talks, since that makes walks with him very, very slow (he talks a lot), and said jokingly that it was because he isn't very good at multi-tasking. But gosh, I didn't REALLY think that walking and talking at the same time IS multi-tasking. I guess I do now, especially since I realize that, for me at least, walking and thinking are multi-tasking.
This makes it even more important that I continue to exercise and lose weight, as I would be much less likely to get hurt if I fall down at a lighter weight.
Friday, April 04, 2008
Poor Robin
Poor little Robin has become incontinent on her latest round of prednisone for her eye inflammation. I phoned the eye vet to see if there is anything else she can take instead, but the vet said to go ahead and take her off of the pred and bring her in on the 16th as planned. I read about a drug called Medrol in the Pet Allergies book but I didn't mention it to the vet, as I want to investigate it myself first.
It did take us a few days to determine what was causing the incontinence, as we sponged Robin off and then dried her butt several times a day. We never said she was bad or anything; it was obvious she was leaking, and she continued to go potty outside like normal, but she was still sad and embarrassed about her wet butt. I only made her wear the underpants for a short time because they only kept the wetness against her. The floor wetness is easily mopped; I bless these brick floors constantly. I can't imagine why anybody would ever have carpeting.
Friday, March 28, 2008
NOT
I didn't get the job. They sent me an email that the position has been filled. I went and looked at the website, and they still have 2 day positions open, but no swing or the one I wanted. Darn.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
AJ in AZ March socks
Here are a pair I made from leftover sock yarns, carrying them around in my purse to work on at odd moments. 2 on 2 circs, and I just worked from both ends of each little ball of yarn until it was gone. Its a simple generic rib pattern, so I didn't have to carry an instruction sheet with me too.
http://luvkuku.blogspot.com/
http://luvkukukitty.etsy.com/
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Full-time work
I applied for a position in the admitting department at a local hospital, and had an interview a couple of days ago. When I filled out the online application, I somehow had the idea that I was applying for a 32-hour position, but research since then shows that the 32 hours was at a different hospital, and that one didn't call me for an interview. Anyway, I didn't think I was prepared to work a 40 hour week yet, or even ever. After all, my COBRA insurance doesn't run out for nearly a year.
But guess what, I was really impressed with the people, the place, and the job I was interviewed for. And ONE position has the most ideal hours I can imagine to ease me back into the full-time world. The hours of 11 AM to 7:30 PM would be just about ideal. You have the mornings pretty free, especially in the summer when we get up extra early, and you get off early enough to go to bed at a reasonable hour. I want that job, but the director says one of the persons already there is considering it. SHe works swing now and may want to transfer. The director asked if I would work swing full-time, and I said no, I didn't think we would love each other on that shift. So it mostly hinges on that other person, because I think the interview went extremely well. They have peer interviewing, which is SUCH a good idea. It prevents the situation of immediate hatred by one or more co-workers when you get hired, and seems like it would really ramp up everyone's interest in peaceful co-existence.
I did just start another block clerk job on Thursday, at the auto auction where DH used to work, and it was fun. 2 days at one and 1 day at another is ideal working days, but neither of them are likely to ever evolve into something with benefits. With 10 more years before I qualify for Medicare, I want something that I can count on supporting me.
ANd the money at the hospital job will be very good. 15 years experience in health care jobs, even though it ended 8 years ago, would get me a nice wage. I hope I am chosen.
But guess what, I was really impressed with the people, the place, and the job I was interviewed for. And ONE position has the most ideal hours I can imagine to ease me back into the full-time world. The hours of 11 AM to 7:30 PM would be just about ideal. You have the mornings pretty free, especially in the summer when we get up extra early, and you get off early enough to go to bed at a reasonable hour. I want that job, but the director says one of the persons already there is considering it. SHe works swing now and may want to transfer. The director asked if I would work swing full-time, and I said no, I didn't think we would love each other on that shift. So it mostly hinges on that other person, because I think the interview went extremely well. They have peer interviewing, which is SUCH a good idea. It prevents the situation of immediate hatred by one or more co-workers when you get hired, and seems like it would really ramp up everyone's interest in peaceful co-existence.
I did just start another block clerk job on Thursday, at the auto auction where DH used to work, and it was fun. 2 days at one and 1 day at another is ideal working days, but neither of them are likely to ever evolve into something with benefits. With 10 more years before I qualify for Medicare, I want something that I can count on supporting me.
ANd the money at the hospital job will be very good. 15 years experience in health care jobs, even though it ended 8 years ago, would get me a nice wage. I hope I am chosen.
Sunday, March 09, 2008
Long time no write
The same excuse applies as always, I've been busy. So has everybody else, but it doesn't stop YOU from writing, does it.
The job is still lots of fun but it is beginning to look like I will have to go get a real job and make some real money soon. Actually, people are leaving the auction in droves as it becomes increasingly clear that raises are not forthcoming, even to the people who have been there since Day 1, in December of 2006.
I've only been there 6 months, but am beginning to look around and fill out some applications elsewhere. I can keep my COBRA insurance till the end of this year, so I COULD take another part-time job somewhere, but would do better to get a 32 hour job at one of the hospitals within driving distance so I can have benefits and make enough money to pay for those benefits and still pay my bills. That is not happening at the auto auction.
Sale day gets me $100 flat fee but the other days are a miserable, miserly $7.25 per hour. I even put in an application at the auction where Bill used to work, as they at least get yearly raises. I don't know how eager they will be to hire me, though. Kellie says she has openings, but she is afraid to fill them. With things slowing down so much, she doesn't want to have to lay off the people she last hired, but they do need people on their sale day. I may end up working on sale day at 2 auctions, for a while anyway.
Don't get me wrong, we are doing OK; I just want a bit more reward for my efforts.
The weather is wonderful lately. We got enough rain early this year to green everything up, and we may even get wolfberries on the lyceum bushes this year, for the first time since 2003. Its already getting hot, though still quite chilly at night.
My baby chicks are 3 weeks old today and we keep the heat lamp on at night for them. They are healthy and happy, and the hens are all starting to increase the number of eggs they lay, so I have plenty of eggs to sell, even at $4 per dozen. I tried to stop selling them to the gals in my dentist's office, but they wouldn't have it. So I increased the price by $1 per dozen to make it worth my while to go up there, and we made some other arrangements for when I have to work late every time I come to town.
Sam doesn't show any Valley Fever symptoms, and it is only one more month till we do a blood titer. It would be wonderful if he could discontinue medication then, but we won't push it. At least he gets treated by the local vet and the cost is reasonable. Robin has had to go to the canine ophthalmologist again, and sure enough, she has a staph infection in her eyes. Poor baby also has corneal dystocia, which is calcium or cholesterol deposits on her eyes. We have put them both on a grain-free diet, and they feel great with less poop, and Robin doesn't itch so much. I am not giving her an antihistamine anymore, but that is because she is on prednisone for the eyes. We'll see how it goes when she is off the pred.
The darn assessor jacked up our Full Cash Value from $150k to over $400k for 2009. This is in a period when 94% of people had their FCVs lowered. I guess the assessor needed to make it up with us!! Anyway, we have engaged a property tax professional to try and get it lowered. We don't pay unless he succeeds, so all we can do now is wait and hope. We can't freeze the value for 3 more years, when Bill turns 65.
Love, AJ
"Wake Up & Smell The Rebate - Don't Buy It - www.SimpleLiving.net".
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Thursday, February 14, 2008
February Socks
Here are my boring boring February socks, but those are the only kind my DH likes. The pattern is from the Nancy Bush book, Knitting Vintage Socks, and it is called the Madder Rib. I forget what kind of yarn, but I did 2 on 2 circs, sz 1 US.
Amazing Aussie temperaments
I was reminded again this morning of what wonderful temperaments our Aussies have. My toy girl, Robin, stepped on a branch of pencil cactus (the kind with needles for thorns) brought in by the wind last night, and she stopped, just like that. She is used to stepping on cactus periodically and she usually just waits with her foot up until somebody comes to pull it out.
Well, this one was bigger and deeper than ever before. She began to cry when I pulled off the big piece, but didn't try to get away or bite me, just cried. I thought that was it, so I walked away. She stayed still, with her paw up, so I went back and found another long thorn deeply in her pad. I pulled it out and it began to bleed. Again I walked away but she didn't. One more time, and there was a long white thorn hidden in her hairy cannon bone (I forget what its called on dogs) She wanted to get away but didn't, although she did cry while I got hold of it. I wanted to cry too. As soon as I got that one out, she began to bounce around and lick me like I was the one hurt. Gosh, I do love that dog!
"Wake Up & Smell The Rebate - Don't Buy It - www.SimpleLiving.net".
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Quilting in the Desert
I attended 2 classes at QID in the last week. It is held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel and the classes are at Ottawa University, very handy to I-17 for commuters. Thursday I sewed at Sue Nickels class, Stitched Raw Edge Applique, and practiced her machine applique method. I think I will be using this method most of the time from now on, and Sue is a great teacher and a very nice person too. My block is less than 1/4 stitched, but I did finish the fusing on Friday and will stitch it as soon as I finish the hearts I have at the machine now.
Then on Saturday I attended Cristy Finchers class Suzie-Q, which is a large black-eyed susan using Sharon Schamber's(Cristy's mother)Piece-lique method. It is fiddly, for sure, but worth it if you are making something one-of-a-kind. I sure wouldn't want to do it if I was making 100 blocks! But look at what I made! DH asked what I am going to do with it, but I have no idea. Its enough right now to hang it up until I am ready to stitch it. It is just all glued together right now, as I somehow managed to lose my sewing machine power cord between Thursday and Saturday.
When I unpacked on Saturday, I just figured I had left it at home since I had to unpack and repack before the Sat class, but looked when I got home last night and its not here either. I must have left it Thursday at the first class. I will email Audrey to see if anybody turned it it, but I don't have much hope of getting it back. It shouldn't be too hard to find another (famous last words), but darn I hate losing stuff that way.
Sunday, January 13, 2008
No surprise here. Try it yourself at home.
| You are a Hippie |
 You are a total hippie. While you may not wear birks or smell of incense, you have the soul of a hippie. You don't trust authority, and you do as you please. You're willing to take a stand, even when what you believe isn't popular. You like to experiment with ideas, lifestyles, and different subcultures. You always gravitate toward what's radical and subversive. Normal, mainstream culture doesn't really resonate with you. |
January socks
I really need to get a pair of sock blockers. These look very different on. I started with a published free pattern, then switched to a ribbing pattern because I wanted to work on these socks at work and can't be looking at a pattern all the time. The yarn is Tofutsies, from a Sock Club offering several months back, and I used HiyaHiya sx00 circs, 2 socks on 2 circs. I love the Tofutsies yarn and the yardage is incredible. I probably have enough left for 2/3 of another pair.
http://luvkuku.blogspot.com/
http://luvkukukitty.etsy.com/
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Take this quiz
| You Are 80% Creative |
 You are beyond creative. You are a true artist - even if it's not in the conventional sense of the word. You love creating for its own sake, and you find yourself quite inspired at times. |
Monday, January 07, 2008
Nasty cold
I am off from work today for my first ever sick day. I could probably have gone, but just don't think I should be riding around in the bus coughing and sneezing to make everyone else sick. After all, that is the way I got it and it pisses me off. I haven't had a real bad cold for several years, and it has surely been because I have stayed out of crowds in cold season, actually pretty much anytime. But those days are gone, as I have to earn money and good part-time jobs are hard to find.
Its raining off and on all day today also, and I can just imagine what the freeways are like, so I'm glad to be home.
Sunday, January 06, 2008
Thank you!
Why have people stopped saying "Thank you" to each other? I'm not just talking about people who don't know any better. I'm talking about people who WERE brought up to write thank you notes or at least make a phone call when they receive a gift. Its gotten to where we are even grateful for the occasional email that casually refers to the gift, as that is the best we will ever get.
I rant about this periodically as I have found it to be the case even in my own family. I can't pretend that it is only strangers that completely ignore what we oldsters regard as the common courtesies.
Why do I bring this up now? My MIL and I were talking just before Christmas, and she asked me what she could do about not receiving any thank yous or even acknowledgements of some very "nice" birthday checks she had sent to one of her grandchildren and his wife. I (not flippantly at all, but wearily) said that she would probably just have to get used to it. My solution has been to stop sending gifts rather than fret over whether the giftee even received the item. If I have to know, I send a stamped self-addressed postcard in the package saying that it arrived safely. Actually, that has gotten me some thank you emails for later gifts. DH was horrified when I told him I had done that, but then he wasn't the one getting gut-aches from fretting about it. My own niece has never even acknowledged her wedding gift, a quilt I designed and made myself in her wedding colors, although her mother said she liked it.
Excuse, everybody's busy. Sure they are, but so is everybody else, and so has everybody always been busy. People choose not to observe the courtesies or they choose to, no excuses.
I jumped all over one of my SILs because her kids graduated from high school before I even saw an example of their handwriting (as in a thank you note), but she was unapologetic. She says she just does it for them, and that they will send a note if they REALLY like the gift. And its true, they both did send notes for their graduation quilts. But she doesn't seem to care that they have not developed any foundation for thanking. Perhaps these values are obsolete; my DH says they are.
I don't even give handmade gifts to most people anymore, as they are not valued. If they were valued, surely they would thank the maker. I would love to knit socks for my grandchildren, but I have never ever heard from anyone that such gifts are wanted or appreciated. I doubt if they even know such a thing as writing a thank you note exists.
I'd better quit. Just getting myself all depressed. I'll pet the dogs. THEY are lovingly grateful for even a pat on the head, and feeding them calls for paroxysms of joy. That'll do.
Desert Dog
Imagine if you will, my 13 pound Robin trying to keep all her feet off the wet ground and still go pee. DH came indoors laughing hysterically after taking her out. The only reason she consented to go out at ALL is that it was raining last night, so she hadn't gone since yesterday afternoon. When you make her go out when its wet, she stands on the stoop rug and waits and waits, picking up each foot in turn to try and keep it dry, until you and Sam come back and you can all go inside.
Sunday, December 30, 2007
Lazy day, NOT
I seem to end up working at something nonstop whenever I am home alone now, instead of being able to take some time to just laze around and enjoy being alone. I know why; its because I get so far behind with Bill home so much. I don't know why he can't schedule his days to visit his girlfriend on days I am home instead of going there on the same days I work at the auction. It is irritating, although I suppose I should be touched that he wants to spend the time with me. The problem is that he feels my time is his to dispose of but his time is also his. So I never get to do anything I want to do, and especially on the computer or sewing machine. He thinks it is his duty to keep me from spending too much time in the studio, and he thinks more than an hour per day is too much time. So, I have many other things to do today and I'd better go do them.
Robin is doing pretty well. THe vet says she does have a nice deep groove on her patella, so the trick is to put it back whenever it does out, and give her RImadyl to control inflammation. It does seem to work, and hopefully she will outgrow the slipping patella. Anyway, its not near bad enough to require surgery, yet.
Robin is doing pretty well. THe vet says she does have a nice deep groove on her patella, so the trick is to put it back whenever it does out, and give her RImadyl to control inflammation. It does seem to work, and hopefully she will outgrow the slipping patella. Anyway, its not near bad enough to require surgery, yet.
Sunday, December 23, 2007
CIC Christmas vests
And here are the 3 vests. SO, correction, total is 17 pairs of socks and 3 vests instead of 18 socks and 2 vests. Pretty good, huh?
Christmas CIC socks
I didn't knit all 11 pair of these in December, but I did most of them. I also knitted 9 other pair and 2 vests and sent the whole she-bang to Children in Common in the names of my loved ones. Some, like my MIL, do no charity work at all, and others, like my DM, do other charity things but cannot knit, and others like my sis and nieces are just so busy that they end up giving money instead of time. THat's what I used to do, but my circumstances have changed, and now I have more time than money. And I really love knitting socks for kids that really need them.AJ in AZ
http://luvkuku.blogspot.com/
http://luvkukukitty.etsy.com/
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Etsy sales
Today I sold 3 bags to the same person from my Etsy store, so I am mailing them Priority in the morning. That really helps me; the deposit will help me pay my credit card payments. I was worried, as my work has begun to figure the way they pay for auction day differently, and I am making about $100 less per week than I was making before. I may have to add another day to my workweek unless I get an end of year substantial raise.
We went to the Lakeside Farmers Market at Estrella Mountain Ranch yesterday, but there was really only a couple of farmers selling produce there. Most of the booths were crafters and artisans. DH and I actually discussed selling my quilts and felted bags there, but once I started talking to the people who run the place, pretty much decided it would be too much trouble. You have to have an Az state tax license and a million-dollar liability insurance policy in place before they will even discuss letting you rent a space.
It would begin to be too much like a real business then, as I would have to sell a lot, and spend most of my time making more salable stuff to justify the expense, never mind how cheap the actual booth rent is. For now I will just stick with Etsy. Its not steady at all, but should build as more and more people get disgusted with ebay's expense and plethora of sub-standard goods. Etsy only lets you sell handmade stuff and has a reporting function if you think someone is trying to turn it into a little ebay and resell cheap goods from elsewhere.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Ranting, again
I have thought of a long blog entry every day this week, but unfortunately they always turn into rants about DH, no matter what subject I started with. There are a lot of things I need to get off my chest, though, so I will have to just start writing. I can't really call up somebody and tell them all these things; who would be interested anyway? And I can't afford marriage counselling, and he refuses to go there with me anyway. He won't even agree to go visit a friend who is a psychologist because he doesn't want to hear that anything he chooses to do might be wrong. Like having his girlfriend (who he doesn't even have the sensitivity to keep a secret, but instead goes with openly and TELLS me where they go and what they do(no sex, thank goodness)), and like complaining that I don't talk to him anymore, but jumps all over me for absolutely any comment I make, or like telling me I can't give HIS dog any training because he doesn't want me ruining him, then deciding that I need to put MY dog to sleep because of her health issues. See, it all gets out of hand very quickly.
Don't forget, I am only allowed to use the computer when he isn't here, and actually I can't spend more than a half hour in my studio sewing either, when he's here, and I have to give him more than half of my paycheck to run this place, but somehow I have to come up with the money for extra groceries, and vet bills, and etc, etc, but heaven forbid I should work on anything that can make me some money when he's here. He went ballistic last week because I drove down to the mailbox to mail out a package containing a felted bag that I sold on Etsy. I drive too much according to him, while he drives to North Phoenix to visit his girlfriend 3 or 4 days a week.
I have to take RObin to the vet to have her hips x-rayed now, and I'll have to pay with my secret credit card, because I am forbidden to use his cards, and I have to give him the money from my paycheck that I could pay it with, and I have orders from him to take her to be x-rayed NOW. I doubt that he cares if she is in pain; he just wants a vet quote to surgery on her to use for ammunition when he rants about putting her down. There I go bawling again; I'd better close. I will write how the vet visit goes.
Don't forget, I am only allowed to use the computer when he isn't here, and actually I can't spend more than a half hour in my studio sewing either, when he's here, and I have to give him more than half of my paycheck to run this place, but somehow I have to come up with the money for extra groceries, and vet bills, and etc, etc, but heaven forbid I should work on anything that can make me some money when he's here. He went ballistic last week because I drove down to the mailbox to mail out a package containing a felted bag that I sold on Etsy. I drive too much according to him, while he drives to North Phoenix to visit his girlfriend 3 or 4 days a week.
I have to take RObin to the vet to have her hips x-rayed now, and I'll have to pay with my secret credit card, because I am forbidden to use his cards, and I have to give him the money from my paycheck that I could pay it with, and I have orders from him to take her to be x-rayed NOW. I doubt that he cares if she is in pain; he just wants a vet quote to surgery on her to use for ammunition when he rants about putting her down. There I go bawling again; I'd better close. I will write how the vet visit goes.
Sunday, December 02, 2007
Dogs and exercise
I was thinking this morning while taking the 1st of the daily several long walks with Robin and Sammy that its no wonder so many Aussies end up in shelters and pounds. Novices may THINK they know what it means to have a high-energy herding breed, but reality is always a surprise. We knew what we were getting into with these 2, as we had regular Aussies back in the 1980's, before the show breeders made them so huge. THe miniatures now are just a little smaller than the original Australian Shepherds I remember from the early 1960's in eastern Colorado. THe toys are sheer indulgence. THeoretically a toy should require less exercise, so a city dweller could manage one successfully. I think that anybody contemplating getting ANY Aussie should realize though that they will NEVER get too much exercise, no matter the size, and will rarely think they have enough. ANd that will only last a few hours.
We have 20 acres that is all up and down, so can just go for walks several times a day. ANd it is still a pain sometimes, but worth it. THey are still wonderful dogs and add so much to my/our quality of life.
We have 20 acres that is all up and down, so can just go for walks several times a day. ANd it is still a pain sometimes, but worth it. THey are still wonderful dogs and add so much to my/our quality of life.
ATVs in the desert
With the wonderful damp ground out there from Fridays all day rain, the ATVers were out in force yesterday, and they are again today. I guess the opportunity to tear up the desert oven worse than usual has them all excited. THey can make new marks everywhere they go, and then SEE where they have been.
I hate them. There are marks on our land that look as if made yesterday that I know for a fact are at least 100 years old, since we are only the third owner since the original homesteader. They didn't know any better then, but any fool ought to be able to understand that there won't be any NEW ground once all the old ground has its original covering destroyed. Here in the desert, things never grow back; not in human lifetimes anyway.
I hate them. There are marks on our land that look as if made yesterday that I know for a fact are at least 100 years old, since we are only the third owner since the original homesteader. They didn't know any better then, but any fool ought to be able to understand that there won't be any NEW ground once all the old ground has its original covering destroyed. Here in the desert, things never grow back; not in human lifetimes anyway.
Saturday, December 01, 2007
Rain, finally
It rained nearly all day yesterday and late into the night. We lost our power from around 4-6 and then again from 7-9, so lit the oil lamps and candles while we listened to it rain. I love rain.
Miss RObin the Princess is nearly a year old, and has never really been rained on before, so she was determined not to go out until it stopped. Even when I carried her out and halfway up the hill, she just hunched up and held up a paw and refused to move. It got fairly irritating after a while, and she did finally pee, but managed to keep from number 2 until this morning after the rain stopped. Sam has never been rained on before either, but like everything else, he took it as an opportunity for enjoyment and had a great time splashing around. They are SO different.
Miss RObin the Princess is nearly a year old, and has never really been rained on before, so she was determined not to go out until it stopped. Even when I carried her out and halfway up the hill, she just hunched up and held up a paw and refused to move. It got fairly irritating after a while, and she did finally pee, but managed to keep from number 2 until this morning after the rain stopped. Sam has never been rained on before either, but like everything else, he took it as an opportunity for enjoyment and had a great time splashing around. They are SO different.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
More about Mystery Quilt
I believe that I will applique little chicken shapes on the light-colored center of the quilt top, just as soon as I find the book with chicken appliques in it. Then I will save the whole thing until I find the right person for it. It barely made a dent on my chicken fabrics, so there are plenty more where that came from.
One day Mystery QUilt
I made this quilt top last Sunday as a one day mystery with Planet Patchwork and about 3000 other quilters around the world. It was meant to be 5-fabric quilt but I only had enough of one fabric, the lime print, so just scrapped the others, using a fabric until it ran out and then adding another of a similar value. It was great fun, but I was unable to use the chat at the same time as the directions on my dial-up.
I set up my Qwest Broadband this morning and already am totally in love with it. Imagine not having to sit forever, over and over, waiting for pages to load. And now I can even download .pdf files instantly. THere were lots of web pages I couldn't get to load at all with dial-up, so I am drunk with surfing the internet. ANd the phone rang and I answered it while I am online. I love it.
Sunday, November 04, 2007
Valley Fever
It was officially confirmed on October 26 that Sammy has Valley Fever. Its a relief in some ways, as he was getting sicker on the antibiotics that the vet started him on, thinking he had a bad bacterial pneumonia. FIrst he kept vomitting teribly with the generic Keflex, and then he just got worse with the Baytril and Centrine. Bill drove to Youngtown to get the itraconazole last Saturday rather than wait for it to be sent out, and I have been giving it twice a day since. He doesn't have much appetite, but is always happy to accept a treat from your hand, and that makes it soooo much easier. Robin, on the other hand, has to have an antihistamine pill every day, and you just cannot fool her into taking it in a treat. She spits everything out and thoroughly inspects it before eating it tiny piece by tiny piece, so I just have to put them down her throat and then follow with a treat for allowing me to do it without struggling. Sammy struggles at anything of the sort , so we are doubly glad he takes the pills.
The disease seems to go something like tuberculosis, or lots of other chronic diseases, as he feels better and worse depending on many things. Sometimes he acts almost normal, and other times the coughing just tears your heart out. At least he isn't vomiting anymore.
The poor dog is only 7 months old, and before he got sick, was just a bundle of lovable joy with tons of energy. He used to run Robin ragged, to where she would start trying to discipline him for real, to make him leave her alone. Now she is just bouncing off the walls and wants him to play with HER so bad. I end up taking many extra trips up the hill and around the property with her to burn off energy, and leave him in the house. He does want to walk with us morning and night, but doesn't range very far out.
The vet and the websites say 6-9-12 months of meds to be cured, if that can be done. Sometimes it can't be done, but we have high hopes for him, since we caught it so quickly. THe medicine isn't near as expensive as I was led to think by other people who had dogs with Valley Fever, only $28.80 for a month's supply at this dosage. We'll have to see if it is helping at his next appointment for blood work in a month.
AJ
Nobody can see me.
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AJ Wischmeyer, Quiltmaker
Sunday, October 21, 2007
a picture for you
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AJ Wischmeyer, Quiltmaker
Friday, October 19, 2007
Thank you
We both thank you so much for the birthday coffee and tea. We are happily drinking away, morning and evening. I apologize for the delay in sending this thank you; I was supposed to get wireless service this week and have been holding off on lots of things for that reason. It wasn't meant to be yet, though.
Larry the wireless guy came a day late, yesterday, and could only get an intermittent signal from one tower, west of Buckeye, and even though the one at Broadway and Jackrabbit got a strong steady signal, it was even slower than dial-up. And I am NOT going to pay $41 a month for slower-than-dial up service. I only pay $10 a month now for Earthlink.
Avantek will followup and let me know when they get the other tower going fast and Larry can come back and hook it up then. Bill still talks mean about it, but I think he is resigned to the fact that this is YET ANOTHER thing I am going to do whether he likes it or not.
Love, AJ
AJ Wischmeyer, Quiltmaker
October Socks
These socks are from Knitting Vintage Socks, and are the Yarrow Rib pattern. I used 60 stitches and size 1 US , 2 circular needles and knitted them both at the same time. The yarn is a merino and tencel combination which I cannot remember where I bought (the tag is long gone), and is lusciously soft and yummy. I can't wait to wear them. I knitted them at work, all except the toes, and riding in the van or waiting to leave again. So several people from there want to see me wear them too. There has been quite a bit of curiosity about just "why" anybody would want to knit or wear handmade socks, but a lot of agreement that they sure are pretty.
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Bill's birthday
The package of cookies came last Wednesday, and I picked them up at the post office in Buckeye on Thursday. Yum, we are still eating them and loving every bite. Bill's favorite is always chocolate chip, but I really love the lemon ones. I get all of those, as he doesn't like lemon. Too bad, haha. THanks so much on his behalf. His own mother sends a card but doesn't even write anything, and she is the only family member he ever hears from.
I am sure your surgery will go well and happy that you will feel so much better. I know how much harder it is to try and take care of everything through pain, and so discouraging when you think there will be no end to it. I am so happy that the doctor can help you that way. Is Dad any good at all for doing anything?
I am riding in a van every Monday without panic attacks, and even rode to Tempe in the front passenger seat once last week, so eventually I will be able to come visit. Next summer for sure.
My auctioneer from Calhan will be my regular one, at his request. He said after my second time last Tuesday that "You'll be the best there ever was in another week!", so I am doing very well. Its not hard, just important to do it right the first time every time, and do it quickly, and never stop until there are no more cars. We run around 150 through our lane each Tuesday, and will continue to grow. THis auction has only been open since January, so there are no historical numbers yet.
Bill got fired on THursday, after 9.5 years at the Greater Auto Auction. It was a put-up job, as there have been severe management changes since the general manager died, and the manager over Bill's department is getting rid of everybody that ever has an original thought, and you know that Bill doesn't hide his feelings well. Anyway, they said that he refused to let a fat guy ride in his van and actually said that the guy was too fat. This is bullshit, as Bill is not stupid. He says that the fat guy(who he didn't know) approached him to go on a run, but Bill already had a full van for the run, and he told the guy that he should wait for a big van (Bill drives a small one). Nobody else was close enough to hear anything, but the fat guy went to the manager and wrote it up. Bill was asked to write it up, then they fired him, as it was his word against the other guy, and the management chose to believe the fat guy.
I am still in total shock and worry, but I shouldn't be. Bill is really quite relieved, as he hasn't been happy there since the management changes and was only staying for the health insurance for me. If he had quit, we would now be uninsured, but since he was fired, we can COBRA the health insurance for a minimum of 18 months. That will give us time to decide what to do, and now he can get his social security starting in January. He has already made too much this year to get it right away, and if he continued to make what he was making at Greater, he wouldn't have been able to get any SS checks before April. SO he is happy and relaxed and ready to stay home and chop wood for a while.
I AM NOT looking forward to having him home all the time. He won't ever leave me alone long enough for me to really get any creative work done, and bitches about anything that comes in the mail, or me being on the computer, or me quilting all the time, etc, etc.
I have an appointment for the Avantek wireless guy to install high-speed internet on Wednesday, and I am still going to do it., in spite of Bill's opposition. He won't be able to bitch about the line being busy because I'm on the computer anymore, and I will be so glad to get rid of the dial-up. More and more web pages are so resource-heavy I can't even open them at present, no matter how long I wait.
Better close and go. He went to help a friend paint a house, and will be upset if he calls and I'm on the line.. And he refuses to call my cell phone. THe reason I got it in the first place was so he could still get hold of me when I was on the computer, but NOOOOOO!
AJ
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Etsy shop!
I have been getting increasingly dissatisfied with ebay's charges and the fact that you have to pay them over again every week if the item doesn't sell right away. And they nickel-and-dime you to death with charges for this and that. So as things expire on ebay, I will be moving them over to my etsy shop, luvkukukitty.etsy.com. I am so excited; I just ordered a custom banner and avatar from a designer. I must say, this is the first time I have ever heard of an avatar. She will have to give me very good loading instructions; I can't wait.
From the Seventh Generation blog
This interesting chart floated my way the other day from an equally intriguing website called Permatopia. Here’s what its creators have to say about it:
Permatopia Patterns is a new way of thinking about permaculture. Historically, most permaculture guides and analyses have been focused on individual properties, often rural homesteads. Zones and sectors are key concepts in permaculture analysis, examining how to locate components of a permaculture system based on distance from the house and ecological factors. These are incredibly powerful tools for the personal level, but are far too limited in their scale for a society wide transformation to cope with Peak Oil and climate change. |
- Posted on: Fri, Sep 28 2007 8:18 AM
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Thursday, September 27, 2007
Bag Style book not here yet
I ordered my book thru Amazon, and it is supposed to ship on Oct 1. Saturday, sure it is. Anyway, I ordered it and Lace Style together to get free shipping and now my thrift means it will take even longer to get here. In the meantime I will just have to drool on the pix of everybody's projects.AJ's September Socks
I started out with Deby Lake's Aran Twist pattern, but quickly changed the cables to more twists, since I was working on them in fits and starts while riding in a van at work. I couldn't be looking at the pattern for every row. I also didn't carry the twisting down onto the foot, just left the knits and purls since the tops of my feet are sensitive and I didn't want them rubbing in my shoes.
The yarn I used was a bamboo mix from Regia, and I am unable to find the label. Sorry. I used 60 sts and size 1 needles, 2 on 2 circs.
AJ in AZ
http://luvkuku.blogspot.com/
Wednesday, September 05, 2007
Guarding the kitchen
Mr. Affable, aka Sammy is 5 months old now, and bigger than Robin, although that's not saying much. He was 14 pounds at his vet visit, for his last Parvo shot. I think Robin must be done growing, as she hasn't gained weight or height since before I took her to be spayed. She is definitely a TOY Aussie, but I am sure Sammy will be well within the Mini range.
Sammy just lives to love you, or me, or anybody around, and will attach himself to any visit as a fresh source of petting. He wants to be a lap dog, and is just incorrigible about pushing Robin out of the way. He acts like a typical adolescent, and is lazy about say, going up to the clothesline or the chicken house unless he thinks food or a walk will follow. He doesn't even want to go outside in the heat until he has to potty so bad that a delay could be disastrous. He loves the crate in the house, and will sleep in there voluntarily even when I'm home. He's a very silent dog. He never makes a sound except for a minute or so of howling when one of us takes him out to the ex-pen on the front porch at night and puts him to bed. Until he stops damaging stuff on the porch when he is left out there, he is definitely not going to sleep inside.
On the other hand, Robin takes her responsibilities as the senior dog and self-appointed guard dog very seriously. She will go up the hill with me even in the heat, just going from shade to shade, because after all, she might need to protect me. She's at my heels whenever I move. She barks more than I would strictly like, and I have yet to figure out how you stop it with a positive based training method. After all, if you are supposed to ignore behaviour you don't want, how do you ever get her to shut up? And when Sammy is really bugging her, barking and growling and attacking him is the only thing that works for her. But she is not a lover like Sammy. She does love us, but doesn't really like lap sitting except on rare occasions, and will stay just out of reach under stress. I have to make her stay and then go to her if I need to get my hands on her. Its probably from having to take meds and have her eyes washed so much in her life, as she was much more of a lap sitter as a baby.
I really love them both, even though sometimes I wonder what I did wrong, to have to wade through 2 dogs and a cat to get anywhere in the house.
Sunday, September 02, 2007
More snakes
I haven't written anything about killing snakes for a while because the last 3 were so small it hardly seemed worth the trouble. Bill killed 2 of them and I one, all right around the chicken yards. I wish I was brave enough to let them live, because maybe they could make a dent on the darn ground squirrels. Every day we have to refill and tamp several places under the fence or wall to EACH chicken pen. THe chickens won't run them off, and I think the ground squirrels actually eat more chicken feed than the chickens do. ANd then at night, the mice come out and finish off what the ground squirrels and/or chickens have left.
Back to the snakes. We just can't leave them alive around this populated area because they might bite us, or the dogs(more likely) I did get Robin vaccinated against rattlesnake venom, but it only lasts 6 months, and she got huge knots on her side at the injection site. So we didn't have it done to Sammy. And I have not yet taken them to a place in Cave Creek that snake-proofs, as Sammy is too young, and besides, I spend all my extra money on Robin's allergies.
So the 3 little ones we killed were no big deal. They were so little they didn't even know how to coil up and rattle.
HOWEVER, last night we were feeding and replenishing waterers, etc. and there was a BIG rattler curled around the wading waterer in the Cornish pen. Bill was lucky to see it when he reached over to up-end it to clean it out. Big fat thing. He dispatched it with a shovel, and we put the head in the barrel but left the body there to see if the chickens would eat it. I still don't know; it was gone this AM when I let them out.
We also had a dust storm, a power outage, and a brief heavy rain last night. We managed to drop and break the chimneys from 2 different oil lamps and need to do some serious clean and repair to the burner on one of them. We had enough chimneys though, as we have wall sconces we don't use in the summer (the candles melt) and the chimneys are all interchangeable. I like oil lamp light for knitting, even if it does put out quite a bit of heat. THe power came back on in a couple of hours for a change, and we finished out the evening without further excitement.
AJ
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