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Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Straight from the (almost) frozen north!

Hi Pixies -

It's 37 degrees Farenheit here this morning - brr! All my winter gear is still packed in boxes, in a storage unit 30 minutes away, because I am not in my own place yet. I think that is a double whine - still camping with friends three plus months after my move, and cold!

Fortunately fall here is gorgeous, I'm excited to be running my first marathon here on Saturday, and I've got a good cup of hot coffee as I type this.

How about you? What are your whines and antiwhines of the moment?

73 comments:

Madeleine said...

Asbestos in the basement must be removed, not covered. Waiting to hear the first cost estimate. Waiting to hear back from the second company to schedule an estimate. Must be done before a new furnace can be installed. Big money all around.

purple_kangaroo said...

Antiwhine: AJ got her splint off her wrist yesterday.

Whine: She twisted her foot jumping in a bounce house at the church picnic on Sunday, and is still having trouble walking on it. DH thinks it's just a strain. It hurts at the top of her foot, but only when she steps on it. Trying to decide whether to take her in and get it checked or not.

We also started with the new psychologist last week, and I think she's going to be very helpful. She's giving AJ (and us) tools to help her calm herself and change her thought patterns.

kathy a. said...

madeleine -- aaaaack!

redzils -- brrr! hope you get settled before things get colder. but woo hoo about the marathon!

mostly anti-whines here today. my favorite is that i saw daughter's best friend at a terrific street fair on sunday, and she gave me some scoop about daughter making lots of friends in japan! "she's going up and introducing herself to people in the cafeteria!" [a week or 2 back, i suggested exactly that, and daughter claimed that i totally did not understand her, she is not like that, she is too shy.]

the fair was a big antiwhine of its own -- saw lots of friends, great music and food, every booth you can imagine, etc. we chatted with two teachers we have known forever, from the school that sparked daughter's interest in japan; and also her longtime sax teacher and her former orchestra director. a loose dog ended up following us, and we got him returned to his family, so there was even a good deed in the mix.

Madeleine said...

PK, hugs and sympathy on AJ's injuries. Ice, ibuprofen, rest.

Redzils, more hugs and sympathy on the camping with friends for months! No fun. Did you see the NY Times article on the storage industry? Might cheer you up while you are missing your stuff.

Madeleine said...

kathy a., that is super awesome. On behalf of daughters everywhere, I apologize for our tendency to completely reject good advice. And then take it anyway.

kathy a. said...

oh my, PK! lot going on with AJ, but glad her wrist has healed and that the new psychologist is so helpful [to all]! crossing fingers about the foot.

kathy a. said...

madeliene, i suspect that daughter's best friend was telling her the exact same thing -- and you know advice is better from friends. ;)

Sue said...

Hey redzils - good luck in the marathon!!! You rock!! I get tired driving that far...

Madeleine, PK - aack!! Pixie dust for both of you.

kathy a. - how lovely!!! You're almost certainly right - your daughter's friend likely had the same advice. ~sigh~

Anti-whine: AWESOME turnout for Friday night's rally. I'm so proud of my son for putting it all together on such short notice. It was very cool to be a part of it all. Jake (the young man who was attacked) was so overwhelmed and comforted by the turnout.

WHINE: Capital letter whine this week. Yesterday's headache was just about ER room-worthy. I ended up taking too many advil and lying very still in the dark.

Head pain is still there today, but not as bad as last evening. OUCH. CRAP. I thought I was done with nights like that. I looked in the mirror at around 2:00 am and literally jumped back - that's how awful I looked. Truly zombie/Night of the Living Dead material. Ya. Not enough cover-up makeup in the world today. I look like I've been exhumed.

Whine: The cleaners are cleaning out the cleaning room (are you still with me here?) - with bleach. Does not help sore head. At. All.

Madeleine said...

Wooosh! Sending a big gust of fresh air to Sue's office.

kathy a. said...

((( sue ))) oh, ouch. seconding the blast of fresh air. stupid fumes.

kathy a. said...

also, a big hurray for the wonderful turnout for the rally that sue's son organized!

i do have a whine, but it is cat poop again. y'all are going to vote me off the brigadoon.

KLee said...

I'm good, for once. Work is good, hobbies are good. Started my second college class yesterday, and it looks to be VERY interesting, so that's another cosmic good bullet point to list.

I was supposed to audition for a local production of "Godspell" last night, but it didn't happen, and even that is to the good. With school, school, Girl Scouts, and my crafting classes, I just do not have time to put into a show right now. God knew what he was doing when that opportunity fell through.

It's a rare week that I don't have even a piddly whine to contribute. Yay for no whines at all!

Madeleine said...

KLee, hooray for the canceled show, though I'm sure it is the delay of someone's dream. When you mentioned all your commitments last week I was trying to figure out if there was a tactful way to say "don't, just don't." So I'm glad the Universe came through for you.

Sue said...

kathy a - we never get tire of bodily fluids of any sort here - even of the feline nature.

KLee - yay for cancellations!!! I'm with Madeleine - you have enough on your plate.

Liz Miller said...

Whine: I. Am. Freaking. OUT.

Antiwhine: One (of four) dresses fits me and is beautiful.

Whine: the other three look like ass.

Antiwhine: Two of them would look beautiful on our finance director. I may gift them to her at the end of this insanity.

Governor tomorrow. Parents Friday. House a disaster. Am panicking.

Liz Miller said...

Hugs to Sue, and Madeleine, and PK, and Kathy A.

Mittens to Redzils.

Liz Miller said...

Whine: My profile photo disappeared. I had to re-enter it.

purple_kangaroo said...

I'm awake tonight thinking, praying and grieving.

Just got news tonight that someone my family has known for years was killed in a hit-and-run accident while bicycling today (well, yesterday now).

He was a beloved high school teacher, father and husband. A kind and sweet man. The family is very involved with the community. It's a great shock.

His wife and daughter, both of whom I know well, happened to drive down the road minutes later, recognized the mangled bicycle, and . . . I can't imagine the shock and horror.

This was not the first time this man had been hit by a car while bicycling.

Police have recovered the car, but are still looking for the driver.

He didn't even slow down.

I'd appreciate thoughts and prayers for the family, students and community.

purple_kangaroo said...

Not as much of a shock, but also very much on my mind is another loss.

I got an e-mail this past week from a friend's husband that she passed away. She was a good friend and I really miss her, although I had only known her for about a year.

She was a wonderful lady--wise, kind and a very loving, giving person. She was my biggest cheerleader with my dog training. She was also training her dog as a service dog and I learned a lot from her. I enjoyed going on training outings together. She used to dogsit for Mira, too. But we talked about much more than just dogs and training.

I keep thinking of things I want to share with her or ask her, and then realizing all over again that she's gone. She'd been sick for a long time, but it's hard to believe she's really gone.

The worst is that I don't even know when she died or whether the service has already been held or not. I asked her husband, but he replied without answering.

Since we don't get the paper, I keep checking online, but I haven't seen an announcement yet and our paper only keeps them online for 30 days. I really wanted to attend the service, but I suspect it is already over and I wasn't close enough to the family to be notified.

Feeling really sad right now about both of these deaths, even though both shared my faith and I know both of them are rejoicing in Heaven now.

purple_kangaroo said...

Sorry for the long rambling whines, but thanks for being here when I needed someone to "talk" to in the wee hours of the morning, Pixies.

Hopefully I'll be able to function today on so little sleep. I have to take AJ to her second appointment with the psychologist, and of course do mommying and teach school.

It's almost 5AM and I haven't been asleep yet.

purple_kangaroo said...

Votes for Medeleine and Sue, and hugs to everyone and smiles to all the antiwhines.

(Liz, the governor coming to your house must be both whine [stress of getting ready and all] and antiwhine [governor! coming to your house!]. Wow.)

purple_kangaroo said...

Oh, and I hope you can get your warm clothes soon, Redzils!

Liz Miller said...

P_K, hugs to your family and to the families of your friends. I will keep them in my thoughts.

The Governor's not coming to my house, thank goodness. He's hosting an event for my husband at a nearby restaurant.

Madeleine said...

P_K, I sorry to hear about both of these losses in your community. It is hard to lose a friend and not know how to connect to her family as they grieve.

Sue said...

Oh PK - how horrible! I'm sorry for all of the pain and grief around you.

Liz - you will be great in any dress, I'm sure of it. Just put on your Doorbell Queen tiara, sprinkle on a bit of pixie dust and listen for all of us cheering...

Whine: kitteh with the runs. Not. Pleasant. Thank goodness for laminate flooring.

Anti-whine: My dad rocks. I've always said I wouldn't do this (he's a family physician), but I talked to him last night about the headache/purgatory/hell I'm in. My doc will do nothing and prescribe nothing until I hear from the doc in Kingston, meanwhile I'm unable to function at least one day a week.

He prescribed some non-opiate pain meds that will at least take the edge off the pain. He didn't mind at all and wondered why I hadn't called him sooner.

Liz Miller said...

Sue, I love your dad.

Sue said...

Ya Liz. Me too.

kathy a. said...

hooray, klee, for everything good, no whineage!

liz, you look gorgeous, dahlink! have a blast at the governor's event!

(((( PK )))) thinking of you and the families. each loss is so hard, and to learn of 2 right together -- that's a lot of sadness. be good to yourself. xoxo

the death of your friend on the bike IS really shocking. his family and students must be devastated.

it's possible the family of your other friend opted not to have services, or kept them very small. they will still be grieving, though, and i'm sure a note about how much you cared for your friend would be a comfort.

sue, i'm glad your dad came through for you! i'm not clear on why your doc feels that untreated suffering is the right path, but am ready to saddle up with the cluestick posse.

Madeleine said...

Agreed on teh awesomeness of Sue's dad.

My new whine is this:
I am fairly sure that I have never in my life said this, and I hope I never have to again:

"Hey, you know, you've got the wrong number. And it's 3 in the morning. Please dial more carefully."

Though, actually, "dial more carefully" is not entirely well-aimed -- he called twice in two minutes, so clearly it's "write more carefully" or "look up the number more accurately" or maybe even "ask your friends or business associates their area code and not just the 7 digits if you plan to call them at 3 in the morning." Humph.

Anti-whine: Mimi Smartypants also had an annoying wrong number recently, so that makes me cool, right?

Bigger anti-whine: Asbestos removal is not as catastrophic of an expense as I had been imagining. Sure, it's 2K I'd rather spend in something else. But it isn't the 10K of my nightmares.

Liz Miller said...

When spending 2K on a household emergency expense is an anti-whine...you know you've got a pessimistic pixie (AKA a realist).

Sue said...

Madeleine, good news on the asbestos price - I guess it could have been worse, right?

And hooray for you for being so polite at 3:00 am. You definitely get points for that. Is there an award for having manners even when you're technically asleep?

kathy a - I'm not sure why non-treatment is equal to, you know, a treatment plan either. Enter cluestick posse stage left....

amy said...

I bought tickets for me and all my friends to go to a concert, and I have lost them. I'm sure they're in my house or car somewhere, but I'm having no luck finding them, and I'm starting to stress out. Fortuitously, I realized they were missing early enough to start looking for them. The concert is 10/8.

(Potential whine: I'm not certain, but I believe one of said friends lurks here, and I haven't told any of them IRL yet. So, yeah...)

Madeleine said...

amy, there is empirical evidence that blogging/whining about missing objects makes them reappear. So I am optimistic for you.

Liz, that's the funny thing -- I'm usually the optimist/wishful thinker. I think, though, that once I accept that the bad news is real, I get more realistic about it. I just ignore it for a few years first. (As in, My Love has been saying we should get that asbestos looked at for a few years, and I didn't want to deal because I figured it would be crazy expensive and who was it really bothering anyway, etc.)

Liz Miller said...

Amy, call the concert venue and let them know the tix are missing and ask them if they can reissue them.

kathy a. said...

prize to madeleine for grace at 3 a.m.! no good calls come at that hour. anytime the phone rings and i'm asleep, i'm pretty sure someone has died or had a hideous accident.

also glad the asbestos has turned out to be less bankrupting than suspected.

amy! i *hate* when i do that! usually, i've hidden the important things either in a place where nobody else can find them easily, or a place where i won't forget about them. ha! this is just my checklist, but look in all the pockets of your purse, and the wallet; jewelry box; that drawer where you sometimes put things, and that other drawer; on the counter, under the piles of more recent stuff. or, in a special folder, that ended up down the pile on my desk. umm, i'm not exactly a contender for the good housekeeping award...

Liz Miller said...

Amy, along the lines of Kathy A's list, check your evening purse and the pocket of your evening coat.

kathy a. said...

liz leads a MUCH classier life than i do. ;)

Liz Miller said...

Hey, I only have three purses. My everyday purse. The lavender purse that goes w the dress I wore to my SIL's wedding, and the black silky evening jobby that I use when all I want to carry is a single credit card, my keys, my driver's license, and a lipstick.

kathy a. said...

well, liz, i think you should mix it up and take the lavender purse to the next evening meeting with the gov. wear basic black and a lavender scarf. you should definitely take my fashion advice, since -- well, nevermind. but lavender is a good color.

i have a beaded evening bag around here someplace, but since i have no current idea of its location, it is not on the list of places i'd look for misplaced tickets.

Sue said...

Oh Amy, I do that kind of thing ALL the time. So frustrating. I'm sure you've tried pants pockets and such....did you charge the tickets? Maybe you put them with the receipt if you save receipts in an obsessive-compulsive way like some people (points to self) do.

Anti-whine: I heart my physiotherapist. She's awesome. I feel so much better after seeing her today. My doc (the one with no treatment plan) would not sign off on chiropractic care, which means I would not be able to claim it on my extended health benefits. He doesn't believe in chiropractors. I explained that I had really run out of other options and he still said "No."

Sooooo.......Wonderful Physio found me a physiotherapist who also does manipulation very similar to chiropractic adjustment. He's got oodles of special training and he's still officially a physiotherapist - so I can see him and the cost will be covered. See why I heart her so much?

Madeleine said...

Sue, I'm glad you found some treatment options. The cluestick posse will definitely be visiting you primary care doc this week. Grrrrrrr.

All this talk of purses inspires yet another dopey whine from me: I had to carry my purse this afternoon. I hate carrying a purse. I get away without it all summer because I've got cargo capris to wear every day. And I get away without it in the winter because my parka has mucho pockets. The obvious answer is that I need some full-length cargo pants for chilly days. Fashion fairies, get on that, please.

Elizabeth said...

whine: cramps

anti-whine: new research assistant started today.

Liz, sorry I couldn't make the event with the Governor -- have a great time.

((pk))

esperanza said...

I'm here, I'm here. I missed the whining last week because the Baboo and I spent a week + at the grandparents' house. Which was mostly good, but now we are tired and will commence g-parent withdrawal upon wakening in the morning.

Redzils, you are very welcome to my (uh, rather limited) warm clothes. Apparently, I will not need them here. STILL 90 degrees, but there was some rain while I was gone.

Whine: 91 yr old grandma is sick. Just a cold/allergy thing, but still.

Antiwhine: Mini Baboo is kicking at the laptop as I type, and we get a peek at him/her tomorrow with the 20 wk ultrasound.

Antiwhine: 20 weeks! Halfway! Someday I will feel good again, I'm sure of it.

Nesting whine: I have set up a few too many sewing projects for myself, when all i have energy to do is sit on the bed and internet surf every evening.

kathy a. said...

yay, sue!

~~waves magic wand~~ roomy cargo pants to madeleine!

elizabeth, yucks on the cramps, and ~~waving the wand~~ your way, too.

i was really hoping to never have similar whines again, but apparently my hormones have aunt flo on speed-dial.

kathy a. said...

woot, esperanza! and mini-baboo!

Sue said...

Yay esperanza!!!! Half-way already??? Wow.

Madeleine - I used to despise "purses" - they always seemed so grandmotherly. Then I discovered the uber-fashionable "bag" - a whole different animal. Teh Bag is much more of an accessory and much less a Golden Girl thing for me now. I have a bunch of cool ones. I tend to wear a LOT of black clothing (my closet is highly depressing - one look, and the obvious question is "Who died?") - so Teh Bag makes up for the total lack of colour in my wardrobe.

Still, the whole Load Up the Cargo Pants idea sounds entirely workable.

esperanza said...

A newly-discovered whine:

the geckoes at our house seem to have had some sort of orgy while we were gone. There are baby geckoes everywhere! They are nice lizards, if somewhat transparently creepy, and they eat bugs. It's still kinda ew-inducing.

Madeleine said...

Hmmmm. Trying to determine my position on swarms of geckos, given the bug-eating feature. Since you say it is a whine, I believe you.

My purse is actually a mini-backpack. Big enough to hold a standard sized book, small enough to be a purse. Still hate lugging it. I think it's the on and off, in and out of the car, over and over, and if I leave it on one shoulder it bumps my elbow which irritates my already annoyed elbow nerve.

BTW, I've been meaning to ask, do we have any pixies in the city that might be translated as Red Stick? I have to go there for work at the end of October. If so, let me know at mailtomadeleine (at) yahoo (dot) com.

Liz Miller said...

I misspoke. I have four purses. One is leopard print and I have never ever used it.

I think that must change...tomorrow.

Esperanza, hooray for the half-way mark!

Sue, I want to whack your GP upside the head with a cluestick, but I am loving your physio.

Elizabeth, I am sorry you couldn't make it (and that you are crampy), but there will be other events!

Liz Miller said...

And the event was FANTASTIC.

Liz Miller said...

And yes, those are tea baggers protesting the event.

Madeleine said...

So glad the event was FANTASTIC!

The protesters object to non-smoking restaurants? Really? I thought that topic was pretty well settled, but I don't spend much time down south.

Sarah at ratatat said...

Kathy A - so glad your daughter is having a good time in Japan.

P_K - what misfortunes. Hugs for you.

Sue - glad your dad could help. And that the event went well. Does your regular doc have some good qualities we're missing? He seems to be half (quarter?) of the problems.

Yay! halfway! Esperanza.

Madeleine - I remember when I used to carry a wallet, no purse. It was awful when I had pocketless pants. And thank goodness for not unreasonable asbestos pricing.

Liz - wow!

Amy - hope the tickets turn up. I have had to start putting things like that in the firebox as at least no one else could accidentally throw them away.

Sarah at ratatat said...

Oh, whines...

I made myself go to a job fair, as I need to keep looking for a job.
1st- the economy is in trouble. There were so many people there.
2nd- what a waste of time. It was mostly insurance salespeople and "investment" services.

Whine: I am afraid my daughter will never fall asleep without an adult sitting with her. Last night I was annoyed, today I am resigned.

I feel overwhelmed to have the 3 kiddos by myself tomorrow night. My husband is off on a mountain biking boys weekend. My parents are at a family thing and my mom (who won't enjoy the family thing) is being sweet and should be home to help with bedtime. I feel like a bad mom that the 3 kids all evening feels so overwhelming.

Anti-whine: My mom will be home by bedtime?

purple_kangaroo said...

My friend's obituary is in the paper. The memorial service will be on Saturday. I plan to be there.

Also, they caught the guy who killed the bicyclist. He was 18 and had already had several run-ins with the law over things like drugs, and his driver's license had been suspended.

Hopefully this will be a turning point in his life. I know many, many people will be praying for him--the bicyclist's family and friends are like that. His wife was at the school where he taught comforting students and sharing about his hope and faith with them today.

purple_kangaroo said...

Oh, and the driver was also one of the victim's students. Supposedly last year he said that this teacher was the only person who believed in him.

Liz Miller said...

Oh, P_K. That's so hard.

Sue said...

Elizabeth - boo on the cramps - hope they're better today.

Sarah and PK - sending pixie hugs.

Sarah - yes, my family doc has many good qualities. He is very smart, and very thorough - when something new comes his way, he reads absolutely everything he can find on the subject. He's a curious guy, so he isn't delighted by ongoing puzzles (say, for example, me...). He wants to see things presented, explored, and fixed. Period.

He's moody. When he's in a good mood he's a wonderful guy. If your appointment is on a grumpy day (which my last one clearly was) - well, good luck to you.

He also comes to our home to do my husband's annual physical because it's easier for him to come to our place than for P to get to the office.

So he's not a complete tool except when it comes to his prescription pad. He's terrified of it I think. There have been two or three cases in Canada where docs have been disciplined for over-prescribing meds for chronic pain patients. But those cases were ridiculous - I would NEVER need what they were prescribing. Still, I think he worries about those cases.

So, there you go. He does have some excellent qualities, but sometimes he's just a moody miserable guy.

Sue said...

Liz - AWESOME!!!!!!

amy said...

Thank you all for your love and support and EXCELLENT ideas and everything!

I FOUND THE TICKETS!

I'd also like to nominate you all for an "I am Full of Good Ideas" award, particularly Liz, who suggested I contact the venue. That *never* would have crossed my mind. Genius!

FWIW, I also hate purses, and the idea that I check my "evening coat" and purse made me LOL. :)

Must keep this short -- headed out to grocery shop with two children who are, for the moment, pleasant and not at all fighting. (Don't worry. I know it won't last.)

All my love to so many of you this week. <3

Sue said...

Yay Amy!!!! WooHoo!!!

kathy a. said...

whining works!

purple_kangaroo said...

Yay, Amy! Where were they?

Liz Miller said...

WOOOOOHOOOOOO!!!!! Blogging the lost!

amy said...

Okay, messy house confession: I have piles of papers and cr@p everywhere, so the suggestion to look through the more recent piles was funny to me because those piles are more numerous than stars in a Texas night sky.

But! As I was getting ready to go grocery shopping, I noticed a small stack of stuff on top of my dryer. (The laundry room is right off the garage and is the main daily use entrance.) Lo! Behold! It was a "more recent pile"! And in the middle of it? TICKETS!

How 'bout them apples? Right where I set my purse everyday, yet I hadn't started there when I began the search. Ha ha! I R SMRT.

Thanks again, everyone! Now, if I could just find three people to buy the extras...

Madeleine said...

Hoooray! I know well that "most recent pile among the many, many piles" problem.

kathy a. said...

i'm so relieved to not be the only one with piles o' stuff.

late whine: i've felt like something the cat coughed up, all day. just as soon as it gets dark, i'm headed for jammies and bed.

Sarah at ratatat said...

Yay Amy. The worst is when someone else moves anything in the piles. Then they don't look right and I can't find anything.

esperanza said...

Just antiwhines for me today...the Mini Baboo looks great, does not seem to have the (minor, really) orthopedic problem that Sweet Baboo has, measured right on target, has an adorable four-chambered heart...and...check this out...the placenta has moved. Well, a little bit. It is still "low" and partially covering the cervix, but we have made progress! I haven't spoken with the doctor to see if my butt might move from the couch a bit more frequently, but as I am exhausted from two days with no nap (for me, I mean), that's not at the top of my concerns list.

And hooray for finding whined-about items!

kathy a. said...

great news about mini-baboo!

Liz Miller said...

Hooray for Mini-Baboo!! Books for your butt-immobilisation project being shipped tomorrow.

Whine: Parents cancelled visit at the last minute - too late for me to cancel the cleaners.

Anti-whine: It was too late for me to cancel the cleaners. Clean house!!! WOOO-HOOOO!!!

Madeleine said...

I'm glad somebody has a clean house :-)

Sue said...

Yay for mini-Baboo and clean houses!!!