Stargate Monday again. I only watched two episodes. Man I love that show. Unfortunately it was followed by Alien Fury. Now, I wasn't watching the movie with avid interest, but I kept it on because it was a comfortable background noise since everyone went to bed early. Talk about a sucky movie, but not as bad as some of their horror flicks. You know what other show I really really like? Outer Limits. I have and will again watch scifi marathons of Outer Limits and the Twilight Zone with pleasure (HEY! Speaking of which just as I typed that it came on TV.....creEpy!) I wish I could be an extra on Outer limits or SG1. I did drama in high school -- was in a few plays and took some classes and even did a traveling show to local grade schools. I am pretty good, and would be extra good if I were dressed up in a fantastic alien costume so that I could be "in the mood" and become "the essence of the character" and all that other crap the actors talk about in those DVD's extras. Seriously though, I am not picky. Anyone remember that Farscape episode where they met Furlow? I would LOVE to be her, given the chance. Here, I found a picture:

We took Pluto to the dog park today where we had a record showing of greyhound. Seven! They were one hell of a sight to see running around in their pack, and man they are fast!

Tonight we are using the heat for the first time since it is supposed to drop down to 34 degrees tonight. Burry. I have been imagining that we are living in a medieval times and trying to consider ourselves lucky that the house has no drafts, rodents and that 64 degrees is positively balmy. Of course I say that I am bundled in three sweaters, a robe, socks and shoes and considering walking around the house in a blanket. Ohh... there it is...Tim turned it on three minutes ago and I can already feel our space age heat warm up this house. I should have had a few coals in a brazier..... but this is better. I think that if the heat ever goes out, I am going to jimmy up blankets and put us all in the kitchen with the air mattress and make some cookies with our electric stove. It is always good to have a back up plan.

Well, off to bed. But before I go, please note that Mike's (on the left hand side) journal has moved, check it out for some great writing and hint of the author I know he will become.

I am blushing.

I was looking at my stats a bit ago because I hadn't looked at them in some time....er yeah. Anyway, so I found a link that had visited me seven times! Woo...seven, that means it wasn't entirely accidental. I went to the site figuring it was probably from a ring, but find that it isn't! Check it out. Can you believe it? I can't. And to think I took off the long biopic only last week or so. I thought it might have been too pretentious of me to have it there (especially after I had gotten an email from someone I met at the club who said "well, now I need to know everything there is to know". Perhaps I will sneak it back in as a link or something. I think. Hm, I might have to be convinced a bit on that.

Incredible.

Last night I read, and wrote and wrote and read and interspersed it with TV and knitting. It was nice, but I stayed up to late and then even when I did go to bed I couldn't sleep. The answer to this of course, is to wake up early so that I can sleep when I go to bed, however this morning was COLD! Brr. It was better to stay in bed, really it was. Only I got up at 11.15. Suck.

So I watched Law and Order. Made some coffee. Knitted. Then took Pluto out for a big walk. We met a crossing guard lady that knew a bit about grey hounds and gave Pluto a hound biscuit. He loved it! But not as much as he loved the attention from someone else. He is such an attention whore. I feel like his pimp. His dog park license came in the mail today. I attached it to the growing collection of things on his collar. Tim will be happy because he can Pluto to the dog park this Saturday where there are supposed to be other Greyhound owners that show up. I don't know how much he will like the other dogs, but I am sure he will love the other people. Especially if they are partial to greyhounds to begin with.

I know, I am talking about the dog too much. Considering what I have to work with, you will have to excuse me. Would it help if I said Arkham was on my lap purring like the little lover he is? Or does that just make it worse because I am now talking about my cats?

I think I will burn some incense, find that CD I owe Hollywood Jen and then package it up with the letter I promised. Maybe make some herbal tea too since the coffee seems to have given me a bit of an upset tummy. Light some candles. Make it homey on the coldest day so far of the new fall....putz and glory in the glory of putzing.

So today I joined a book club at the local library. I was the youngest person there and they were all women except one man who was obviously the husband of one the women (although he seemed way more interested in the book club than th wife/partner). The only thing I am wondering now, when the books come in, as they are provided by the library, will I have to check it out? Egads...I don't have a library card! I wonder if they have some kind of library rehabilitation/parole officer for book offenders like myself. I do have all the books that I checked out 8 years ago....I wonder if I give them back if they will erase my fee or something. Either that, or I have Tim go and check the book out for me. ... Eh. That is so pathetic.

Today was a pretty good day. I got up, knitted, watched Law and Order, spent some time outside, made a really good dinner of squash and "dirty mac." (mac n cheese, ground turkey, corn and onions). It was really good. I saw Pluto rip around the yard like a dog gone crazy! Wow he is fast. My hound is faster than yours. :P

Tonight I am going to try something a little different in my writing regime, which is to write in a note book instead of on the computer. I got myself into a rut where I feel like I have to type something if I want to write. Which is not the case, and I really enjoy writing long hand. This way, when I do have something I want to print, I am forcing myself to do a second draft by typing it out. My and drafting --- we don't get along too well. But first, I think I will read a bit.

Whoa, I'm getting lazy. I haven't posted since last Wednesday? Unbelievable.

Sunday I hosted my first ever Bridal Shower. I think it well. The decorations, food and guest of honor all looked good. I went out on Saturday night to the Inferno with my darling and drank too much and only at the end did I start to have fun dancing (maybe because I drank too much?). Heh. During the day we went to the library where I got several books, and then to a new game store downtown where I picked up Endless Nights. We also went to Burlington Coat Factory where I found the biggest selection of curtains (so nice, so many) for SO cheap. I finally have curtains in my living room instead of a red sheet half assed covering our business from the world. The side window needs to have it's curtain cut in half so that it opens to both sides and looks a little more aesthetically pleasing.

Tonight Mike is in town and Tim and I are going to meet him and Sigrid and Matt for dinner.

And, ganked from Jason, you have to see this to believe it.

I cleaned up my website a bit. It's nice to have more of the space that was allotted to me. I called the ComEd today to tell them that we had moved, again and I got bitched out by the lady there. She said it my fault that the service hadn't been cancelled because *I* wasn't supposed to call it in. Tim was, since he is the name on the account. She said that it had been cancelled on the 2nd, but only because the new person requested change of service. To top it off she still wants payment of $1.73 cents. Bastard.

Pluto puked today. Luckily I heard the rebellion start in his stomach before the casualties fell and guided him towards the hardwood floor. I think there was bit of fat in the pork chops that were left over that didn't agree with him. Either that or the rawhide bone he has been eating. He worked on that bone for close to three hours last night and is even now working on it again. I wish he would learn to play. Then he wouldn't be so bored. And yesterday I figured out why he seemed so low energy. Tim had to leave really early for a class that was downtown and told me that he needed to be walked. He left, I stayed up and read a bit before falling back asleep. It was only when he got home and asked me if I feed the animals, did I realize why Arkham was giving me more shit than usual, and Pluto was despondent. I am such a bad owner.

Today I am cleaning the house. I feel bad for getting up at 11:00 this morning even though I went to bed at 10.30 last night. I have been getting more sleep than I need and yet...I still sleep to 11? Maybe because I didn't go to sleep for such a long time last night. I hate laying in bed with my mind racing. The key here is to get up when Tim leaves. It's not like I have a lively night life that I need to stay up.

Tim just called and said he is coming home early today because it is such a beautiful day. It is indeed a great day, and what am I doing with it? Chores. Staying inside. I should be outside riding bike or something, but really...what do I need to be doing outside? Nothing. There will be other beautiful days.

Last night I went over to Richards and watched the kids while he and his wife went to a board of directors meeting for the community hospital. We had a pretty good time, and had just started to watch The Nightmare Before Christmas when Richard and Carla got home (around 9.30). Since they had finished early than they expeected, Richard offered me a ride home since Tim couldn't do it until 11.30 or so. Once we got here we ended up having a great 30 min talk that spanned so many topics that we need an agenda for the next time we chat. Very refreshing! :)

Pluto seems a bit down lately. I dunno, if he would learn to play then he might be happier? Or am I putting to much human emotion and stock into what a dog things and feels? That could be it. Last night I heard him bark for the first time. We were sleeping and I having trouble falling alseep when I heard a soft little "woof". I strained my ears more and soon I was rewarded with "woof woof". Sure enough it was Pluto doing little hound barks in his sleep. I told him to wake up and he stopped. This morning he said all the animals were restless last night. I guess so! I don't know why though.

I had a really pleasant surprise in my e-box this morning! A connection to old friend Dave. Now that was fun.

Everyone seems to be a melancholy mood today. I would had to think it is because it is a rainy day considering we haven't had rain since I have been here. OR because Mr. Cash and Child Problem's Dad died. I mean, they weren't your friends anyway, you weren't going to throw a birthday party for them, were you?

Hmm. We knew he was going to go as soon as June did, right? The great thing about love that great is that it is difficult to live without each other after doing it for so long. My favorite Cash song? It is actually a duet with Willie Nelson: Ghost Riders in the Sky.

I am, on the other hand, enjoying today quite a bit. What beautiful day. Finally some rain, even if it is light, it is still welcome. For lunch I will have soup to a commemorate it.

I got up this morning and knitted while watching one episode of Mad about You and Golden girls, and then took a shower. Now I have lit some incense, playing some nice calm music and sitting in my office with my little lamp on and dog at my side to write. Today is truly a good day.

I had a banana, a piece of dried apricot and a cookie for lunch. I am also working on my second Key Lime Pie Faygo Diet soda. Yummy. We went shopping last night and got tons of food for only 60 bucks! I mean, we got exotic things like 24 cans of pop, orange juice, crutons, died apricots, etc etc as well as 5 or 6 meals: meat loaf, corn/tomato things, hangaburger helper (made with ground turkey), oatmeal/sage chicken, mac n cheese with tuna, etc. The best part is they all make excellent leftovers for the following lunch. With all those reports of joblessness, and my own lack of job opportunities I am going back into the old mode of not having any money and cooking everything. It's saves quite a bit, but it only really works when someone is home to do it. Otherwise you are too tired when you get home to clean, do the dishes, laundry, take the dog out, change the boxes, feed the cats, pick up the living room AND cook.

Tonight I am going to the Inferno to see Ben Dj. I am getting a ride from his wife and an old art metal buddy. :) I have decided to devote part of my day to writing. I should use the opportunity presented to me to work towards my lifelong goal of publishing something before I am 31.

I am also torn on where I should put my craft station. I thought for sure that I should do it downstairs...but I dunno. After I put my dremel up, and sander and other tools I started to really like to the idea of that being a tool shop type area. Just because I don't have a lot of stuff now doesn't mean I won't have a lot of stuff way down the road. I think I just need to bite the bullet and get some small wall shelves (completely disregarding Tim's innate dislike for them) and install them. Now I am reconsidering the office and how I can arrange my things to be seen but not in the way.

HEY! There is a new function on blogger. I can easily put up pictures now! And do drafts, and change time and dates of postings... and spell check??? What is this craziness??

OH my god. How come I wasn't warned? Why didn't anyone tell me? For what purpose does a dog do this? Why? Dear god, tell me why???! He did it this afternoon. I thought it was fluke. Then just 15 minutes ago he got up quickly from the futon, walked back into the house and returned after about a minute. Licking his chops.

Tim refers to it as "litter diving", I refer to it as the most digusting thing I have ever laid witness too. With has poop/clay caked on his canines he comes up to me for attention. Wanting to put his shit laden mouth next to me in any way shape or form for attention. Yuck. Yuck. Yuck.

You can darn well bet that Tim is going to be brushing that dog's teeth as soon as he gets home.

I know we can, yes we can can. If we wanna, yes we can, can, yes we can work it out.

I am getting very sick of that slimfast commercial. I can't do anything, much less drink a nasty shake and hope for the best. There isn't much food in the house --- I am making one of thos Ragu Pasta things now. The last in the box that we have had for months. I took the dog out into the heat and he went poo like a good boy, however that is where the goodness ended. Then he walked around he yard a bit. Laid down. Walked around some more. Nosed at a grass or two and then started whining. He has been whining quite a bit more in fact. My guess this time is he didn't want to be outside anymore because it is hot and therefore didn't go pee. He came in. Drank some water and then hit the futon. Now 10 min later he comes into the office, get a pet or two and then crashes down on his dog bed. I think he is depressed.

Perhaps the stress of coming off the race track to this enviroment has used up all his ... adnreniline. And now he is suffering from a withdrawl. Yes, that must be it. And he just farted. Eck.

This weekend was pretty good. On Saturday we went to the neighbors for their son's graduation party and ended up staying for over five hours! There was one other neighbor there, so we got to meet more of the people who live around us and chat. Tim brought Pluto over after awhile and he loved people attention. So much in fact that when Sarah dropped by on Sunday for a visit I saw his tail wag for the first ever when meeting someone. He really liked her. Saturday night Phil invited us to play cards and for the first time I played for money. I won a whopping 1.40 cents or something. Tim lost all of his.

Last night we rented and watched Shanghi Noon. It was funny. Next up is Drunk Punch Love and Animal Farm.

What a beautiful day! My god, it's gorgeous. I feel sorry for all you workin' folk.

Tonight I am going to the library to mooch off of Tim's soon to be had library card. I cannot have one of my own because I am a patron on the lamb. :(

Yesterday I stripped a book shelf, and tonight I am going to put my sander to good use, refinishing it and the rocking chair that my Dad gave me. I am also going to strip the six legged, green table but I need to get a small wire brush frist to get all the detail work. Maybe tomorrow, I will ride over to Menards and pick it up. I love my new sander... my tool collection is slowing growing and will soon be magnificent. I can only hope it will turn into one of those collections that old men have.

Now to be crafty in something else. I need to send invitations out for a small bridal shower. I also thought of something for the party favors...although it might need some more think power.

From Native American Jokes and Humor:

Top 10 Things You Can Say To A White Person Upon First Meeting:

10. How much white are you?

9. I'm part white myself, you know.

8. I learned all your people's ways in the Boy Scouts

7. My great-great-grandmother was a full-blooded white- Canadian
princess.

6. Funny, you don't look white.

5. Where's your powdered wig and knickers?

4. Do you live in a covered wagon?

3. What's the meaning behind the square dance?

2. What's your feeling about river-boat casinos? Do they really help your people, or are they just a short-term fix?

1. Oh wow, I really love your hair! Can I touch it?

I hope I get used to having a dog. As of right now it still feels ... weird. Like I am not quite sure what to do with him, just as he isn't quite sure where the hell he is and what the fuck is going on. Ah. Adult dogs fresh from the track.

I got an electric sander this weekend. and after ten minutes of coaxing Pluto down the stairs to the basement, was able to use it on a bookshelf I want to refinish. I guess I was expecting a miracle. That it would take off the old varnish and splattered paint with one or two magic rubs of the sander and be gone! However, that is not the case. IT does sand, but going through old chemical crap is something of a chore. I told Tim and he said that it had to be stripped first. I am beginning to think I just might do that. There is some leftover stuff in the basement. I could take it outside and give it a go...I just don't want Pluto coming up with his skinny long nose to sniff what teenagers consider to be fun.

I also need an am/fm radio downstairs to make my old man workspace authentic.

This weekend I went to my Dad's. He and Barb were pretty quiet. I think Barb needed some alone time because she had just gotten back from three weeks of visiting her son and grandchildren. We rode bike, made fire (which I accomplished with only two matches -- the first going out right away), Tim caputured a feral little kitten we promptly named Fang. Boy was he a tiny, ferocious little monster, but such a cutie when he stopped being scared.

Scared animals seems to be the order of the week.

Now it is September. What do I do with myself? I need to be inspired.