January 2009
16 posts
Random Thoughts on New Year’s Eve →
New Years Eve has nearly always made me sad. To me it was not the beginning of a New Year, but the death of an old one.
I suppose I’ve always been the kind of person to look back upon my life…
December 2008
35 posts
Russian professor predicts split of US in 2010 →
Get ready to change your passport — Russian professor, Igor Panarin, predicts the US will “fall apart” in 2 years.
I guess becoming part of the EU is ok. My folks will be Canadians…
3 degrees from Neil Gaiman →
So on Christmas Day my brother’s housemate, Josh, mentioned that he knew Charles Vess. (I think I’d said something about Neil Gaiman — perhaps I suggested that my niece might like his books?)….
A Christmastide Mystery →
Once upon a time a family from a town not so far away left that town to celebrate Christmas with their far-away relatives. Just before they left, they threw a festive gala where lovely people…
A Christmastide Mystery →
Once upon a time a family from a town not so far away left that town to celebrate Christmas with their far-away relatives. Just before they left, they threw a festive gala where lovely people…
Storyteller Wine & Facebook →
In Illinois you can by wine, beer and alcohol in the grocery store (as opposed to Montgomery County, Maryland) and recently I browsed the shelves for wine for Christmas dinner and again yesterday. I…
More Weather in Illinois →
As I type this, I can only see the house next door to the one in which I grew up — anything beyond that is lost in a milk-mixed-with-water looking fog. Dense fog advisories as well as…
I’ll take the kids →
But Dean wanted the Gift Bag instead.
I’m lucky it’s just low water pressure →
Turned on the shower this morning and I got a trickle of water. Assumed Dean was showering or running the dishwasher. I felt sorry for myself and wondered why Dean would use water when I needed it.
White Christmas? You Betcha! →
Depending on your definition of a white Christmas* — it looks like we’ll have one this year. If we get to Elgin at all, that is. We’re flying to O’Hare and then taking a taxi to Elgin. Wish us…
The Sho[u]t Heard ‘Round the House →
Remember that computer Andrew and I were going to build? We bought the hardware and put most of it together not long after we decided to do it.
Then we put the PSU (that’s…
Do One Thing →
Considering my irrational fear of Clutch Cargo’s Lips, I’m surprised I could watch this whole video:
But I like the message.
[found at Birdchick’s Blog]
Coraline the Movie →
I’ve mentioned Coraline before in this blog — I’m sure of it. That’s the book that got me hooked on Neil Gaiman? Anyway — Coraline is going to be released as a movie in February and a website…
Little Dog Gone Starring Brandon’s feet →
In 1992, when my daughter turned 1 my sister-in-law, Jill, and my nephew, Brandon, came out for a visit with my mom. Brandon liked the jump-up swing thing that we put up in the doorway. He also had…
Understanding Flowcharts c/o xkcd →
I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t always understand flowcharts — I certainly cannot make them, but sometimes I get confused when reading them.
Thank goodness xkcd came to the rescue.
Marching bands and solicitors →
I’m ashamed to say that we do not normally give to people that show up at our door. Sorry Greenpeace. Gosh, Save the Bay — not this year…
We usually give to our local rescue squad and will…
Overachieving pays off →
As much as I complain about the rigorous curriculum and over-achieving attitude at my kids’ high school, I shouldn’t be bragging that it ranked 44th on the top 100 public school list in US News…
Nancy →
We received word, last night, that Dean’s cousin, Nancy, died on Sunday night. We didn’t know she was ill, so it was a shock to us.
We’d not seen her in many years — perhaps as many as 16 —…
Winter & Birds →
I actually started this post last December but was so astonished and disappointed in my memory I didn’t finish it.
I wrote it after hearing birds sing one December morning last year and…
A bald eagle story →
Yesterday, on the way to a wrestling tournament, I looked up and saw a bald eagle soaring high above the strip malls along Norbeck Road in Montgomery County. I immediately thought it was a bald…
W00t! W00t! →
Ok. Coming from a mom, w00t doesn’t mean much, but this is w00tworthy.
Whitman Vikings Wrestling won the Mad Mats Wrestling Championship and had 5 wrestlers win the top honors. We had many more…
Lundy Day →
Note: The fact that I’m posting about this event does not mean I support the Order of the Orange. I found it interesting and am glad that this kind of celebration can peacefully take…
My first Owl →
The first owl I ever saw was in Southern California. (You do have them, Storyteller…)
My not-yet-husband had a summer job at the RAND Corp. and we got to stay in various homes of RAND employees…
Owl Story →
A recent post on Birdchick’s blog about people mistaking a fake owl for the real thing reminded me of the time it happened to me.
I was 8 months pregnant with Clare and sound asleep one…
I want to write a post →
because the interface of Wordpress 2.7 is so pretty…
But The Office is on. And then 30 Rock.
Bye!
News via Stats →
I regularly check the search terms in my stats to see how people landed on my blog. I’ve posted about the rash of ground hog searches and thought a post about other searches, similar to Susan’s,…
Andrew’s Wrestling Coach →
Can you see why I adore him?
http://www.digitalsports.com/video/type/organization/typeid/1352567/id/1731402.aspx
Inaugration Day a Holiday Near the Beltway →
All of the other school districts in the area had Inaugration day off but Montgomery County Public Schools didn’t — until a few hours ago.
Here’s the text of the announcement:
MCPS To Be Closed…
Holiday Panic →
Holiday panic is here.
I didn’t think I’d get it this year. Things were fine.
Until today. I just panicked. I don’t know if I’m exchanging gifts with the in-laws this year. I’ve still got to mail…
Yesterday →
Yesterday was a busy day — but most Saturdays in December tend to be that way.
It was the first wrestling meet this season for my son’s wrestling team. It was a “tri-meet” and we beat both teams…
Finally a Junco pays a visit →
I used to get a lot of dark-eyed juncos at my feeders, then one year they stopped coming, or at least it seemed that way — but if they were there, I didn’t see them.
I set up the birdcam…
First Wrestling Meet Today →
And I’m psyched!
Gotta love the Internet →
Well, you don’t have to love it — but it comes in handy now and then.
Remember our naked tree? Well, I bought some new lights — extra special ones at target. These lights are distributed by…
Over the river and through the woods →
to cut ourselves a tree…
We did it again — we took our almost annual trip to Loudoun County to cut down our Christmas tree. We’ve been doing this since the kids were quite small — Clare…
College Correspondence →
So you know Clare’s getting ready to go to college — right? I’m sure I’ve mentioned this before.
Well, back in her Sophomore year, when she took the PSAT, she gave the colleges permission to send…