tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4685867227116258702024-03-12T17:12:31.850-07:00mari's roundabout essencequeenmarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08527265318590205451noreply@blogger.comBlogger76125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468586722711625870.post-36586610653466428392009-10-05T23:18:00.000-07:002009-10-05T23:29:01.571-07:00another day another dollar . . .<div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;color:#663366;"><strong>it's a bit personal, but i feel i need to write about this on here. maybe someone else is suffering from the same .</strong></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;color:#663366;"><strong></strong></span> </div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;color:#663366;"><strong>i am 5'7. i weigh 135lbs. i would like to weigh 119lbs, however this has been a long time fictional dream and never one i have achieved. i eat what i want when i want and i don't diet. i come from good hearty peasant stock and i am happy. but, in the back of my mind i am always wanting to weigh 119lbs.</strong></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;color:#663366;"><strong></strong></span> </div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;color:#663366;"><strong>why? </strong></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;color:#663366;"><strong></strong></span> </div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;color:#663366;"><strong>because about 25 years ago i read in a magazine that christie brinkley weighed 119lbs. i think it was about the time she was marrying billy joel, so it was a long time ago. anyway, that weight has stuck in my mind and i have never let it go. i have never been close to that weight. i have weighed this 135lbs since forever and ever and ever amen. it doesn't change. i weigh the same and i am a size 4-8 off the rack depending on the brand. i am happy. really i am.</strong></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;color:#663366;"><strong></strong></span> </div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;color:#663366;"><strong>i just want to step on the scale and see the number 119 flash before me. i don't want to read 135. i want to read 119. </strong></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;color:#663366;"><strong></strong></span> </div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;color:#663366;"><strong>how does one get there? </strong></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;color:#663366;"><strong></strong></span> </div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;color:#663366;"><strong>i don't diet. i don't watch what i eat. i don't count carbs or calories. i eat. i eat what i want. i eat what i want when i want. i eat however much i want until i am full and then i stop. </strong></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;color:#663366;"><strong></strong></span> </div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;color:#663366;"><strong>i don't even know how to begin a diet. how pitiful is that? so, here i am beginning a diet. a diet to try and get to 119lbs. how long will this take? i have no idea. it may take a few weeks? maybe a few months? longer? </strong></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;color:#663366;"><strong></strong></span> </div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;color:#663366;"><strong>i'll keep you posted.</strong></span></div>queenmarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08527265318590205451noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468586722711625870.post-75588028506193304082009-10-05T18:24:00.000-07:002009-10-05T18:32:04.657-07:00monday . . .i am now officially a re-entry student. that is the polite term for people over 25 who decide to return to school. it's better than referring to myself as a middle-aged mom deciding to make a career change over 50. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">i'm</span> not the oldest in the program, but then i didn't expect to be. the average grad student is 42. i think when i was in grad school, the first time around, the average age was 32. i was a young grad student back then. now i am old(er).<br /><br />school started last <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">thursday</span> and i love it! i love being in school. i love learning. there isn't anything i don't love about it. did i tell you that i love school?<br /><br />the only thin i don't like is the commute. while i don't live far from <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">seattle</span>, last <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">thursday</span> i left at 3:30pm. bad time to leave. I need to leave here about 2:00, and then go sit in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">starbucks</span> or the library and do some reading and homework. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">i'd</span> rather sit studying than sit in traffic.<br /><br />i spent about 6 hours this weekend doing homework, but i am done with what i needed to be ready for class <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">tuesday</span>. i have two classes. one is an intro to paralegal studies and basically learning the two court systems we have--thoroughly and in depth. the second is <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">legal</span> research and writing. total of 9 hours per week of school and then about 2 hours of study per hour of class. i don't know how i would do it if i were working too. it will work for me though.<br /><br />re-entry student. i think my blog may have just discovered what it's theme could be. maybe.queenmarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08527265318590205451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468586722711625870.post-48790634995113790062009-09-29T19:35:00.000-07:002009-09-29T19:52:27.661-07:00tuesday thoughts<div align="justify"><span style="color:#ff0000;">a death in the family is hard. emotionally draining. i'm trying to be there for both the boys when they need to talk. dylan calls and seems to just want to know i'm on the other end of the phone.. i am.</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#ff0000;"></span> </div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#ff0000;">i was going over to seattle to spend some time with zak today, but he called letting me know he really wanted to keep his appointment with his therapist and the he had a lot to do getting ready to leave tomorrow. i'm glad he and dylan will be together with the rest of the family. their dad's family has the required dysfunctional member that likes to stir the pot and triangulate when she breezes into town. i told the boys to protect their dad from her this weekend.</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#ff0000;"></span> </div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#ff0000;">as i am not heading into seattle i need to think about dinner. of course it's already 7:40pm, and i haven't moved into thinking mode as of yet. pizza? <strong><em>frankie's pizza</em></strong> it is. most of the time i live as a vegetarian. not for any reason other than i am a recovered eating disorder girl, and most of the time the texture of meat doesn't sit right with me. but once in a while i do crave a really good hamburger--a really good one. there is a restaurant here in town that i happen to love one particular burger in, but for take out, which tonight is, mr. roll won't go for spending $28 on a take out hamburger. i can appreciate this. my favorite fast food burger would be <strong><em>burger king</em></strong>, but the one we had in town closed up overnight and left. we all miss it. i like the <em>whopper</em> even if i can only eat 1/4 of it! and i have tried the <em>junior whopper</em>, but it is not the same. as much as i would like my fav burger tonight, i think it is pizza. even writing this paragraph didn't convince me i need i burger. </span></div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#ff0000;"></span> </div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#ff0000;">i think i have finally separated myself from jennifer mckinney's blog. finally. it took me weeks to stop reading that trash. i could rake her over the coals here, but i won't. this is my blog after all and i can write what i want, but i'm really not a mean spirited person and that is one of the things jennifer was bringing out in me. she does that. the story telling. the not telling quite the truth or changing it slightly with each telling, as if she either can't remember what she said or she likes knowing that her readers know she changes the truth. whatever. jennifer lives in her own little world of misery. i don't want to enable it. goodbye jennifer mckinney. </span></div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#ff0000;"></span> </div><div align="justify"> </div>queenmarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08527265318590205451noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468586722711625870.post-81913541388206350662009-09-27T23:49:00.000-07:002009-09-27T23:56:14.730-07:00sad news . . .<div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;color:#333399;">tonight the call came that one never expects and certainly doesn't to get. zak called me to tell me his granannie died. granannie is his dad's mom, and she was a very special grandma to my boys. dylan called me right afterwards and he was silent. silent in shock. i called their dad and had a long long talk with him. he too is in shock.</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;color:#333399;"></span> </div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;color:#333399;">granannie and grandpa were both 81. they were on a canoe trip in Virginia, having recently returned from costa rica. they never sat still for long. they had a vineyard in paso robles so they could make wine. always busy. always on the go.</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;color:#333399;"></span> </div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;color:#333399;">granannie died while they were taking a lunch break, and hiking up a hill. grandpa went ahead to get a picture of granannie with the water and canoe in the background. when he turned around she was on the ground. apparently she had a heart attack and died instantly. doing what she loved to do.</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;color:#333399;"></span> </div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;color:#333399;">both the boys feel good that they saw their grandparents this summer and had a very good visit with them. </span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;color:#333399;"></span> </div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;color:#333399;">it's a loss to my boys and their family. </span></div>queenmarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08527265318590205451noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468586722711625870.post-25482257501646596942009-09-27T20:00:00.000-07:002009-09-27T20:26:04.702-07:00Sunday Sonshine<div align="justify">i had a good day today. a day free from the trappings of meniere's disease (MM). i woke up and spent some time lounging around reading <em>"the kennedy women</em>". school begins on thursday so i am on a timeline to get these 800+ pages finished. </div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify">mr. roll and i took the dogs out for a long walk. well, at long walk as for as our little town in concerned. we walked down to starbucks and then sat out in the warm sun for about 2 hours talking. talking about the future and what not. i am feeling the need to have some of my family around to help us with mom. i think my saying those words aloud caused mr. roll to lose his breath and catch it. he has never in 11 years of knowing me heard me utter those words in regard to my family.</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify">i have never lived by my family. i left in 1975 for u.c. berkeley and stayed after two graduations. i have never lived by my family, nor have i ever had any desire to. my parents visited us every three months and we visited them on holidays and summers. i called my mom practically every day. the perfect long distance relationship with my parents. my sisters i actually ignored. i was the only one of us to go to college, and then graduate school. i followed the tradition of my mom who had done the same. my five siblings married young and had children. many small children. one of them doesn't even have her GED. i wish she would get it. i was a snob, married to a ph.d and berkeley was our life. i had no time for my sisters. when i saw them on holidays i was remote and distant, speaking when spoken to, never initiating conversations.</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify">that has changed now, thank god. laura and shannon are my safety net. i'm 51, laura is 50, and shannon is 49. come november, laura will be 51, and december shannon will be 50. you can see how close we all are in age. too close.</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify">friday while i was on the phone with laura, i casually mentioned to her that i wish she and her husband, dennis, would move out here. they are in missouri, and they have one daughter living there and three grandkids. they have a son in seattle, and another son in texas. i need laura to move out here to seattle. jake, their son, was visiting them for two weeks and he was talking to them about moving to seattle. i feel like have jake in my corner to talk them into it. there is no work in missouri. laura is a waitress where, in missouri, the average tip is $.50. dennis is a house painter, but no one is spending money now on things like that. </div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify">laura was encouraged to think about it. there is nothing for them in missouri. the grandkids can visit on holidays and summer vacations. li suggested we (phil and i) get a larger house we can all live in together. laura will take care of mom while i am in school, and we will pay her for this, just as we pay a caregiver now. laura like this plan. </div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify">for a woman who has never wanted to live around family, this seems like it can work. i need someone in my family pick up the ball and help me, and laura doesn't see it as picking up the ball, but as a blessing.</div>queenmarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08527265318590205451noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468586722711625870.post-875499215930507382009-09-25T17:59:00.000-07:002009-09-25T18:19:42.985-07:00finally friday, i think . . .<div align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipmwkwIxN1yWsg20duxNzv2DsIWRnd1YZGcNCUz614-FDta4octmPDAfagAn29KHEqMRwXM2q7qyyj1B75KK9grBKHcXEUmHbqC8_cHdPIdzapOnCDb7WM3scEINU_wGKA1KVUaZoJDcGJ/s1600-h/Best+of+Laura+and+Mari.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385575275315778354" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipmwkwIxN1yWsg20duxNzv2DsIWRnd1YZGcNCUz614-FDta4octmPDAfagAn29KHEqMRwXM2q7qyyj1B75KK9grBKHcXEUmHbqC8_cHdPIdzapOnCDb7WM3scEINU_wGKA1KVUaZoJDcGJ/s320/Best+of+Laura+and+Mari.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:arial;color:#6600cc;">this is my sister <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">laura</span> and me, taken last <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">november</span> 1st, in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">las</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">vegas</span>. i am the taller one with the pink scarf around my neck. it was the evening of mom's 90<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">th</span> birthday party. we are 9 months apart in age, and some would refer to us as <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">irish</span> twins. we've always been close, but in the past we've also had some differences. this all began about the time i was graduating from high <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">school</span> and planning on college, and she has one year left. i went on to college and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">laura</span> went on to drugs. we lost our connection to each other for a while. </span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#6600cc;"></span> </div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#6600cc;"></span> </div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#6600cc;">i am #3 of 6 girls, and laura is #4. we are both the middle child, however i my personality is more of the first born, while hers is more of the real middle child. we've never been into all the stuff, and the family calls us the middle girls. 6 daughters--poor dad :)</span></div><p><span style="font-family:arial;color:#6600cc;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">laura</span> has cleaned up beautifully. oh, it didn't happen overnight. in fact she's been in an <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">out</span> of rehab more times than i probably know about, but she has been clean for 3 years now. the longest she has ever gone. she hit rock bottom, and it was fix herself or die alone. she fixed herself. it is such a joy to see her now. we're close again. we talk. we share. we even complain about the problem sister on occasion.</span></p><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;color:#6600cc;">today began on a stressful note with mom having a panic attack. i calmed her down and gave her the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">meds</span> she is take when having one and put her to bed to sleep it off. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">mr</span>. roll was working at home today so i left him in charge and i took off for some alone time at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">starbucks</span>. i was sitting there with my book in one of the comfy chairs, but i couldn't get comfortable and i couldn't stay with my book from one paragraph to the next. i gathered all my things and went outside into the sunshine, sat down and called <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">laura</span>. she spent 2 hours with me on the phone. she let me vent, and cry, and talk, and then we laughed and talked about happy things. fun things. </span></p><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;color:#6600cc;">today i realized how lucky i am to have her back in my life. sisters. </span></p><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#6600cc;"></span> </p>queenmarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08527265318590205451noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468586722711625870.post-52218448592201540332009-09-24T14:08:00.000-07:002009-09-24T14:20:51.195-07:00thursday it is . . .<span style="color:#663366;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">thursday</span> does mean that it is almost <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">friday</span>, right? the weekend is almost here.</span><br /><span style="color:#663366;"></span><br /><span style="color:#663366;">it's been a busy week in that i usually have very little to do, but this week has been full. between mom being in the hospital and having tickets to all sorts of events <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">i've</span> just not been home a lot in the evenings.</span><br /><span style="color:#663366;"></span><br /><span style="color:#663366;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">tuesday</span> night was pearl jam. always good. always. always. did i tell you pearl jam is always good? excellent.</span><br /><span style="color:#663366;"></span><br /><span style="color:#663366;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">wednesday</span> night was the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">pnw</span> ballet, romeo and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">juliete</span>. a friend of my son's is a principal dancer with the ballet and she offered us an invitation to the dress rehearsal. we could pick our own seats so we sat in the 6<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">th</span> row, center. beautiful. it wasn't a <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">traditional</span> performance, but rather creative and i did have some issue with that, but the dancing was beautiful. i love the ballet, and <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">every time</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">zak</span> goes i bug him about taking me, and last night he did.</span><br /><span style="color:#663366;"></span><br /><span style="color:#663366;">speaking of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">zak</span>, guess what he is doing today? he's on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">blake</span> island with <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">forbes</span> top 100 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">ceo's</span>, hosted by bill gates and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">paul</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">allen</span>, and the other special guest is the president of japan. <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">bizarre</span>. the company <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">zak</span> works for opens the event center on the island and they are holding the summit meeting there, and they hand selected 10 waiters to go over with them. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">zak</span> is not a waiter, he is a <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">boson</span> and he manges two boats for the company, but they picked him and he's going. the amazing thing is that each of <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">the</span> servers has their gratuity added on the charge and they each walk away with $1850, and, in the past when bill gates has used the boats for meetings he always gives out envelopes of holding a cash "tip" into the gratuity built into the company charge for the event. sweet. </span><br /><span style="color:#663366;"></span><br /><span style="color:#663366;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">zak</span> is leaving for <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">barcelona</span> on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">tuesday</span>, so this little but of cash news came in handy.</span><br /><span style="color:#663366;"></span><br /><span style="color:#663366;">they love to travel by boys do. they are planning to go to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25">cuba</span> in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_26">november</span> over thanksgiving. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_27">i'm</span> not thrilled they are missing thanksgiving with me, but they will be having a grand time together in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_28">cuba</span>.</span>queenmarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08527265318590205451noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468586722711625870.post-32493139507741829422009-09-21T17:27:00.000-07:002009-09-21T17:46:49.239-07:00monday . . .<div align="justify"><span style="font-family:lucida grande;color:#cc0000;">this morning mr. roll and i got up early and headed into the hospital to see mom. she had a stress test and then pictures taken of her heart, and they are keeping her again tonight for observation, and to run partII of the stress test tomorrow. we left to come home about 3;00pm., exhausted, can i tell you how exhausting it is to be at the hospital all day, sitting there doing absolutely nothing. mr. roll and i both had our book and while he was able to read his, i couldn't concentrate for anything. it felt good to come home and collapse on the safe with the house all to myself.</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#cc0000;"></span> </div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#cc0000;"></span> </div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#cc0000;">tomorrow morning i will be back to the hospital, and hopefully will be able to bring mom home.</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#cc0000;"></span> </div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#cc0000;"></span> </div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#cc0000;">the weather is so warm today and even going to be warmer tomorrow. where is our rain? today is the last day of summer, but i am so ready for fall at this point. we've had such a dry summer and this has produced flies. flies in numbers i have never seen before. we don't have screens in seattle. we don't have insects. we don't have bugs. we don't have things crawling through our homes or flying around driving us nuts. not until this summer. not enough rain to kill them all off and they have procreated by the 1000's. i actually had to purchase a fly swat and fly spray. these flies are making me crazy buzzing all over the place. pesty annoying things they are.</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#cc0000;"></span> </div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#cc0000;"></span> </div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#cc0000;"><span style="color:#666666;"><strong>pearl jam</strong></span> tomorrow night. local home grown band and i love them. tomorrow night we will be there. then some night this week we are going to see <span style="color:#009900;"><strong><em>wicked</em></strong></span> with my son zak. he needs to tell me when though. we have free tickets to the play as the cast took a tour on zak's boat and he spoke with one of the actors telling her how much we love musicals and when we've been in nyc visiting my older son we can never get tickets to <strong><span style="color:#009900;"><em>wicked</em></span></strong>. she offered us great seats and backstage tour, and all we have to do is pick up the tickets at will-call. i like this.</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#cc0000;"></span> </div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#cc0000;"></span> </div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#cc0000;">tonight it's just mr. roll and i for dinner, and he has his men's woodworking group, so dinner will be late. he's working on a rocking chair for an auction coming up in two weeks. two years ago he made them one and it went for $2800, so hopefully this one will do well too regardless of the economy. his rocking chairs are mission style and they are beautiful. after the auction he can get back to work on my (our) living room furniture--all mission style. and as for dinner it is chicken enchiladas with a chili verde sauce. very good in deed.</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#cc0000;"></span> </div>queenmarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08527265318590205451noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468586722711625870.post-87349443170442362872009-09-20T21:15:00.000-07:002009-09-20T22:19:19.105-07:00Sunday Sonshine<div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;color:#000099;">the mariners won today. mariners 7 -- <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">yankees</span> 1. it was a fun game. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">graffey</span> hit a home run and had another run in there some place too. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">alex</span> was booed every time he walked to bat, or walked to the field. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">alex</span> is not well liked in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">seatown</span>, and he knows it. in fact i wonder if <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">alex</span> is actually liked at any ball park who walks onto? </span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000099;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000099;"></span><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000099;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="color:#ff99ff;"><strong></strong></span></span> </div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="color:#ff99ff;"><strong></strong></span></span> </div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="color:#ff99ff;"><strong>before i go on with today let me tell you about robin. robin has just hosted her 200<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">th</span> blog post and is having a giveaway, so be sure to check her out at </strong></span><a href="http://alabamaslackermama.blogspot.com/"><span style="color:#ff99ff;"><strong>http://alabamaslackermama.blogspot.com</strong></span></a></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000099;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000099;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000099;"></span> </div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000099;"></span> </div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000099;">we left the house this morning and mom was fine. she was here and i left her instructions to just stay down on the sofa, in the family room, until we came home from the baseball game. the dogs were here with her. we came home <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">from</span> the game and mom was no where to be found, but we did find a card from the fire department in out <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">front </span>door. we raced off to the hospital but she wasn't there. i called the card and the told me they had taken mom into auburn thinking she was having a heart </span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000099;">attack. </span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000099;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000099;"></span> </div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000099;"></span> </div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000099;">quilt.</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000099;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000099;"></span> </div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000099;"></span> </div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000099;">scared.</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000099;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000099;"></span> </div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000099;"></span> </div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000099;">we raced off to the hospital in auburn and found mom already admitted to a room on floor 3. she was happy to see us when we walked in. they do <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">believe</span> she has had a heart attack, but will know more tomorrow. the doctor doess think she has probably had a heart attack. i am happy to have her a larger hosital then the tiny one here in enumblaw.</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000099;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000099;"></span> </div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000099;"></span> </div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000099;">we'll know more tommorw.</span></div>queenmarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08527265318590205451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468586722711625870.post-51112714203999987022009-09-18T16:53:00.000-07:002009-09-20T21:15:43.275-07:00finally friday, i think . . .<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuF82UjVOpU8TlP8yM-kDbBcSWMR2vR5mcKsZ9R9kxePAQYsGXQp-Aqm_YilGM7VHriyEYv17hI0CJxZ0j9gdHSksLaaRFDd3eedB7tUDZNf_p4ftN4TmI_hSs31IsqjRwSQ6zv45cArOt/s1600-h/IMG_7241.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382966539579501458" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuF82UjVOpU8TlP8yM-kDbBcSWMR2vR5mcKsZ9R9kxePAQYsGXQp-Aqm_YilGM7VHriyEYv17hI0CJxZ0j9gdHSksLaaRFDd3eedB7tUDZNf_p4ftN4TmI_hSs31IsqjRwSQ6zv45cArOt/s320/IMG_7241.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="color:#cc0000;"><strong><em> some of my family</em></strong></span></div><div align="center"><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;color:#cc0000;">i cannot believe i've gone almost an entire week without blogging. not like me at all. while i keep a handwritten journal, i also like to keep this one as a way to connect and make online friends. i don't have a huge reader following, in fact it is quite dismal in numbers, but in spirit it is far greater. i am so appreciative of the readers i have. i like my readers very much.</span></div><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#cc0000;"></span></div><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#cc0000;">family. i have started reading "<em><strong>the kennedy women</strong></em>" this week. it's about 1000 pages and begins with bridget kennedy coming from ireland. i am hooked on it. i'm on about page 175, so i have long to go before completing it, but i am loving the history. i am so, in some small fashion, even embracing my own irish history. you see my paternal grandmother, mary kelley, immigrated from ireland in the late 1800's aboard a ship bringing her to a new life in america. wow. i don't know that i have the strength of nature to do what these women did. my family didn't fair as well as the kennedy's managed to, but a family they were nonetheless.</span></div><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#cc0000;"></span></div><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#cc0000;">my father was the 2nd of 15 children born to my grandmaother. not close to her at all. in fact, after she divorced my grandfather she promptly dropped her children at an orphanage in southern california and fled to begin her own new life in california. that is as much as i really have ever cared to know about her or her life for a long long time. then a few years ago i was in minneapolis, at the mall of america, with my oldest son dylan and there was a native american dance performance happening in the center. i sat and watched for the longest time and dylan and i began talking about our own family traditions and history. at the time i was also taking a french cooking class and diong all things french, as i had been raised to do by my very french mother and her family. dylan questioned why i never explored the irish side of my self, and my only response was that i didn't consider myself irish only french. i am french.</span></div><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#cc0000;"></span></div><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#cc0000;">one only need took at me to see i am very irish. i am a big boned pheasant stock girl. i am not the petite slim girl that all my sisters are. while they are, all five of them, 5'2 ands under, and a mere 85-100lbs, i am a stocky 5'7 130lbs. they like to refer to me as the amazon woman in the family. i am the exact replica of my paternal grandmother, even bearing the same name. i have since, that conversation with dylan, developed a keen interest in all things irish and i am slowly coming to grips with the fact that i am not only of french heritage, but of irish too. and it's not bad. i think it is the french in me that often times makes me cringe at knowing something else has worked it's way into my blood flow. but it is good.</span></div><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#cc0000;"></span></div><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#cc0000;">one of the aspects of this kennedy book i am enjoying is the closeness of the family. family is everything. we are six girls, and for the most part we are close. sticking together through it all. we are constance, jennifer, marileigh (me), laura, shannon, kathyn. laura and i are merely nine months apart in age. irish twins as we are called. we are all blondes, and while most have blue eyes, i have green and shannon has brown. we share clothes, we share make-up, we share our lives together. we also get mad and don't speak. laura and kathy were so mad one time they didn't speak for seven years, finally making up with our father passed. how sad to let one small disagreement keep you apart from those you love.</span></div><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#cc0000;"></span></div><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#cc0000;">shannon is my very best friend. her children and my children are close to each other. their other cousins they are not so close to, but they would be for them if the need were to arise. family is important to us.</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#cc0000;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#cc0000;">speaking of family, i think i need to call shannon.</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#cc0000;"></span></div></div>queenmarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08527265318590205451noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468586722711625870.post-59936405214435377442009-09-12T21:02:00.000-07:002009-09-12T21:33:13.689-07:00saturday at last<div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;color:#cc0000;">today was so warm and sunny outside. it was the perfect day for a picnic in the park, which is exactly what our church did. we held a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">sunday</span> school kickoff <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">bbq</span> in a park right by the church, and right in front of the town library. we had lots of those giant air filled jumping things that kids like to much. we had hamburgers and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">hotdogs</span> and chips. there was also a car show going on downtown so a lot of families were there too and would stop by the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">bbq</span> for something to eat and the kids could play. </span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;color:#cc0000;"></span> </div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#cc0000;">we took our three dogs with us, and mom of course. mom was able to sit and visit with her crowd of friends giving <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">mr</span>. roll and i the rare opportunity to visit with ours. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">mr</span>. roll bought food bands for the dogs so they too could enjoy a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">hotdog</span> or two. i appreciated him doing this as i was concerned they would beg, and i didn't want that. the dogs were well behaved and i think people were happy that our doggies didn't disrupt the fun. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">lucy</span>, our hound, was especially happy that one little girl named <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">hannah</span> spent much of the afternoon sitting my her and rubbing her. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">lucy</span> was so pleased she even rolled on her back so <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">hannah</span> could get to her tummy. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">hannah</span> was please when <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">mr</span>. roll told her that <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">lucy</span> must really like her a lot if she rolled on her back. </span></div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#cc0000;">i enjoyed being able to sit in the sun and enjoy talking to two of my closest friends at church, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">debbie</span> and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">judy</span>. we're all the same age and they were my first two friends i made when i moved to this town. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">debbie's</span> husband troy is <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">mr</span>. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">roll's</span> closest friend here in town. </span></div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#cc0000;">book club was on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">friday</span> afternoon and while i didn't care of the book, "<strong><em>losing <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">julia</span></em></strong>", i did read it. book club is good at getting me to read outside my comfort zone. there are 9 of us in book club and only two, of the women, liked the book. i didn't, but i did like that the story took place during WW1. i am not an expert on WW1, and i appreciated that this book <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">triggered</span> something in me to read more about about that time period. probably i will look for a non-fiction historical documentary type book to read. i know, how boring can i be.</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#cc0000;"></span> </div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#cc0000;">our book club meets at <strong>sip city</strong>, right downtown. we do wine tasting while we enjoy conversing about our book. i live in a very small town, slightly south east from <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">seattle</span>. many of the people who live out here commute into <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">seattle</span> for work, including <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">mr</span>. roll, and i will be commuting into <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25">UW</span> for school in a couple of weeks. but being a small town and that we meet on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_26">friday</span> 4-6, once a month in the wine shop, we often times have fellow neighbors or church friends or simply people we know come in and join us in conversation. it is a lot of fun.</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#cc0000;"></span> </div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#cc0000;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_27">mr</span>. roll and i are trying to decide whether or not to go to the rodeo tomorrow at the fair over in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_28">puyallup</span>. i usually love the rodeo, but i don't want to go to the fair on a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_29">sunday</span> afternoon--it will be too crowded. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_30">i'd</span> rather we go one day during the week when it won't be crowded. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_31">mr</span>. roll will take a vacation day and we'll spend the afternoon at the fair. so i think i solved my own problem and we won't go tomorrow. good decision.</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#cc0000;"></span> </div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#cc0000;">i talked to my oldest son <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_33">dylan</span> on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_34">friday</span> too. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_35">friday</span> was a good day it seems. he's busy with work. the film he was going to be working on was cancelled due to the studio, or whoever controls all the money, refusing to pay certain high salaries. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_36">i'm</span> sure there is a lot more involved, but in <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_37">essence</span> it was <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_38">canceled</span> over money and the studio not wanting to spend anymore than they were. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_39">dylan</span> then took on a television show. little background . . . <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_40">dylan</span> has done television work and hated it. after he graduated from college and he moved to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_41">nyc</span> he had a job with a&e and he edited "dog the bounty hunter. i can't even tell you how he felt about that show and the people in it. hated it. while at a&e he also did some show about wife swapping and another one a few other reality shows. then he went to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_42">mtv</span> and did more reality <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_43">tv</span>. he finally graduated to film and has been doing film editing for a few years now, and he loves what he does. he's doing this television show and it's not reality <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_44">tv</span>, and he's enjoying it. the show is called <strong>3rd-rock</strong>. he had another film coming up and will be out of the country on that, but in the meantime he is enjoying the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_45">tv</span> show. he told me i need to watch it and assured me it is a good show. i will watch it this week.</span></div><div align="justify"> </div>queenmarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08527265318590205451noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468586722711625870.post-46232354013098662382009-09-09T20:13:00.000-07:002009-09-09T20:34:53.121-07:00wednesday wine<div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;color:#cc33cc;">i don't really know why i haven't blogged in almost a week. other than an episode of meniere's on monday i have been doing well, in general. </span></div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#cc33cc;">on monday, being as it was a holiday and mr. roll had the day off, we headed into tukwilla too barnes & noble. i needed to pick up my book club book, "<strong><em>losing julia</em></strong>" as book club is this friday and i hadn't even bought the book yet. good grief, this is not the way i usually operate. and i wanted to see if i could find book <strong><em>8 & 9 of the sookie stackhouse series</em></strong>. no luck with any of them. losing julia is out of print, so i came home and ordered it on amazon. books 8 & 9 were out of stock, and luckily i had already ordered them from amazon, i was just a bit impatient for book 9 to arrive, and my son wanted me to pick them up for him too. </span></div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#cc33cc;"><strong>kindle</strong> anyone? have you heard of <strong>kindle</strong>? do you have one? i got one as a free gift from my son. amazon held some sort of important meeting on one of his boats, and they passed out the kindles to everyone and the leftovers were offered to the crew, and he got one for me too. lucky me. i love it. you simply type int he book title and click to pay $6.99 and it's downloaded immediately. to try it out i downloaded book #8, of sooke stackhouse, and it appeared. it took me about 30 seconds to get used to the book being on a screen and not paper. then i discovered that if i plug my ipod ears into the kindle i get the book on audio. i've never done a book on audio and i have a little trouble staying with the reading so i don't know that i will use it often, but it's still cool. this kindle has been sitting in the pile in my dining room for at least 6 months, and i finally tried it out and i enjoy it. if you don't have one yet, go get one. i say that with no idea how much they cost.</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#cc33cc;"></span> </div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#cc33cc;">this afternoon we were off to the oncologist to see how mr. roll's tests last week turned out. nothing has changed so we are happy. this is the first time his cancer has pretty much stayed at bay. it seems to be simply sitting there doing nothing. not growing. not spreading. but it is there nonetheless. mr. roll is still refusing chemo as he likes having his life back too much. i like it too and as long as the dr. is agreeable to no chemo, we're good. </span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#cc33cc;"></span> </div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#cc33cc;">you have no idea how much we are appreciating the fact that we can make plans and keep them. as a surprise i bought mr. roll baseball series tickets for the mariners/yankees series coming up the weekend after next. we haven't been able to do something like this in 5 years. it's exciting. this weekend we are going to the cougar game, saturday, at quest field. on sunday we're going to seahawks game. i am not a football fan, but i will go to be with mr. roll and i will love watching him being able to have fun.</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#cc33cc;"></span> </div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#cc33cc;">my study guide books for the lsat arrived this week. scary looking. mom oh mom, do i have to learn how to think again. wow. i thumbed through and i realize how much studying i need to do before i attempt to take this exam. but i am feeling good at having made this decision to pursue law school. age doesn't matter one bit. mr. roll is so supportive of this decision and i feel so blessed to have him by my side.</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#cc33cc;"></span> </div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#cc33cc;">speaking of school, tomorrow i have to get registered for my classes at university of washington. very exciting.</span></div>queenmarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08527265318590205451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468586722711625870.post-49257296190948753712009-09-03T15:23:00.000-07:002009-09-03T15:43:25.455-07:00thursday it is . . .<div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;color:#993399;"> this morning it was pampering time. i took mom and we had our nails done, and i had a pedicure too. mom doesn't like pedicures so she <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">sat</span> with a cup of coffee and waited while i had that. then i had my eyebrows waxed. my gosh they needed to be waxed. i feel fresh and new.</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;color:#993399;"> </span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#993399;"></span> </div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#993399;"> i went by the market on the way home to pick up some groceries. mom was pretty tired from getting her nails done so she waited in the car and rushed through as to not make her sit too long in the car. of course after i got home i remembered all the other items on my list. oh well, i can go back after <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">mr</span>. roll gets home. and i can sneak into the tanning salon too. it's all good.</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#993399;"></span> </div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#993399;"> i love <strong><em>top chef</em></strong>. due to the fact that <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">mr</span>. roll likes to watch something on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">wednesday</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">nights</span> i watch <strong><em>top chef</em></strong> on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">thursday</span>. i have episode 3 on right now. some of these chefs are so arrogant and then others i can't fathom how they even made it onto the show to begin with? i always try to imagine what i would make when they're given the ingredients. i imagine how i would react to the other chefs and their <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">temperaments</span> and attitudes. could i remain nice? <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">i'd</span> do better on <strong><em>iron chef</em></strong>, another favorite show that <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">mr</span>. roll and i like to watch together. my fantasy is be a world famous chef. sometimes when <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">i'm</span> cooking dinner, in my kitchen, i pretend i am speaking to a television audience. talking. joking. explaining. it's fun. back the <strong><em>top chef</em></strong> chef's creating something with potatoes. </span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#993399;"></span> </div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#993399;"></span> </div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#993399;"> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">tonights</span> dinner is an old standby, chicken with cream of mushroom soup. remember this dish? it was a staple when i was <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">growing</span> up, and even when my kids were growing up. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">i've</span> tried, over the years, to fancy it up a bit by adding garlic, adding sour cream, adding red wine, adding some artichoke hearts. don't get me wrong, all the additions were delicious, but chicken and cream of mushroom soup taste good standing alone. tonight it stands alone. i bought some regular white rice to have with it. i can't remember the last time i made regular white rice? tonight it is.</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#993399;"></span> </div>queenmarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08527265318590205451noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468586722711625870.post-1661582789191074052009-09-02T21:05:00.000-07:002009-09-02T21:42:44.661-07:00wednesday, let's play ball, mariners baseball<span style="color:#000099;">and they won. of</span><span style="color:#000099;"> course it was 0/0 until the 7th inning when the <strong><em><span style="color:#000066;">mariners</span></em></strong> finally scored. we love baseball, and we specially love going to the games together.</span><br /><br /><br /><div align="justify"><span style="color:#000099;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#000099;">last thursday mr. roll came home from work and told me he had a surprise for me. <strong><em><span style="color:#000066;">mariners </span></em></strong>tickets. section 134, row 32--right behind home plate. good.</span></div><div align="justify"> </div><span style="color:#000099;"></span><br /><br /><div align="justify"><span style="color:#000099;">when we were dating and commuting between berkeley and seattle to see each other every other week, one thing we did a lof of during spring and summer, was go to baseball games. when mr. roll came to berkeley we headed the <em><span style="color:#009900;"><strong>oakland a's.</strong></span></em> when i would go up to seattle, we headed for the <strong><span style="color:#000066;"><em>seattle mariners</em>.</span></strong> and for the record, i introduced mr. roll to garlic fries in oakland, long before they finally arrived at safeco field. </span></div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#000099;"></span> </div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#000099;"></span> </div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#000099;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#000099;">baseball has been not much more than a fond memory since 1991, for us due to mr. roll's cancer. these past few years have been a struggle for him health wise between 8+ surgeries where he is in the hospital for an entire week, and the chemo. the chemo. the ironic thing about the chemo is that it is given to hopefully preserve his life, and yet it makes him feel as if his life is over. it robs him of his health. robs him of a life. robbed him of an <span style="color:#ffff00;">immune</span> system so going into crowds was not something he could do. and watching sports on television just isn't the same as being there.</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#000099;"></span> </div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#000099;"></span> </div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#000099;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#000099;">even harder to give up than the mariners, was his not being able to go to his beloved hockey. oh my gosh does mr. roll love hockey. i think it's because he's from minneapolis. all that snow. all those frozen lakes. the frozen tundra it is, and he loved playing hockey. he loves watching hockey. seattle does not have a nhl team, but seattle does have a junior league team, the seattle <strong><em><span style="color:#3333ff;">thunderbirds.</span></em></strong> we go. we love. we have missed.</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#000099;"></span> </div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#000099;"></span> </div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#000099;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#000099;">i had never been to a hockey game until i met and began dating mr. roll. tonight i am going to buy him (us) short season tickets. october will be here before we know it and hockey season will be upon us.</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#000099;"></span> </div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#000099;"></span> </div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#000099;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#000099;">mr. roll stopped chemo back in december when i developed septic shock. he decided he couldn't be with me all the time and do chemo too. he discussed it all, of course, with his oncologist (who came into icu, while i was in a coma, to see me and to visit with mr. roll, and ended up sitting and talking to him 2 hours. not only is he a brilliant dr., but his bedside manner is the best.) the dr. would have liked mr. roll to start back on his chemo regimen months ago, but mr. roll said "no". he has been on chemo since september 2002, only missing about 15 weeks in these years that he was on a "break". the chemo is hard. he's sick. he lost so much weight. no energy. life pretty much came to a standstill. since he's been off the chemo now he is feeling so good. he feels like he has a life again. so, in agreement with me and his oncologist he has a ct scan every two months and the current tumor is l</span><span style="color:#000099;">ooked at closely for changes. so far no changes. so far it's all good.</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#000099;"></span> </div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#000099;"></span> </div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#000099;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#000099;">we talked on the way home, from the baseball game, and we're ready to step back into enjoying being out in large crowds. or at least baseball and hockey crowds.</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#000099;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#000099;"></span></div>queenmarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08527265318590205451noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468586722711625870.post-77936136929480531152009-09-01T22:41:00.000-07:002009-09-01T22:54:09.698-07:00tuesday thoughts<div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;color:#663366;">school begins, not granted i don't have children at home but school did begin this week, and i have the stomach bug. yuck. the only time i got up today was to take a shower and go to occupational therapy for <em><strong><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">craniosacral</span> therapy</strong></em>. it always makes me feel like <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">i've</span> run a 10k, but i also feel better too so i went. i actually feel asleep during the procedure. came home and slept for 3 more hours.</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#663366;"></span> </div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#663366;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">mr</span>. roll came home from work and brought me an <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">oreo</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">mcflurry</span>, which i tried to eat but couldn't. i love soft ice <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">cream</span> and especially dairy queen which we don't have in our little village, so i sometimes settle for a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">mcflurry</span>. it was the thought that counts. a lot. he also made me some vegetable soup for dinner which i did eat. it felt good to eat and keep something down. maybe i am on the upswing here. i hope</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#663366;"></span> </div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#663366;">we have tickets to the <span style="color:#000099;"><strong><em><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">mariniers</span></em></strong></span> game tomorrow afternoon. they are playing the angels. i was hoping they were <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">playing</span> the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">a's</span> when i first glanced at the tickets--the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">a's</span> are my team. i lived in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">berkeley</span> for 30 years and the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">a's</span> have it!!! it will be fun regardless, i just hope i am feeling better so i can enjoy it. </span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#663366;"></span> </div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#663366;">one of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">zak's</span> best friends will be at the game too. he said he'd text <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">mr</span>. roll to meet for a beer. he's a smart young man because he knows if he meets up with <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">mr</span>. roll, that <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">mr</span>. roll will buy him a beer. actually this isn't just one of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">zak's</span> friends, it is also his roommate and our <em>other son</em>. </span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#663366;"></span> </div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#663366;">this is about it for me tonight. not feeling well enough to lay here with the laptop on top of me and try to type. </span></div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#663366;">peace out.</span> </div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#663366;"></span> </div>queenmarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08527265318590205451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468586722711625870.post-90272594974922071042009-08-31T16:33:00.000-07:002009-08-31T22:24:14.980-07:00monday . . .<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA-l9mLPAQ-yakYFNIUfXw2foHE9WPKIk-CfX2j3yhOuq9RZDSWA0wIwVhCeCCGAvpnzRUucGcHoE1EpVI6hbTNnKNXzU1I0KfXxGsl63KZUUZ1qjCQ0ybmAa7o1hzPGdJVLC3IkRCvdST/s1600-h/Blueberry_Buckwheat_Pancakes.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376286939175268946" style="WIDTH: 160px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 120px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA-l9mLPAQ-yakYFNIUfXw2foHE9WPKIk-CfX2j3yhOuq9RZDSWA0wIwVhCeCCGAvpnzRUucGcHoE1EpVI6hbTNnKNXzU1I0KfXxGsl63KZUUZ1qjCQ0ybmAa7o1hzPGdJVLC3IkRCvdST/s320/Blueberry_Buckwheat_Pancakes.jpg" border="0" /></a> <span style="color:#330099;"><strong>buckwheat blueberry pancakes <span style="font-size:78%;">(recipe below)<br /></span></strong></span><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;color:#000099;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;color:#000099;">i have been fighting the stomach flu for two days now. it started in sunday and today i still am not feeling bed. in fact i haven't even gotten out of bed today. here in bed with my laptop. mr. roll is so good to me when he came in this morning to tell me goodbye, as he was leaving for work, he brought my laptop in for me. he even plugged it in and set it on the bed, within my reach, so that when i felt up to it i could keep myself entertained.<span style="font-size:0;"></span></span></div><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000099;"></span></div><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000099;">harley is here beside me. laptop is here. i spent most of the day watching all 8 episodes of season three of <strong><em>the tudors</em></strong>. a favorite show of mine on showtime. it could also be called the life and times of henry the 8th. i was disappointed to see that episode 8 came with the demise of thomas cromwell, not because i love thomas cromwell but i love the actor that portrays sir cromwell, james fairn. all good things must come to an end.</span></div><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000099;"></span></div><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000099;">tomorrow i am planning to take bear, another of our dogs, with me over to seattle and hang out with zak. he has the day off so we're going to do coffee at peet's, then take the dogs for a walk around greenlake, which is by his house. at some point we'll go to <em><span style="color:#33cc00;">the snappy dragon</span></em> for food. <span style="color:#33cc00;"><em>the snappy dragon</em></span> is the best chinese food ever--they make their own noodles and their pot stickers are the best i have ever tasted.</span></div><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000099;"></span></div><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000099;">when i was in the hospital, with the septic shock, i was eventually moved from icu to a regular room and i remember waking up one afternoon and zak was there and i could smell the most delicious pot stickers. i hadn't been eating much and zak thought i might do better if i had something i really liked so he brought me pot stickers from <span style="color:#33cc00;"><em>the snappy dragon</em></span> and he fed me. as a result of septic shock i lost my motor skills and had to relearn things like walking and feeding myself. my 25 year old son brought me and fed me one of my favorite foods. remembering this makes me cry.</span></div><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000099;"></span></div><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000099;">speaking of parents and children . . . i have met an incredible family online. bill and victoria strong and their almost 2 year old daughter gwendolyn. gwendolyn has sma and their blog is about their family and about their fight to educate the public about sma and to fight for a cure. they are truely amazing and i have come to love them, through their blog. they never ask for anything, so don't think my sending you to get to know them about them needing stuff, it's not. i encourage you to go read their story and get to know them. you too will fall in love with them. gwendolyn is precious and her smiles will make your worst day better. <a href="http://www.gwendolynstrong.com/">http://www.gwendolynstrong.com/</a></span></div><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000099;"></span></div><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000099;">mr. roll just came home from work and came to check on me. he asked me what i felt like having for dinner tonight and i told him buckwheat blueberry pancakes. the look on his face was priceless. you see mr. roll doesn't really cook. he does all things bbg related, but if it involves the stove or the oven he doesn't do it. he asked me to pull out my pancake recipe for him, but i decided to let hm off the hook and let him go to the market and buy a box of buckwheat pancake mix to use. how bad can it be? it won't be bad at all and these pancakes will be made with love, this i know for a fact. i have bags of frozen blueberries in the freezer he can use too. and we have really good pure maple syrup we brought back from alaska.</span></div><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000099;"></span></div><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000099;">but because i love to cook, and i am loyal to cooking from scratch i will share my recipe with you. i wish i could remember where i first found it, but i've been using it since my children were little. these pancakes are good.</span></div><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000099;"></span></div><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000099;"><span style="color:#330099;"><strong><u>buckwheat blueberry pancakes<br /></u></strong></span>3/4 cup buckwheat flour<br />3/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour<br />1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder<br />1/2 teaspoon baking soda<br />1/4 teaspoon salt<br />1 cup buttermilk<br />3/4 cup nonfat milk<br />1 tablespoon honey<br />2 large eggs<br />2 tablespoons canola oil<br />2 cups blueberries, divided<br />1/2 cup real maple syrup<br /><strong><u>directions<br /></u></strong>in a large bowl whisk together the flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In another bowl, beat together the buttermilk, non-fat milk, honey, eggs, and oil. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, mixing only enough to combine them. Stir in 1 cup of berries.</span></div><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000099;"><br />preheat a large nonstick griddle or skillet over a medium flame. Ladle the batter onto the skillet with a 1/4-cup measure. Flip the pancake when it is golden brown on the bottom and bubbles are forming on top, about 1 1/2 minutes. Cook the other side until golden brown, about 1 1/2 minutes. </span></div><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000099;"></span></div><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000099;">serve topped with more blueberries and the maple syrup.</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000099;"></span></div>queenmarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08527265318590205451noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468586722711625870.post-2458976549875570052009-08-29T16:22:00.000-07:002009-08-29T16:52:46.499-07:00saturday at last<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDmcerXQSBrjxXRd1_-brzxuQZMJttDrOnBj9O1x4bj_KROuPuiu0UPcaTGlp_aOneDKTD30UTM-tSbAgWzWv3X_N6PS2NrLOrf3g5XjgotKJZBBooyXQV8VnwkD7d4hkSWwxsHJ5OSxKf/s1600-h/hooters+wings.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375534656489494690" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 158px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 118px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDmcerXQSBrjxXRd1_-brzxuQZMJttDrOnBj9O1x4bj_KROuPuiu0UPcaTGlp_aOneDKTD30UTM-tSbAgWzWv3X_N6PS2NrLOrf3g5XjgotKJZBBooyXQV8VnwkD7d4hkSWwxsHJ5OSxKf/s320/hooters+wings.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="color:#000099;"> </span><span style="color:#cc0000;"><strong>chicken wings</strong></span></div><div align="center"><strong><span style="font-size:78%;color:#cc0000;">recipe is below</span></strong></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#000099;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#000099;">i've been cooking all morning, ot at least most of it trying to get things ready to take to the bbq. the chicken wings are done. the guacamole is done, and i have homemade blue corn chips to go with. and then there is the coffee cake, literally. i need to get a shower, but i need to get off my feet for a few minutes too. i do not want an epeisode of meniere's today, so it's best not to get too tired.
<br /></div></span><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;color:#000099;">last night i managed to stay up until 3:40am reading book #7 of the sookie stackhouse aka true blood series. i am so caught up in these books i can't put them down. you have to understand that these books are completely not <em>me</em>. the book i read before starting these was "<em>the kennedy brothers"</em>. i like non-fiction. i like historical novels about europe. i may like that stuff, but i am loving these <em>dead</em> books</span><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#cc0000;">.</span></div><div align="justify">
<br /></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#cc0000;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:130%;color:#cc0000;"><strong>chicken wings <span style="font-size:85%;">(i made 6 dozen wings today so i increased the recipe by quite a bit)</span></strong></span></div><div align="justify"><u><strong><span style="color:#990000;">ingredients:
<br /></div></span></strong></u><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#cc0000;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#cc0000;">1/4 cup butter
<br />1/4 cup louisiana hot sauce</a>
<br />1 dash pepper, Ground
<br />1 dash garlic powder
<br />1/2 cup flour
<br />1/4 teaspoon paprika
<br />1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
<br />1/4 teaspoon salt
<br />10 chicken wings
<br />bleu cheese salad dressing</a>
<br />celery
<br />vegetable oil</a>, for frying </span></div><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#cc0000;"><strong><u><span style="color:#990000;">directions
<br /></span></u></strong>*combine the flour, paprika, cayenne pepper, and salt in a small bowl.
<br />*put the wings into a large bowl and sprinkle the flour mixture over them, coating each wing evenly.
<br />*put the wings in the refrigerator for 60 to 90 minutes. (This will help the breading to stick to the wings when fried.)
<br />*heat oil in a deep fryer to 375 degrees.
<br />*you want just enough oil to cover the wings entirely -- an inch or so deep at least. Combine the butter, hot sauce, ground pepper, and garlic powder in a small saucepan over low heat. Heat until the butter is melted and the ingredients are well blended.
<br />*put all the wings into the hot oil and fry them for 10 to 15 minutes or until some parts of the wings begin to turn dark brown.
<br />*remove the wings from the oil to a paper towel to drain.
<br />*but don't let them sit too long, because you want to serve the wings hot. Quickly put the wings into a large bowl.
<br />*add the hot sauce and stir, coating all the wings evenly.
<br />*you could also use a large plastic container with a lid for this.
<br />*put all the wings inside the container, add the sauce, put on the lid, then shake. Serve with Bleu cheese dressing and celery sticks on the side.</span></p>queenmarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08527265318590205451noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468586722711625870.post-29660970875486891542009-08-28T22:36:00.000-07:002009-08-28T22:51:15.093-07:00pioneer women's coffee cake<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw_AD9avZgv6hP9w2Ij_Ww1elZ0XcUC9hO1rXIpE5Szx3pmVj6VERENZXktUCkdniesNG07kzxmfbbNWeM2vIUrU3TayNVW2zEncn4AXJWLCsh9XLeIn7x9JQfrI1jtHllZg5ZLigFljV7/s1600-h/coffee+cake+literally.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375258070596281522" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 213px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw_AD9avZgv6hP9w2Ij_Ww1elZ0XcUC9hO1rXIpE5Szx3pmVj6VERENZXktUCkdniesNG07kzxmfbbNWeM2vIUrU3TayNVW2zEncn4AXJWLCsh9XLeIn7x9JQfrI1jtHllZg5ZLigFljV7/s320/coffee+cake+literally.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><span style="color:#663300;"><strong></strong></span></div><br /><div><span style="color:#663300;"><strong>Pioneer Woman’s Coffee Cake Literally <a href="http://thepioneerwoman.com/">http://thepioneerwoman.com/</a></strong></span></div><br /><div><span style="color:#663300;"><strong>CAKE</strong></span></div><div><span style="color:#663300;">2 cups flour</span></div><div><span style="color:#663300;">2 cups white sugar</span></div><div><span style="color:#663300;">1/4 teaspoon salt</span></div><div><span style="color:#663300;">2 sticks (1 cup) regular (salted) butter</span></div><div><span style="color:#663300;">3 tablespoons instant coffee (I <strong><em>did not use</em></strong> instant coffee, but regular <strong>peet's</strong> coffee and it turned out sooooo good)</span></div><div><span style="color:#663300;">1/2 cup buttermilk</span></div><div><span style="color:#663300;">2 eggs</span></div><div><span style="color:#663300;">1 teaspoon baking soda</span></div><div><span style="color:#663300;">2 teaspoons vanilla</span></div><br /><div><span style="color:#663300;"><strong>ICING</strong></span></div><div><span style="color:#663300;">1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) regular (salted) butter</span></div><div><span style="color:#663300;">1 pound powdered sugar</span></div><div><span style="color:#663300;">1 to 2 tablespoons instant coffee (i did use instant for the icing. i used <strong>starbucks</strong> instant coffee for this since it's not brewed before using and i was worried about using regular coffee, but i will try peet's regular next time)</span></div><div><span style="color:#663300;">1/4 teaspoon salt</span></div><div><span style="color:#663300;">2 to 4 tablespoons heavy cream (add as needed)</span></div><br /><div><span style="color:#663300;"><strong>FOR THE CAKE:<br /></strong>Preheat oven to 350 degrees. </span></div><div><span style="color:#663300;">Grease and flour two round baking pans.<br />Add 3 tablespoons to 1 cup boiling water. Set aside.</span></div><div><span style="color:#663300;">In a large bowl, mix sugar, flour, and 1/4 teaspoon salt.</span></div><div><span style="color:#663300;">In a separate bowl, add buttermilk, eggs, baking soda, and vanilla.<br />Combine above ingredients, then pour into pans. </span></div><div><span style="color:#663300;">Bake for 20 to 22 minutes or until set.<br />Allow to cool completely.</span></div><br /><div><span style="color:#663300;"><strong>FOR THE ICING:<br /></strong>Combine all icing ingredients, then ice cake. Chill for an hour before serving. </span></div><br /><div></div><div><em><span style="color:#990000;">this cake is so good i actually made two of them this evening. one is to take to a memorial bbq saturday evening and the other is for my mom to have. she would have been sorely disappointed to see watch me take this out of the house without leaving her a piece, not to mention shooing her away from it all afternoon saturday before we leave. i'm not that cruel :)</span></em></div><div><em><span style="color:#990000;"></span></em> </div><div><em><span style="color:#990000;">if you haven't been to ree's site, you must visit her, she is fabulously wonderful. every recipe i've cooked from her site is easy and delicious. <a href="http://thepioneerwoman.com/">http://thepioneerwoman.com/</a></span></em></div><br /><div><em><span style="color:#990000;"></span></em></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div>queenmarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08527265318590205451noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468586722711625870.post-11433312577682808802009-08-28T19:26:00.000-07:002009-08-28T22:58:02.189-07:00finally friday, i think . . .<div align="justify"><strong><span style="font-family:arial;color:#cc33cc;">this morning i woke up not feeling well at all. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">meniere's</span> was hitting me hard and even moving my arm made me nausea. i managed to fluff up the down pillows, all three of them, and flipped on the television. the 62 inch plasma hanging on the wall, that <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">mr</span>. roll just had to bargain shop for when one of the electronics stores was going out of business (yes, he and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">zak</span> went in together with cash and bought these televisions for a steal.) i was in the hospital at the time, having just come out of a coma and off the ventilator and still not really talking, which is the only reason we have a television this large in our bedroom (and family room too.) to my surprise one of my favorite movies of all time was just beginning!!!</span></strong></div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#cc33cc;"></span></strong> </div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#cc33cc;"></span></strong> </div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#cc33cc;"></span></strong></div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#cc33cc;"><em><span style="font-size:130%;color:#993399;">where the heart is.</span></em> can i tell you how much i love this movie? i love it. it's the story of a pregnant teenager who is traveling across country with her boyfriend and he leaves her at a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">wal</span>-mart in small town o<span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">klahoma</span>. she makes a life and falls in love. in 2000, when the movie came out i loved it. i so wanted to meet my own <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">forny</span> and fall in love. and i did when i met <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">mr</span>. roll. i still love the movie to this day and realize i need to buy it on blue ray so i can enjoy it whenever i want on this new television <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">mr</span>. roll bought, along with a blue ray thrown in for free. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">mr</span>. roll must have been so happy i was preoccupied and he didn't have to discuss this purchase with me :)</span></strong></div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#cc33cc;"></span></strong> </div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#cc33cc;"></span></strong> </div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#cc33cc;"></span></strong></div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#cc33cc;">that was sort of the end of the fun in today. i was getting dressed and ready to take mom to her doctor appointment when i heard her calling me. i ran downstairs and she was leaning against the dining room wall clutching her chest. i threw on a sweatshirt and flip-flops and got her to the car and raced to the hospital. no time for 911, when we live only 3 blocks from the hospital. i ran in and told them and they raced out to the car to get her. we were out of the house and in the emergency room in less than 5 minutes. no heart attack. no stroke. i have her home and she is resting comfortable.</span></strong></div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#cc33cc;"></span></strong></div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#cc33cc;">but can i tell you how tiring it is to sit in an emergency all afternoon waiting for test results? i think it wore us both out.</span></strong></div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#cc33cc;"></span></strong> </div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#cc33cc;"></span></strong> </div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#cc33cc;"></span></strong></div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#cc33cc;">dinner tonight is simple. it also happens to be one of mom's favorites as she loves breakfast for supper. pancakes and pepper bacon. i have the bacon in the oven as i didn't want to stand there frying it forever and the house smells so good.</span></strong></div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#cc33cc;"></span></strong> </div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#cc33cc;"></span></strong> </div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#cc33cc;"></span></strong></div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#cc33cc;">after mom goes to bed i am going to bake a coffee cake. not the kind you eat in the morning with your coffee, but a cake cake with <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">peet's</span> coffee in it. we'll take it to a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">bbq</span> tomorrow. the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">bbq</span> is for our friends who lost their 17 year old son to suicide in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">november</span>, and tomorrow would be his 18<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">th</span> birthday. i want to take a gift too, but <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">i'm</span> not sure what to take. i think a big potted plant for their front porch or back patio. i want to be there for them. i also want to <span style="color:#ffff00;">take</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">debbie</span> out for coffee this coming week.</span></strong></div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#cc33cc;"></span></strong> </div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#cc33cc;"></span></strong> </div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#cc33cc;"></span></strong></div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#cc33cc;">it is thundering and pouring out right now. yesterday it was in the 90's. i tell you if you don't like the weather in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">seattle</span>, wait 15 minutes and it will change.</span></strong></div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#cc33cc;"></span></strong> </div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#cc33cc;">i am posting the coffee cake recipe right after this, and giving full credit to pioneer woman for sharing the recipe. it is delicious.</span></strong></div>queenmarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08527265318590205451noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468586722711625870.post-58289703547889287382009-08-25T22:11:00.000-07:002009-08-25T22:37:02.154-07:00tuesday thoughts<div align="justify"><strong><span style="font-family:arial;color:#3333ff;">today was a day for errand running. it began when the power was off due to some street work the city is doing n9t far from our home. i vaguely remember the notices they posted on the front door last week <span style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffff00">to</span> make us aware this was happening, but come on how many people actually note that on a calendar? i didn't. so while <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">i'm</span> in the shower this morning the lights went out. not a big deal. i got my shower and although i couldn't dry my hair i put some gel in it and left it curly all day. since there was no power i decided to take mom and get out of the house and i had plenty of errands to run to keep us busy for a while.</span></strong></div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#3333ff;"></span></strong> </div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#3333ff;">first stop was <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">starbucks</span> where we sat with our coffee and i with my book. i also ran in to a few friends there so that was a nice treat too. mom sat in her cozy chair by the fireplace and enjoyed her coffee and marshmallow square. it doesn't matter what time we go into <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">starbucks</span> mom always has a marshmallow square. she loves them. i was looking forward to have a little down time of reading. i am on the 6<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">th</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">sookie</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">stackhouse</span> "true blood" series book. i am enjoying this series even though it is off the track of what i usually read. sometimes it is a good thing to step outside the norm and life on the wild side of all things vampire and shape shifter and fairies and witches. i only have one more book in the series after this and then i have the new john <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">adams</span> novel waiting for me.</span></strong></div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#3333ff;"></span></strong> </div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#3333ff;">after <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">starbucks</span> it was time for physical therapy. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">linda</span> was ready for me. i felt so good today and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">linda</span> commented that i was getting so much better. we spent time at the wellness center using a machine then i worked on my balance and finished up walking around the building three times. i didn't fall or even sway, not one time today. i am getting better and it feels good.</span></strong></div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#3333ff;"></span></strong> </div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#3333ff;">after pt i had to head over to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">bonney</span> lake to the sprint store. my blackberry broke. it had some message that read "error 120" on the screen and wouldn't tell me what to do with it to correct it. thankfully they fixed it and there was no charge. i lost my entire address book, but it could have been worse i could have lost the entire phone and had to buy a new one. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">i'll</span> slowly be adding names back in as i run into people i suppose. i did get <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">mr</span>. roll, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">dylan</span> and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">zak</span> back in, and two sisters <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">shannon</span> and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">jeni</span>. i need to back up my phone onto my laptop.</span></strong></div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#3333ff;"></span></strong> </div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#3333ff;">after sprint we stopped at target and then <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">fred</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">meyers</span> to do some grocery shopping. w arrived home about 3:30 and the power came on about 10 minutes later so it was perfect timing.</span></strong></div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#3333ff;"></span></strong> </div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#3333ff;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">saturday</span> we are invited to a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">bbq</span> at the home of the parents, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">debbie</span> and mark, of one of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">zak's</span> best friends <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">jon</span>. last <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">november</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25">jon's</span> younger brother committed suicide. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_26">trevor</span> was 17 years old. i had never met <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_27">trevor</span> not had i met <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_28">debbie</span> and mark until the memorial service. tragic. we recently had dinner with <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_29">debbie</span> and mark and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_30">debbie</span> seemed to just need to have someone she could talk about <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_31">trevor</span> with. someone she could show the shrine in the family room to. someone who wasn't there to judge anyone or anything. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_32">saturday</span> will be <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_33">trevor's</span> 18<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_34">th</span> birthday and again i will be there for her to talk all she needs to and i will listen. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_35">mr</span>. roll and mark seemed to bond over a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_36">ps</span>3 f22 game. we're there for them to use us as they need. and i love to cook so <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_37">i'm</span> planning to take some awesome food along including a coffee cake (not a cake you have coffee with in the morning, but a coffee flavored cake with <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_38">buttercream</span> frosting). i can't even imagine going through what they have been through. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_39">i'll</span> be there.</span></strong></div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#3333ff;"></span></strong> </div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#3333ff;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_40">mr</span>. roll and i are seeing a counselor to help us come to terms with some things in regard to mom. when we first brought her to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_41">washington</span> to live we thought she'd get her own home. that wasn't going to be the case as we discovered she couldn't live alone, or shouldn't. she is now 90 and dementia is taking over and taking control. we are not so sure how much longer we can safely even have her in our home and it may be time to begin looking at a care facility for her. i feel so guilty. i feel like my sisters are going to come down hard on me. mind you not one of them has ever offered to even so much as come stay for a week with her so <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_42">mr</span>. roll and i can go away together. seeing the counselor is helping me deal with it all and put it all into words.</span></strong></div>queenmarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08527265318590205451noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468586722711625870.post-79951219114010304832009-08-24T19:55:00.000-07:002009-08-24T20:07:30.032-07:00monday musings<div align="justify"><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#993399;">today i had a doctors appointment with the nuerologist treating my inner ear disorder aka meniere's disease. more tests. miseable making tests. ok, so i am already dizzy and one of the tests is looking at what makes me dizzy. he puts this face mask on me and tells me to keep my eyes open and then instructs me to move every which way. i thought i was going to throw up. after the testing was finished he took me back into the exam room where mr. roll was waiting for me and i practically fell on him--i was so dizzy. this is no fun. i have to go back for an 8 hour day of further testing and an mri. a necessary day but not one i am looking forward to.</span></strong></div><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#993399;"></span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#993399;"></span></strong><br /><div align="justify"><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#993399;">mom's health is not doing so well right now we've had to make some changes in our vacation plans. instead of going away in september we'll take off the week after christmas and probably do mexico or st. bart's. having made this decision feels like a weight off our shoulders. i just cannot leave mom right now.</span></strong></div><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#993399;"></span></strong>queenmarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08527265318590205451noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468586722711625870.post-15573173794150290852009-08-20T22:50:00.000-07:002009-08-20T23:34:45.834-07:00thursday thoughts<div align="justify"><strong><span style="font-family:arial;color:#993399;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">i'm</span></span></span> looking into an <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">lsat</span></span></span> course to take. most likely it will be <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">kaplan</span></span></span>. for one they are quite a bit cheaper than the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">princeton</span></span></span> review, by several $1000. so, thinking ahead a bit i will start the paralegal certificate program at university of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">washington</span></span></span> in the fall quarter, and then begin <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">kaplan</span></span></span> next fall, after i have completed the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">uw</span></span></span> program and am working as a paralegal. i am so happy i was accepted into the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">uw</span></span></span> program, and i love the fact that they consider this a 5<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">th</span></span></span> year program and you must have a b.s. for acceptance. good job. that b.s. did pay off, after all these years.</span></strong></div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#993399;"></span></strong> </div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#993399;"></span></strong> </div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#993399;"></span></strong></div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#993399;"></span></strong></div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#993399;">it has awakened this law bug in me. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">i've</span></span></span> wanted to go to law school for so long, i took a nice long break and found my career in social work and i wouldn't trade it for the world, but law has always been in the back of my mind. in my heart. i feel like the time is right. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">mr</span></span></span>. roll is so supportive. he is encouraging me to go for it it--go to law school. it's only 3 years, and when i complain about my age he tells me <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">i'm</span></span></span> going to turn 60 in 8 years and i may as well be an attorney when i do. gosh i love this man. how did i get so lucky.</span></strong></div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#993399;"></span></strong> </div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#993399;"></span></strong> </div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#993399;"></span></strong></div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#993399;"></span></strong></div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#993399;"><em>septic shock</em> really has changed my perspective of things in life. i feel blessed to still be alive. so my motor skills aren't what they used to be, they continue to get better each month. god bless my physical therapist, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">linda</span></span></span>, right here in town--she is a miracle worker. i started seeing <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">linda</span></span></span> 4 years ago when i, out of the blue, developed frozen shoulder in my right shoulder, and she got rid of it for me. through the course of working with her she invited me to join her newly formed book club and i did. we've become very close friends and i adore her. i was so afraid of going back to pt, after leaving <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">swedish</span></span></span> hospital where the pt came to my room to work with me. it was so hard to walk back then and i fell down all the time. forget doing the stairs--hated them. but <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">linda</span></span></span> had again fixed me. on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">tuesday</span></span></span> i actually walked around her building and she pointed out i wasn't grinding my teeth, nor was i clutching my sides and digging my nails into my thighs, all in fear of falling and trying to balance myself. i did it. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">i'm</span></span></span> so excited to go back to pt/<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">ot</span></span></span> tomorrow and do it again. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">i'm</span></span></span> also ready to dive back into yoga after several weeks off due to another kidney stone on the right side (the bad side for me and the damaged side.) </span></strong></div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#993399;"></span></strong> </div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#993399;">oh, and my hair is finally growing back in. finally. finally. it's so thin <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">i'll</span> never be able to pull it into a <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">ponytail</span> again, but i have hair coming coming back in and i am thrilled!!! <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">every time</span> i walk past my <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">wedding</span> picture and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">i'm</span> standing there next to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25">mr</span>. roll with long curls cascading off my shoulders and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_26">mr</span>. roll has a head full of brown hair and his beard. wow, things have changed. now i hardly have any hair (but it's growing back in or at least it's not falling out anymore) and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_27">mr</span>. roll lost every hair on his body except his beard from chemo. things change us. illness changes us. but we have loved each other through it all.</span></strong></div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#993399;"></span></strong> </div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#993399;"></span></strong> </div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#993399;"></span></strong></div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#993399;"></span></strong></div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#993399;">i have also had opportunity to rethink my life and what i want to do for the rest of it. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_28">mr</span></span></span>. roll is fighting cancer. the battle continues for us, as it has for the past 5 years. chemo. oncology appointments. it's a part of our life. after leaving social work i have felt so lost. questioning everything. being thrown into a world called <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_29">macy's</span></span></span> as a senior executive. still trying to understand how that happened, and happy it only lasted 2 years before a lay off was inevitable. for this layoff i can thank septic shock--the only thing i can think to thank it for. after months of thought, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_30">journaling</span></span></span>, praying, talking, i feel good about my decision to pursue a new career as a paralegal.</span></strong></div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#993399;"></span></strong> </div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#993399;"></span></strong> </div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#993399;"></span></strong></div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#993399;"></span></strong></div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#993399;">of course i was settling for this thinking i am too old for start and finish law school. every one but me seems to think i am not too old. i am now there too--i am not too old. why not do what i want to do? <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_31">i've</span></span></span> been given my life to live and i must live it to the fullest doing what i feel called to do. i am not too old. i am excited to do the paralegal program and i am excited to do the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_32">kaplan</span></span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_33">lsat</span></span></span> course after completing it. it's a good thing i love school.</span></strong></div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#993399;"></span></strong></div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#993399;">of course it's been a long time since <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_26"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_26"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_34">i've</span></span></span> been in school. u.c. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_27"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_27"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_35">berkeley</span></span></span> seems like a long long long time ago. hopefully it's like riding a bike:)</span></strong></div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#993399;"></span></strong> </div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#993399;"></span></strong> </div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#993399;"></span></strong></div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#993399;"></span></strong></div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#993399;">tonight <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_28"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_28"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_36">mr</span></span></span>. roll came home from work and since <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_29"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_29"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_37">i'd</span></span></span> already prepared dinner for mom because she was hungry and wanted pancakes, he suggested he take me out. fun. due to mom living with us and not doing so well we don't get out often, so when we do it's always a fun for us and we take advantage of the freedom of a few hours. i tucked mom into bed for the night and went out to dinner. came back an hour later and she was still in bed and fine. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_30"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_30"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_38">mr</span></span></span>. roll says this is preparation for <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_31"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_31"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_39">saturday</span></span></span> night when we head over to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_32"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_32"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_40">redmond</span></span></span> to see foreigner and a led <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_33">zeppelin</span> tribute band. normally i don't care for tribute bands especially since between the two of us we've seen led <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_34">zeppelin</span> a half-dozen times, but we love led <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_35">zeppelin</span> so off we go. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_36"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_33"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_41">mr</span></span></span>. roll is going to love <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_37"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_34"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_42">saturday</span></span></span> night.</span></strong></div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#993399;"></span></strong> </div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#993399;"></span></strong> </div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#993399;"></span></strong></div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#993399;">i got sidetracked somewhere in there and forgot to mention that the specialist <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_35">neurologist</span> at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_36"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_43">uw</span></span> is running tests with the most <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_44">likely</span> outcome to be a diagnosis of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_37"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_45">meniere's</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_38">disease</span>. i feel like a textbook case for this. it feels <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_39">surprisingly</span> good to have a name for the strange, unusual, and often times weird symptoms happening in me. now to figure out a course of action for a positive resolution to it being there is no cure. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_40"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_46">i'm</span></span> also working on diet to rid myself of ever developing another kidney stone.</span></strong></div>queenmarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08527265318590205451noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468586722711625870.post-55750663761921925182009-08-19T13:51:00.000-07:002009-08-19T14:06:21.573-07:00wednesday wantings<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqhyphenhyphenby8jWhxCe9TPWgwRMBNiwc2Q9cifFs4UmxTKz5ZwOEF0kqRuX3tG1LzwOZ0Titc2xqtUPbSED4Pis-OqTQK007Wd-F-QqPWCyOMlzaKbsXXuALMfBcdxCvtdg2m0gghmECBVdG-qpW/s1600-h/mt.+rainier.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371781331584922530" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 213px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqhyphenhyphenby8jWhxCe9TPWgwRMBNiwc2Q9cifFs4UmxTKz5ZwOEF0kqRuX3tG1LzwOZ0Titc2xqtUPbSED4Pis-OqTQK007Wd-F-QqPWCyOMlzaKbsXXuALMfBcdxCvtdg2m0gghmECBVdG-qpW/s320/mt.+rainier.jpg" border="0" /></a> <span style="color:#000099;"><strong>mt. rainier from the plateau<br /></strong></span><strong><span style="color:#33cc00;"></span></strong><br /><strong><span style="color:#33cc00;">the heat wave is back. it's 90+ outside today here on the plateau. that would be the mt. rainier plateau. </span></strong><br /><strong><span style="color:#33cc00;"></span></strong><br /><div align="justify"><strong><span style="color:#33cc00;">today i managed to get my lawn mowed. our home is 109 years old and we have a double lot here in the old historical part of town. thankfully the previous owners had added on a large family room and a master suite to the house so those two improvements have been done. the kitchen is in dire need of a remodel, but now i am so sued to it being so small i like it--less to clean up. </span></strong></div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="color:#33cc00;"></span></strong> </div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="color:#33cc00;"></span></strong></div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="color:#33cc00;">i love to cook and often times find myself in the kitchen creasting something for my family, so a bigger kitchen would be nice, but i like my little space. it's me. it hasn't stopped me at all. just last night while i was making chicken curry for dinner, standing my the sink cutting up the chicken and looking out the window at my apple tree and smiling. there on the tree were hundreds of apples waiting to be picked. so i did. after i put the lid on the chicken i grabbed some bags and went out the back door to pick some apples. i came in and made an apple pie, and this morning i peeled the rest and sprinkled them with lemon juice to freeze until a later time.</span></strong></div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="color:#33cc00;"></span></strong> </div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="color:#33cc00;">the rest of today consists of probably doing at least one load of laundry. then later on mr. roll and i are going to take the dogs and pick blackberries which i may can tonight or tomorrow depending on how warm it is. we don't ave a/c here in western washington so when we get a heat wave we pretty much shut down and we whine.</span></strong></div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="color:#33cc00;"></span></strong> </div></div>queenmarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08527265318590205451noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468586722711625870.post-71564791436890813882009-08-18T17:32:00.000-07:002009-08-20T23:20:24.132-07:00tuesday thoughts<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgkVvpMzKnwLL1-STMpYzqz6EQcWwqJXRri15t3udxYocbCnDwO56X78dPCw3-4ryd9la1_TzqRGAsSjqewOWfYPDi4Pk1m2F4EwiEGkE-vY6ke9Ux14jU_t_dPUxPtkkVARH2ZmIKpXRE/s1600-h/chicken+curry.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371469553538465938" style="WIDTH: 124px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 93px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgkVvpMzKnwLL1-STMpYzqz6EQcWwqJXRri15t3udxYocbCnDwO56X78dPCw3-4ryd9la1_TzqRGAsSjqewOWfYPDi4Pk1m2F4EwiEGkE-vY6ke9Ux14jU_t_dPUxPtkkVARH2ZmIKpXRE/s320/chicken+curry.jpg" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-size:130%;color:#ff6600;"><strong>chicken curry</strong></span>. can you guess what we're having for dinner?<br /><br /><br />where is the time going? summer is almost to an end. one more month to go. i love summer and don't look forward to it's ending in the next 4 weeks. fall is all about change for me and i'm not a person that does well with change.<br /><br />that said . . .<br /><br />i'm beginning the paralegal program at university of washington in the fall. i've also decided to begin kaplan's lsat study course in preparation of taking the lsat in the fall of 2010. this will put me in hopefully being accepted to law school in fall 2011. talk about change?<br /><br />i'm also on a mission to declutter my house. i've signed up for flylady and i think i can do this with baby steps. i love the idea of getting a hefty bag and tossing 50 items a day. 50 a day is nothing for me to do. i can do that every morning when i come home from yoga. i'll have this hosue decluttered in no time.<br /><br />mr. roll is making our living room furniture and in the meantime our living room is becoming a storage room and this must stop. time to toss. toss. toss.<br /><br />it feels good to have even made this decision to declutter. i did this 3 years ago and it felt so good. how did it get time to do it again? it's a constant work in motion isn't it?<br /><br />tonights dinner is <strong><span style="font-size:130%;color:#ff6600;">chicken curry</span></strong><br /><br /><span style="color:#ff6600;"><strong><em><u>Ingredients:</u></em></strong></span><br /><span style="color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>3 tbsp ghee (clarified butter), or oil </em></strong></span><br /><span style="color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>1 small onion, finely chopped 1 stick cinnamon </em></strong></span><br /><span style="color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>2 cardamom pods </em></strong></span><br /><span style="color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>4 cloves </em></strong></span><br /><span style="color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>1 tsp fennel seeds </em></strong></span><br /><span style="color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>1 inch piece root ginger, very finely chopped </em></strong></span><br /><span style="color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>2 garlic cloves, minced </em></strong></span><br /><span style="color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>1 tsp turmeric powder </em></strong></span><br /><span style="color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>1 tbsp ground coriander </em></strong></span><br /><span style="color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>¾ tsp chilli powder </em></strong></span><br /><span style="color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>1 tsp tomato paste</em></strong></span><br /><span style="color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>2 skinless chicken breasts, cubed </em></strong></span><br /><span style="color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>1 chopped tomato </em></strong></span><br /><span style="color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>1 tsp. plain yogurt or sour creama </em></strong></span><br /><span style="color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>handful of cilantro leaves, chopped </em></strong></span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ff6600;"><strong><em><u>directions:</u></em></strong></span><br /><span style="color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>Heat the ghee in a large heavy pan, add the chopped onion and fry till onion is transclucent.<br />Turn the heat to medium low, add the cinammon, cardamom, cloves and fennel seeds, stir for 5 minutes. Add the ginger and garlic and cook for another 5 minutes stirring occasionally to make sure nothing sticks to the bottom of the pan. Then add the turmeric, ground coriander and chilli powder and fry gently for a minute. Add the tomato purée and stir in enough hot water to make a sauce. Bring to the boil and simmer, stirring occasionally for 20 minutes. Season with salt.<br />Heat a little oil in a large heavy frying pan and stir-fry the chicken pieces until they turn white.<br />Add the chicken and chopped tomato, sour cream/yogurt to the sauce and simmer gently until the meat is soft and succulent.<br />Sprinkle with the coriander and serve with plain rice and yogurt.</em></strong></span>queenmarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08527265318590205451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468586722711625870.post-65740561918436106832009-08-13T18:25:00.000-07:002009-08-13T18:45:00.901-07:00thursday it is . . .<div align="justify">thunderstorms sweep along western washington. we certainly are hearing them out here on the plateau. so loud that lucy, our rhodesian ridgback, is clinging to mr. roll. all 90lbs of her wants to be cuddled in his lap. she is so funny sometimes. here she is the alpha dog with the other two dogs, but sh is scared to pieces of loud noises. and the sad eyes he can give just breaks your heart. mr. roll took her upstairs to his office where he made her comfy on the futon while he sits at his desk and works on his computer.</div><br /><div align="justify">i haven't been around for sometime. i spent the weekend on cameo island with girlfriends. it was beautiful. we had a fabulous time out there. we stayed at the state park, the cabins were cheap, right on the water. sitting out on the deck in the evening enjoying the beautiful sunset. enjoying the wine and the company. bbqing. smoking the salmon. fun. fun. fun.</div><br /><div align="justify">i've been a little disillusioned this week with fellow bloggers. i'm not so much disillusioned with the mama-blogger that seems to have some controversy surrounding her. she is what she is and she chooses what to share and what not to share. and in her defense, certainly blogging is one way to make your life be exactly what you want it to, when in reality it is far from it. unfortunately for mama-blogger the events in her life she was hiding were all public record and someone found them. why did someone go looking? i have no idea but they did and then made blogger world public what they found. not a good refection of either.</div><br /><div align="justify">what has really bothered me in all this is the fact that the fans/followers of mama-blogger are nasty mean. attacking anyone and everyone that questions the mama blogger. christian? no. no one is allowed an opinion that is different or opposes mama-blogger. no one is allowed to ask <em>where</em> her sick baby is. so where is he? 100's of bloggers are curious as to where he is and if he was left behind, just days after leaving the hospital where he <em>almost</em> died. maybe i should make that <em>allegedly</em> <em>almost</em> died? 100's of bloggers are curious as to what went on while he was in the hospital with the twittering and all as his heart is stopping. a continuim of strange behavior. mama-blogger seems to not hold herself accountable.</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify">uncomfortable al the way around.</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify">got this of my chest.</div>queenmarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08527265318590205451noreply@blogger.com1