Defective Typewriter

December 26

dt.Tuli@gmail.com (Tuli) — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 22:54:00 +0000

Christmas was fine.

I gave some good loot and got some in return.

Today I bought myself some new house slippers (similar to these but NOT Ugg brand) and a Turtle Fur cap (except mine is 'plum').

Merry Christmas to me, eh?

December 23

dt.Tuli@gmail.com (Tuli) — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 15:56:00 +0000

Road trippin'

dt.Tuli@gmail.com (Tuli) — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 10:31:00 +0000

Going on a road trip with my brother for the rest of the week.

See you on the weekend.

30 Books

dt.Tuli@gmail.com (Tuli) — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 15:20:00 +0000

Goal achieved.

I hit 30 books in just under 11 months (this doesn't include the books I re-read over the summer, of which there were probably five or six).

I'll keep reading - I'm curious to see how many I can finish by the end of the year.

Tools

dt.Tuli@gmail.com (Tuli) — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 13:34:00 +0000

The tools of conquest do not necessarily come with bombs and explosions and fallout. There are weapons that are simply thoughts, attitudes, prejudices, to be found only in the minds of men. For the record, prejudices can kill and suspicion can destroy and the thoughtless, frightened search for a scapegoat has a fallout all its own: for the children, and the children yet unborn. And the pity of it is that these things cannot be confined to the Twilight Zone.

--Rod Serling
The Twilight Zone
The Monsters Are Due On Maple Street
Season 1, Episode 22
Original airdate: March 4, 1960

Gearing up

dt.Tuli@gmail.com (Tuli) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 22:36:00 +0000

Thanksgiving is a week from today. Holy cats, people, how did that happen? It seems like it should only be September. Instead we're 5 weeks away from Christmas.

5 weeks.

Are you ready for it? For the rush, the shopping, and the Christmas music? Parties and presents and travel and tons of food? My answer is no. No I'm not ready. Even though I've already got the Christmas music station tuned in at work.

But I'm getting ahead of myself, aren't I? We have to get through Thanksgiving first. Thanksgiving and then Black Friday. Which I will be working. In retail.

Digression: If you are going shopping on Black Friday, keep in mind that we peons are working as fast as we can to get you out the door so you can hit the next sale. Keep in mind that we'd probably rather be shopping ourselves, or home decorating our Christmas trees, or stuffing ourselves on Thanksgiving leftovers. We'll wish we were almost anywhere else but there. So bring your patience with you, lady, because minimum wage isn't enough incentive to keep me from telling you to stuff it if you get snippy with me. end digression

My Thanksgiving will be spent at my parent's house, eating a ton, laughing a ton, and watching the parades on TV. I'm sure we'll play games, and it'll get loud, and we'll all have a great time. I'm really looking forward to it.

So.

Gear up! It's almost time to break out the Christmas tree, lights, and tinsel.

Home! Dogs! Chaos and Mayhem!

dt.Tuli@gmail.com (Tuli) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:42:00 +0000

S is home, safe and sound. His flight arrived on time even though it took off late. (How do they make up that time? Speed? I thought the plane roads had set speed limits so there would not be mishaps. Maybe I'm wrong.)

Anyway! We were up late into the night looking at pictures and chatting and catching up and I was so very glad he was home.

Then! We got up early to chat and look at videos and catch up and drink coffe and I was still so very glad he was home. As I continue to be.

He had many good stories from his 10-day cruise and I know I've not heard them all yet. (I'll ask if I can post some of his pictures.)

----------

This past weekend, I stayed at my parent's house. Sunday morning while they went to church, I took the dogs for a walk*. Their dog Annie is a Shih Tzu puppy and has not had much experience on a leash. She stuck close to Russ and followed his lead but she was not walking tail-up, ya know? Cautious, she was.

I thought it was adorable so I snapped a pic and texted it to my dad. My (72 year old!) father texted me back saying he got the pic. So I called him. Told him his Annie was doing fine and that Russ was being a good walk-on-a-leash role model** for her.

About this time, he darts sharply left just about jerking me off my feet. I had a brief glimpse of beady eyes and white teeth before Russ came up with The Raccoon With A Death Wish. Russ begins shaking it like it's a stuffed toy.

Meanwhile, I'm still on the phone with my dad. "HOLY SHIT, he's got a raccoon, I gotta go!"

A ruckus ensues: hanging up, raccoon shaking, leash tugging, screaming DROP IT -- all while standing in the middle of the road, mind you -- more shaking, and finally! I get the leash pulled up enough that Russ drops TRWADW.

On my shoes.

Luckily Russ had grabbed TRWADW by the scruffy bits of it's neck and shoulders so there was no blood***. Thank gawd.

TRWADW shook himself off, then made haste for the side of the road**** where he hopefully climbed a tree instead of sitting at the base of one WAITING FOR ANOTHER DOG ATTACK*****.

It was about this time that the bumping, dragging noise I was hearing registered. It was Annie, tearing ass down the middle of the road, dragging her retracto leash behind her. HOLY SHIT! My dad's pride and joy was running like her tail was on fire.

"ANNIEANNIEANNIEANNIE!" More screaming, some running, much tugging on Russ's leash with shouts of "This is your fault, MOVE YOUR ASS!" The yelling finally broke through her panic. Annie stopped, turned around, saw Russ trotting towards her and became her usual puppy self again.

But she made me carry her home.

My throat hurt until Monday morning.

To any of my parent's neighbors who were trying to sleep in? Oops, sorry.

*down the very un-busy-at-10 a.m.-on-a-Sunday-morning dirt road that is across the street from their house.
**he lied.
***Russ is current on his rabies shot and a close inspection revealed no scratches or puncture wounds on the big doofus. I'm watching him closely anyway.
****but not before looking over his shoulder to either a) determine he was clear for a get-away or 2) to send Russ a WTF? look. I think it was the latter.
*****GAH! Raccoon! Sitting at the base of a tree! Was he eating? Was he sleeping? Had he been hit by a car? I was going to go back and check on him but I still had the dogs with me. Poor critter. I hope he's o.k.

Awaiting takeoff

dt.Tuli@gmail.com (Tuli) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 03:22:00 +0000

S's plane.
Awaiting takeoff.
Me.
Awaiting S's plane.
The dogs.
Awaiting dreams of the mailman.
S.
Awaiting sleep.
Me.
Awaiting his stories.
The dogs.
Awaiting a nice long walk.
S.
Me.
The dogs.
Awaiting something.
Everything.
Lift off.

A couple of too-bright photos

dt.Tuli@gmail.com (Tuli) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 14:09:00 +0000

Before:

After:

Crappy cell phone pictures, but you get the idea.

Shelley, Austen, and Gaskell

dt.Tuli@gmail.com (Tuli) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:51:00 +0000

Oh, people. Do you KNOW how difficult I'm finding it to read Frankenstein? It's very slow going. So slow, in fact, that I was less than half way through it when my book club met on Monday to discuss it. I'm not even to the second part yet. I pick it up with every good intention, but find myself distracted by the language/style/whatever. I read a sentence, then have to stop and translate it so I can understand it.

AND?

Austen is written in the same style! I LOOKED!

AND!

Elizabeth Gaskell. I love the movie versions of her novels (Wives & Daughters*, Cranford, and North and South) and would love to pick copies up to read but HOLY CATS, the LANGUAGE!

I'm stressing over this. I love the IDEA of the Shelley, Austen, and Gaskell novels but am not sure I'm cut out to actually READ them.

Please tell me I'm not the only one.

-----

*OK, I just read the first little bit of Wives & Daughters on gutenberg.org and it probably won't be so bad.

Monday Morning

dt.Tuli@gmail.com (Tuli) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 14:27:00 +0000

Today I am...

dt.Tuli@gmail.com (Tuli) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 16:27:00 +0000

... reading Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. I'm half way through it and have yet to begin to think of this as a horror story. Mostly it's just sad.

... listening to the hum of my computer monitor. I've not turned the radio on today.

... watching Wire In The Blood. Because one episode wasn't enough. I'm hooked on Robson Green and Hermione Norris. But mostly Robson Green. Holy cats, he's gorgeous.

... eating left-over coconut curry chicken.

... drinking water. Lots of it. This evening, I'll be drinking Sam Adams lager.

... making mom's shawl. Knit, knit, knit. It's getting huge and I'm on a roll and I can't wait to start the lace edge.

... waiting for a day off. One in which I don't have to call in sick to get. That'll be November 7. I'm waiting for November 7.

... wondering what I'm going to do with myself for two weeks while S is off sailing on the Atlantic.

... hoping S has a safe trip.

... thinking that stealing this idea from Badger, Blackbird, and Poppy was a grand idea.

The Reading Meme

dt.Tuli@gmail.com (Tuli) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 19:07:00 +0000

Eurolush tagged me for a meme last week. She got it from The Coffee Lady.

This meme is about one of my favorite things: READING. Here goes:

1.Most memorable place/experience reading a book?

One of my most memorable reading experiences was over the summer between 4th and 5th grade. I remember wearing my awesome lime green bikini, laying in a chase lounge in my front yard totally under the spell of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. My brain was like Augustus Gloop, sucked up into the chocolate machine and jamming all the works -- I wouldn't get anything accomplished until I got that book finished.

I was, in fact, so involved in the novel that when my 4th grade teacher, who just so happened to be a neighbor of ours, rode up our gravel driveway on his bicycle I didn't hear him. When he spoke to me, I about crapped in my awesome lime green bikini.

I remember being so excited for Charlie. I also remember, when I had finished it, going into my house, looking at my mom while holding up my just-read copy and saying, "can we go to the library tomorrow so I can get another book? Because this was fun."

I wasn't a huge reader prior to that summer. But once I discovered how much fun books were? Nothing could hold me back.

2. Most unusual place/experience reading a book?

Hm. Tough one. I would have to say it was the time when I helped move a 41-foot sailboat from Detroit to Port Huron. At one point on Lake St. Clair, we were under sail, and I was reading. But what can I say? When you’re in the middle of a big lake, even when sailing, there’s not much to do. So I read.

3. Most dangerous place/experience reading a book?

Sitting on the edge of Mooney Falls, Havasu Canyon, Arizona. I’m not actually reading in this picture, I’m taking a picture of S who is taking a picture of me. But see where those three guys are standing? I was sitting there and got about a page in before I said, self, it’s too pretty here to be doing such a singular activity. So I put the book down.

Clicky to make it biggie. You should see more details.

4. Most luxurious place/experience reading a book?

· In bed, every evening before turning out the light.

· On the front porch swing of our B&B on Mackinac Island.

· In the hammock in S’s back yard.

5. Funniest place/experience reading a book? Or, add a reading-place/experience description of your own...

I’ve read in waiting rooms, at the Secretary of State, and while treating myself to lunch. I’ve read on the bus, as a passenger in a car, on our cross-country (U.S.) train trip, and on the Chunnel Train from Paris to London. I’ve read while sitting in traffic jams, on my couch, and on my front porch. When I’m on a reading binge, I carry a book with me at all times. When I’m not on a binge, I tend to think about books I’ve already read.

Sometimes I decide to read them again.

I'm tagging the Hotfessional, LouCeeL, LeahBear, and anyone else who wants to play along. Just copy and paste folks!

PS-Coffee Lady's esteemed colleague and blog friend, Bean Photo, is collecting these reading experiences. If you decide to do this meme, please email him when you have published: mail@beanphoto.co.uk.

Thanks!

Walk

dt.Tuli@gmail.com (Tuli) — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 17:49:00 +0000

Robert & Helen own/operate the Buckle Yeat Guest House (in the village of Near Sawry where Beatrix Potter wrote her stories).

Between checking guests in and out and running their guesthouse, they often go for walks.

Today's walk is the kind of walk I want to take.

See their pictures here, here, and here.

In my dreams, I'm off to the Lake District.

'Shake it off' isn't working.

dt.Tuli@gmail.com (Tuli) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 17:49:00 +0000

What do you do...

when you can't shake the don't-give-a-damn mood?
when you want to sit on your couch and do NOTHING?
when every. little. thing. that goes wrong send you into fits of anger?
when the urge to tell the world to fuck off and leave me alone is really strong?

WHAT THE HELL DO YOU DO?

Discuss.

On sneezing, furnaces, and books

dt.Tuli@gmail.com (Tuli) — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 17:58:00 +0000

I've done nothing but sneeze all day.
This is what I get for not turning my heat on yet.
Speaking of heat.
I broke down and tried to turn it on last night.
Friggin' thing wouldn't start.
So I've got a service call in.
$130 for them to come look at the beast of a furnace.
I'm hoping it's an easy fix,
that the owner of the company takes pity on my pocketbook,
and that tonight I have heat.
Because our predicted low for tonight is 38.
Cripes.
So.
To combat the sneezes, I'm drinking Pomegranate Green Tea.
I despise green tea.
So I added a bit of blue agave sweetener to it.
Not sure I like the tea.
Or the sweetener.
Tastes like artificial sweetener to me.
But then, I may have added to much this time.
I'll give it another shot before I decide for sure.
Damn heater.
My copy of Frankenstein has arrived.
I tried to start it last night.
Got about a sentence in and nodded right off.
At least I don't have much to re-read.
Also?
The Jane Austen novels started arriving this weekend.
I've received Mansfield Park, Persuasion, and Emma.
The other three are en route.
I love paperbackswap.com
But I'm down to only two credits!
(I need to list more books.)
(Stat!)
Happy Monday.

Tied to my land line - should I break free?

dt.Tuli@gmail.com (Tuli) — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 19:45:00 +0000

It seems more and more I'm hearing people say they don't have a home phone any more - they've switched to cell phone usage exclusively.

I can see the benefit of this, truly I can. No long distance charges, only one number to keep track of, and for me, it works out to be a bit cheaper each month to upgrade my cell plan and ditch the home phone service.

My concern is this: if I drop my home phone, will the phone company mess with my DSL service? I have this *probably* irrational fear that my DSL quality will drop if I drop my phone service. Have any of you been through the process of dropping home phones but keeping DSL? If so, what was your experience? (By the way, I don't have cable or satellite so getting internet through a TV provider is not an option I choose to explore.)

My phone company charges me more for DSL without a home phone. But even with the upgraded cell plan and more costly DSL service, I still come out ahead in the end money wise. But what about service wise?

What's a girl to do?

Reading

dt.Tuli@gmail.com (Tuli) — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 15:12:00 +0000

I'm making a lot of progress towards my 30 Books in 2009 goal. Only two more books to go and not a single Jane Austen has been read yet! I am bitterly disappointed in myself. How in the world do I keep not reading her books? You know what? As soon as I hit "publish" I'm going to go order all six of her books. That way I'll have no excuse - the books will be right there, within reach.

I joined a book club. Frankenstein is our first book. Thrilling!

A knitting post without pictures

dt.Tuli@gmail.com (Tuli) — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 15:15:00 +0000

I've not made a lot of progress on my mom's shawl. Holy schnikes, people. You really have to like the knit stitch in order to tackle this shawl. As a new-just-this-summer knitter, I'm still painfully slow - even with a shawl that is all knit stitch. Also? It doesn't help that I'm working with the tiniest needles ever. I want to make myself one of these shawls but, damn it, I'm going to at least triple the needle size when I do.

In order to break up the monotony of the shawl, I knit myself a scarf. Again, all in knit stitch. But! This one was knit in a 5-row sequence: knit rows 1-3; row 4, k2, wrap yard 3 times around right needle*, repeat to end of row; row 5, knit all, dropping the wrapped yarn. This is the pattern I used as a guideline. I CO 26 stitches, though, and used size 7 needles. Took one skein of this yarn an acrylic/wool blend which is perfect for autumn - even though the acrylic content is high.

Can I just go off on a tangent here about yarn? And how I think I'm turning into a yarn snob? I refuse to buy 100% acrylic yarns. I think *most* of them feel horrible. I'm always surprised when I pick up a skein of soft, fluffy yarn, only to read that it is 100% acrylic. I'm amazed at how nice it feels. But I always put it back. WHY? What is my aversion to acrylic yarn? It's usually cheaper than natural fibers, for sure. It may have something to do with all those acrylic sweaters I had when I was a school girl that would pill up like crazy. Also, they didn't breathe at all. Nor did they wick moisture. Get over-heated once and you'd be walking around damp all day. It was just gross.

Last evening, I cast on 100% wool to make a felted bowl. I'm learning how to knit in the round on four double-point needles.

So. That's it. My knitting post without pictures.

Three months late: My blog award appreciation fail.

dt.Tuli@gmail.com (Tuli) — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 18:15:00 +0000

Way back on June 25 (!!!), Ree the Hotfessional gave me an award! I remember I commented saying thanks but I never did anything with it! Yeah, I totally fail.

Am I a sucky blogger or what?

Don't answer that.

Without further ado, here's my first-ever bloggy award:

"This award is given to the writers of blogs that “are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers. Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award.”

In keeping with the spirit of this award and in no particular order, I pass the bloggy love on to:

Eurolush - Adventures In Germany
Eleanor - eleanor from the commentbox
Heather - Confessions of a Coal Miner's Granddaughter
Shannon - Welcome to The Nut House!
Red Hamster - In The Wheel
Wendy - Martha MacGyver
Penny - Miss Night Owl
Mrs. Coffee - The Coffee Lady

These are a few of my favorite blogs. They are all, in turn, funny, sweet, sensible, bubbly, charming, crafty, generous, a touch sarcastic, and very, very readable.

Thank you, Ree, for giving me my first bloggy award! If anyone chooses to bestow another upon me, I'll try not to let three months pass before I pass the bloggy love along.

Live birthday blogging from Mom & Dad's

dt.Tuli@gmail.com (Tuli) — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 18:41:00 +0000

S and I brought the old camper out to my Mom & Dad's last evening for a night of camping and S'mores. (And wine - of which I was the only one who partook). Mom sat out with us until almost 11. Dad came out and stayed until 11:30 or so. We had a great time.

So here I sit at my parent's house, on my 37th birthday, after a morning of church rummage sales, yard sales, and a fantastic brunch. My mom is sitting across the table from me, muttering to herself about her crazy computer not liking it when she puts a black ten on a black jack. Every once in a while, she tosses in a well isn't that a bummer and proceeds to tell me what she has that should play but can't because, basically, the computer won't let her cheat.

My dad is firmly ensconced in his Laz-Z-Boy knock-off, watching the TV. He's muttering about how U of M coaching hasn't been the same since Bo retired and how the whole football program is going to hell in a hand-basket. Especially since they're currently losing to Indiana (Go Hoosiers! I tend to root for whoever is playing Michigan. U of M fans drive me frakin' nuts.) He's also talking to his dog. Maybe he's telling the dog about U of M football. Either way, he's covered from toes to chin in his maroon fuzzy blanket. I wish I had a camera.

About an hour ago, mom beat me three games in a row in Rummikub. I'm going to demand my re-match now.

I'm having a great birthday.

On fires and magic and sneaks

dt.Tuli@gmail.com (Tuli) — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 03:02:00 +0000

This building is within three blocks of my house. I drive past it every day. It burned last night and I slept through all the noise. I am sorry to see it go. The Thompson block was built in 1861 and was used as a Civil War barracks. I had hoped the renovations that were underway would help revitalize that corner of my crazy, wonderful little city.

On a happier note...

The Wizard of Oz is magic. Pure magic. I sat there in that theater tonight and grinned through the whole movie. Poor S. I must've elbowed him a dozen times to make sure he was paying attention to scenes that I absolutely love.

On another happy note...

Saturday is my birthday. It's also the day of the sneak preview of Whip It! We bought our tickets for it when we were at the theater this evening. It's going to be fun to spot all the Ypsilanti locations in it that are supposed to be Texas.

In which I try to capture a little magic

dt.Tuli@gmail.com (Tuli) — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 19:42:00 +0000

Bossy posted today about The Wizard of Oz. It appears that the movie is coming to theaters for one night (Wednesday, September 23) to be shown in hi-def. This is where I admit that I'm not sure I know what hi-def means when it comes to seeing movies in theaters - is it digital? Or is there some special hi-def reel-to-reel film that I don't know about?

No matter.

I totally bought tickets. I'm really looking forward to seeing TWOO all shiny and clean and bright.

I've never seen the movie in a theater, and I don't think I've ever seen it without commercial interruption (was it ever broadcast commercial free?). I remember watching it on TV every year and thinking it was magic. How did they switch to color like that? How did Glenda float like that? Golly, her pink dress sure is sparkly. The horses that changed color? Miraculous!

I thought the Scarecrow really was made of straw. No person could be all bendy like that.

What about you? You going?

The Weekend In Pictures.

dt.Tuli@gmail.com (Tuli) — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 20:53:00 +0000

9/11/09 -- Friday Night --Flat tire at the Model T plant on Piquette & Brush in Detroit.

9/12 -- Saturday -- Old Car Festival. S finally bit the bullet and bought him some knickers. He was photographed more than the car.

9/12 -- Saturday evening -- Port Huron to Mackinac awards banquet at the yacht club.

9/13 -- Sunday -- Another day at Old Car Festival. Was fun! And gorgeous outside!

These are the cars that were being judged. (S's car has a 40 year old restoration so he doesn't have it judged.)

Conducting music or traffic?

Big-wheels! Everywhere we looked, big wheels! (Info about them here.)

This guy reminds me of Rich Uncle Pennybags from Monopoly.

My Denimless Summer: A Success Story

dt.Tuli@gmail.com (Tuli) — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 14:21:00 +0000

I did it.

I went denimless all summer, where all summer = Memorial Day Weekend in May to Labor Day Weekend in September.

I wore jeans yesterday and while I had missed the look of them, I can't say the experience was any different from wearing any other pair of pants.

My addiction to denim has been broken. They are no longer my crutch, my style, nor are they my default go-to clothing item. I'm not giving them up completely but from here on out, my closet will no longer contain ONLY blue jeans.

Success!