My daughter Megan and family had Thanksgiving dinner with her in laws. I heard it was so-so as far as flavor, but the pie was good. *grinning*

We are inundated with a gazillion tomatoes.  Seriously.  And green beans.  We have pickled them, chutney'd them, canned whole, diced and squished; made salsa and spaghetti sauce.  We have given so many to the Senior Center and Homeless Shelter that they asked us to stop bringing them anymore for a few weeks! *laughing*  Any suggestions on what to do with them?  Ahhhhhhh!!!

Dot Com Mergers


In the aftermath of all of the recent mergers, it has been leaked that Yahoo! is taking over the following companies:

Disney
Data General
United Health Care

The names of the new mega company will be:

Hoo-Dis, Hoo-Dat, and Hoo-Cares.

It has been a very difficult morning for me. *sad sigh*

We all woke up at 4am, so the girls could say goodbye to their Dad.  Then it seemed like an eye blink later, and Matthew and I were waving goodbye from the driveway.

Johnny realized about 30 minutes before they had to leave that I wasn’t going, too, and began to sob heartbrokenly. That of course set me off, and the girls, too.  I held his little self close, and kept whispering “It isn’t really goodbye y’know.  It’s more like, ‘See ya later!’”  He didn’t believe me. *sad smile*  He has had too many ‘good-byes’ in the last two years for that. (His father deployed to Iraq for 18 months, coming home for R&R and then leaving again).  He kept begging me to ‘Come wif us Nana.  Pwease!!’  I had to literally remove his arms from around my neck, and carry him to the jeep.  I handed him a camera ( a Fisher Price digital camera) and asked him to take pictures of his trip for me, and reminded him that we would talk on the phone everyday.  He hiccuped and told me I ‘Was his best friend’ and the ‘best Nana EVER’,  and we were able to smile at each other a little.

I held it together until the cars disappeared around the corner, then curled up on the couch and gave in and had a good cry myself.  I still feel tender, and a little raw, but I know that this is the right thing at the right time.  This empty awful feeling will fade, and soon all will be well. *small smile*

So, please forgive me my pity party. I am going to go downstairs and eat chocolate, drink wine, and vegetate on reality television for the rest of the afternoon.

Take care everyone, and remember to tell the ones you love that you do.

~Gina

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1. The roundest knight at King Arthur's round table was Sir
Cumference. He acquired his size from too much pi.

2. I thought I saw an eye doctor on an Alaskan island, but it
turned out to be an optical Aleutian.

3. She was only a whiskey maker, but he loved her still.

4. A rubber band pistol was confiscated from algebra class
because it was a weapon of math disruption.

5. The butcher backed into the meat grinder and got a little
behind in his work.

6. No matter how much you push the envelope, it'll
still be stationery.

7. A dog gave birth to puppies near the road and was
cited for littering

8. A grenade thrown into a kitchen in France
would result in Linoleum Blownapart.

9. Two silk worms had a race. They ended up in a tie.

10. Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.

11. A hole has been found in the nudist camp wall.. The police are
looking into it.

12. Atheism is a non-prophet organization.

13. Two hats were hanging on a hat rack in the hallway. One hat
said to the other, 'You stay here; I'll go on a head.'

14. I wondered why the baseball kept getting bigger. Then it hit
me.

15. A sign on the lawn at a drug rehab center said: 'Keep off the
Grass..'

16. A small boy swallowed some coins and was taken to a hospital.
When his grandmother telephoned to ask how he was, a nurse said,
'No change yet.'

17. A chicken crossing the road is poultry in motion.

18. The short fortune-teller who escaped from prison was a small
medium at large.

19. The man who survived mustard gas and pepper spray is now
a seasoned veteran.

20. A backward poet writes inverse.

21. In democracy it's your vote that counts. In feudalism it's your
Count that votes.

22. When cannibals ate a missionary, they got a taste of religion.

23. Don't join dangerous cults: Practice safe sects!
 
 

Steven has made us tacos with greens, caramelized onions and queso seco cheese for a few years now. The recipe, tacos de quelites, comes from Rick Bayless' Mexican Kitchen, and we've really enjoyed them. Even our autistic son likes them (he of the hot dogs, canned chili and ketchup...lol). Tonight, however, was the first time that we've made them with the greens they use down in Toluca, Mexico...quelites, the unprepossessing lambs' quarters(Chenopodium berlandieri), a weed common to sidewalk cracks, empty lots and the edges of roads and fields all across America. Rick Bayless recommended Swiss chard if lambs' quarters are unavailable, but considers it inferior to them. Still, there was some trepidation in our home as he prepared them. They are good!  We all agree with Bayless. They are the better choice. The next step for authenticity would be to get some blue corn tortillas...

We had a couple of plants growing in our garden plot. The majority were growing wild in the untended portions of the community garden, so Steven just picked the larger plants, 'til he had enough for dinner. Thankfully, he kinda' overshot the mark, so we have a healthy batch of leftovers!

Some quick nutritional facts about lambs' quarters: a 180g serving of boiled and drained lambs' quarters contained 281% of the USRDA for Vitamin A, 111% of the USRDA for Vitamin C, 46% of the USRDA for calcium, 6g of protein and 4g of fiber, its inflammation factor is 351 (strongly anti-inflammatory) and its estimated glycemic load is a whopping...5. They are also a good source of Vitamin E, Thiamine, Riboflavin, Vitamin B6, Magnesium, Potassium, Copper and Manganese. A serving has a whopping 58 calories.

Instead of spraying these weeds with Roundup, we should all be gathering them and eating them...they're a damn superfood!  So, head on out to your local vacant lot, and pick yourself a feast!  Oh...and Bon Apetite-o*giggling* (a Matthew-ism)! Mexican herbs...

Our youngest daughter, Laura, is flying up for a visit on Wed, and will stay until the 9th. I am sooooooooo excited! I haven't had all three of my children together for over three(3) years! (Meg was in Germany, Laura in CA.)  I have already informed them that there WILL be pictures. *laughing* And lots and lots of laughter and loving.

I will begin my cooking/cleaning/baking tomorrow morning.  There will be homemade bread, spaghetti and meatballs, a lemon cake, peanutbutter cookies and fudge, and lots of coffee and tea. *grinning* (Matthew is very happy! *giggling* He loves it when company comes)....

On another note, Megan and the babies will be heading home to Montana on the 9th as well as Laura flying back to school and work. It will feel very empty in the house for a few days, I'm thinking.  But, there is much to look forward to-the garden is flourishing, I have a guitar to play and sing with, dogs to walk, and the normal daily routine of living and being me.

I am extremely happy for all these wonderful happenings- What joy and blessings I have been given! *smiling*

Take care everyone. I probably won't be on here too often until after everyone has gone to their respective homes. Have a wonderful and safe week-

Lots of love, joy, and laughter sent your way...

~Gina

It started out innocently enough. I began to think at parties now and then -- to loosen up. Inevitably, though, one thought led to another, and soon I was more than just a social thinker. I began to think alone -- "to relax," I told myself -- but I knew it wasn't true.

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It has been an interesting few weeks here in 'Gina's World'.  A lot happening that I am not at liberty to discuss out loud....yet! *smiling*  Some good, some not-so-good, but all of it opportunities for growth.

The moving company is dropping off a 'pod' for us to load up Meg's belongings.  We figure it will take us about two days to load everything up, and finish packing up what is here, in the house.  She and the wee-ones will be leaving early on the 9th of July.  Her MIL is flying in from Montana the night before to be with her on the drive.  I have to catch myself from crying about it already.

Our Laura is flying into Portland on the 1st.  She will be here until the 9th as well. It will feel doubly empty that afternoon!  Empty-Nest Syndrome 4 years after the last one left home!! *shaking my head and laughing*

We have decided to let this house go- it is beyond our abilities to fix/repair a good deal of what needs doing.  We are looking closer to Steven's work place, too- it will reduce wear n tear on the car, and lower our gas bill considerably.  I can also finish up the few hours I have left for my Therapudic Foster Care Provider certification.  That will go a long way in helping rebuild my self-esteem,  and will also be one step closer for our special needs adoption.

The garden is coming along famously; the yukon gold potatoes are up, as well as the kennewicks. We have about 40 tomato plants that are thriving. We didn't sprout them all ourselves- other gardeners kept giving us plants! So...*grinning*  There is also squashes, pumpkins (both kind), lettuce, carrots, turnips, parsnips, melons-water, and cantelopes, green beans, cucumbers, and sweet corn. Oh! and chilis, sweet peppers, and assorted herbs.  I am looking to do a fair amount of canning come harvest time!

And that is all I have time for right now- I hope all is well in your worlds.
Take care, and TTFN!
-Gina

Yes. I married an idiot.

Argh. Shoulda, Woulda, Coulda's and all that.

He is still an asshole.

That is all.

We have all of us had the damn flu that has swept the nation. Yay. Whoopee. I'd forgotten how un-fun it is to have a 4 year old puke all over me. *giggling* And a two year running from every orifice. *ewwww* *laughing loudly*  The kiddo's were the easy ones to deal with. Give 'em Tylenol for fever n' aches, popcicles for the throat, and soup to fill little bellies. In a couple of days they were running around like normal. The husband, well he was another matter. He does not do sick well. Let's just say I was very glad when he felt well enough to go to work! *laughing* 'Grumpy' was an understatement.  As for the rest of us, we sneezed and snotted our way through the week as well, but had no time to rest.  Meg and I took shifts with the babies, and I had to watch Matthew very closely, as it triggered his asthma, and he gets very wiggy when we have to increase his meds.  At any rate, all's well that ends well.  I just have to catch up on the mountain of laundry the epidemic left in it's wake. *giggling*

Laura received two scholarships for the upcoming year. Her senior year is entirely paid for, including books! How awesome is that?!  She also got a job as an intern for next year at MIT.  As such, she will not have to pay any tuition while she remains one. Woot!  She and her best friend are apartment hunting this week. Steven and I have gone through all our stuff, and I had the couch and love seat steam cleaned. It is as good a reason as any for new living-room furniture! *laughing* (We did the same for Meg when she moved out, too).

The weather has been very strange this past week. We had a wicked wind and rain storm that lasted 2 days. 60-80 mile an hour gusts knocked down trees and electrical lines everywhere! Our little garden survived- a little worse for wear, but nothing blown away. The potatoes are just coming up, and the tomatoes are noticeably taller. No corn or beans yet though. I think it is too cold. It has been down in the high 60's- down 20 degrees from 2 weeks ago. I am wearing a sweatshirt! *giggling* But it is all good.  I like the cooler weather, and the variety of plants we used are specifically for cooler climates.

Tomorrow Steven and I are going to pick up a queen size water bed from someone on Freecycle. I LOVE free! *grinning* We needed a new mattress anyway, and this is exactly what I wanted! We are also picking up 2 currant bushes and a pineapple guava tree for nothing except our own labor. Can you say "Yay'?! *big grin*

Tonight is ice-cream-sunday-for-dinner night.  I do love my ice-cream! Chocolate and strawberry sundays, here we come!!

I hope all is well with all of you- Sending happy thoughts and much love to you all-
~Gina

The community where we live invited residents to pay a small fee, and join their community garden. We were the second family to sign up! *laughing* We 'purchased' 2 plots,  and will utilize French Intensive Gardening techniques.  We usually get 4-8x's the yield of regular gardeners.

Today we planted the potatoes, cucumbers, and melons, and will be planting the tomato seedlings, peppers, and squashes on Wednesday. We should get about 75 pounds of 'taters when we harvest them- Yukon Golds, and a plain ole tater good for baking, etc.  The melons are very prolific, so, fingers crossed, we will yield a good harvest later this summer. The tomato's are all heirlooms from seed- ugly suckers, but OMG! delicious! Purple Calabash, Brandywine, some old Italian paste tomaotes, a Big Boy...some from Siberia, too, (can't remember the names right now) that do well in cooler climates. I am looking forward to enjoying them!  We have the peas and beans as well, but no corn or carrots this year.  For my herb garden, I have 6 different basils, rosemary, savory, thyme, parsley, fennel, dill, marjoram, and sage. I'm not sure if Steven planted anymore- we have a truckload of seeds- (we belong to Seed Savers) that we try to rotate out and then in again.

At any rate, it was a fun morning, and promises to bring more fun as the season moves forward. I love watching things grow!! *grinning*

Take care all y'all- Gina

- The longest sentence known to man: “I do.”

- I only use deodorant under one arm, so I know what I would have smelled like.

- Crime doesn’t pay… Does that mean my job is a crime?

- This dog, is dog, a dog, good dog, way dog, to dog, keep dog, an dog, idiot dog, busy dog, for dog, 20 dog, seconds dog! … Now read without the word dog.

- Do you ever notice that when you’re driving, anyone going slower than you is an idiot and everyone driving faster than you is a maniac?

- I’ve used up all my sick days, so I’m calling in dead.

- Any woman that thinks the way to a mans heart is through his stomach is aiming just a little too high.

- What’s the quietest place in the world? The complaint department at the parachute packing plant.

- I’m not into working out. My philosophy: No pain. No pain.

- When a man talks dirty to a woman, it’s sexual harassment. When a woman talks dirty to a man, it’s $4.95 a minute.

- Please turn your mobile phone upside down now! Hurry pV3H3uoq 0773H

- Your birth certificate is an apology letter from the condom factory.

- Never forget that you’re unique, just like everyone else.

- I heard you took an IQ test and they said you’re results were negative.

- What do u call dog with no legs? Don’t matter wot u call him, he ain’t gonna come.

- I don’t have an attitude problem. You have a perception problem.

- Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.

- If practice makes perfect, and nobody’s perfect, why practice?

- Born Free… Taxed to Death.

- We will now upgrade your brain, please wait… searching… searching… still searching… sorry NO BRAIN found.

It has been a week filled with many happenings around here. Meg and I drove down south with the birdlings to my sister's house, and spent a week there. I, of course, got sick from the climate change, so spent the better part of it on antibiotics and sudafed. *laughing*

The little one's had a splendiferous time playing with their cousins and being in all that sunshine. It was too hot for my tastes- 100'F for most of it, but Megan basked like a lizard, as did the babies. Lots of pool time, and playing in the sprinklers. I will post pictures later today.

It was also my Laura's 22 birthday yesterday, and Kaitlin's #2 today. We are having a party for Laura when she comes up to visit later this summer, and Kaitlin's will be after supper tonight. I am baking a pineapple ooey gooey butter cake, as it is her favorite.

Steven and I are getting some new furniture in the next couple of weeks, so I have been doing some heavy cleaning of the stuff we have now. It will go into storage for Laura, who is getting her own apartment with her best friend during the next school year. So many changes!

Megan and her husband will be moving into their new home in a few short weeks, so I am enjoying the birdlings all I can right now. I am making memories, and making sure they are all good ones. *smiling*

Yesterday Kaitlin and I cuddled on the couch and sang songs for almost an hour. I have no idea what she was singing, but I sang love songs to her. *soft smile* Johnny and I have been telling "A Story" to each other every night- adding on bits and pieces as the spirit moves us. So far it is filled with dinosaurs that sing, birds that walk backwards everywhere, and people who fly. *grinning* I am writing it down, and he illustrates it. I will treaure it always!

Megan bought me a guitar and lessons, as I used to play quite well when she was a small child. I am excited to begin! It will give me something to focus on when the babies go. I will be lonely for them, for a time, you know....

And that is all I can think of right now to write about. I know there is more-my life is filled to the brim with all the bright colored bits and pieces that make life worth living. I just can't seem to capture them with words today. *smiling* Maybe tomorrow.

Have a day filled with laughter, love, and good fun everyone. TTFN- Gina

salty winds holding sea gulls aloft as the waves pound the sand with fervent devotion.

wild irises shyly peeking out of green growing tangles, brighten heart and eye with vibrant purple and yellow jackets.

an explosion of white and pink popcorn, the dogwoods are in bloom! and apple tree lace, that has been tatted by nature's own hand, adorns the hills and fields around us.

raccoons hunting oysters while the tide is out, the oceans bounty beckoning bears and birds, too.

a mama bear and her two cubs examine us as thoroughly as we did her, before leisurely making her way to the sand and sun.

four deer grazing on roses and petunias looked at us slightly startled and a bit annoyed as we stopped and gawked at their wild beauty.

finally, ice cream sandwiches and salt water taffy ended the days as we turned the car towards home and family once again. it was a lovely time- as close to 'perfect' as is humanly possible. *smiling*

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belly laughs and giggles
chasing one another
down hallways
and around chairs.
occasional bellows from
a grumpy uncle
sound like a foghorn
as the day winds down
and nights breathing
is heard in tree and
bird song.
this is the twighlight hour
that must be filled
with stories and songs-
rituals hearalding
bedtime and dreams.

Thank God. *laughing*

Dear Abby,
My mother is mean and short-tempered. I think she is going through her mental pause.

Dear Abby,
A couple of women moved in across the hall from me. One is a middle-aged gym teacher and the other is a social worker in her mid-twenties. These two women go everywhere together and I've never seen a man go into their apartment or come out. Do you think they could be Lebanese?

Dear Abby,
I have a man I never could trust. He cheats so much I'm not even sure this baby I'm carrying is his.

Dear Abby,
I am a twenty-three-year-old liberated woman who has been on the pill for two years. It's getting expensive and I think my boyfriend should share half the cost, but I don't know him well enough to discuss money with him.

Dear Abby,
I suspected that my husband had been fooling around, and when I confronted him with the evidence he denied everything and said it would never happen again.