tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-72168993863197254242024-02-08T00:13:34.021-05:00Skate Like a JammerDelicate Flowerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818995801290711067noreply@blogger.comBlogger43125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7216899386319725424.post-147407442957990112016-01-03T18:19:00.001-05:002016-01-03T18:19:55.535-05:00Is it really 2016? Tomorrow starts the 2016 Tax Year. We're still waiting to see if Congress passes certain extenders or not. And the IRS website is (mostly) down for maintenance until tomorrow. I'm emailing back and forth with my boss this afternoon to figure out what and where I need to be tomorrow. We still don't have the official staffing schedule for the week. It looks like we'll be starting the season with several preparers not being quite up to speed - including the one that will be sharing my work location.<br /> I'm at the farm today. I *finally* had a chance to do a herd check with Dad. The cattle got hit hard by the move this spring and fescue this summer. Dad had never encountered fescue in his pastures before and it looks like quite a few pregnancies were lost, as well as significant milk production and conditioning. He's getting into A.I. breeding, embryo transfers, and genetic testing. Turns out several of the "fancy" cattle he's purchased in the past year or so don't know who their father (and even their mother in one case) is. Most of their EPD's dropped once the testing results came in. Needless to say, he's none too happy. The herd quality is very much a mixed bag at this point. <br />
The farm and house are leaps and bounds above the old farm back in NY. Smaller house and acreage, but much more easily managed and better maintained. The age and siting of the buildings also do not compare. Cattle farming is done differently out here and I expect it will take a few years before things are fully set up how Dad would like. Compared to the NY farm, though, they're already better set up here. Mom is spending a lot more time with Dad and she's been unpacking and organizing while she job-hunts. They're both so much more relaxed and happier here, it's indescribable.<br />
Mom is currently typing up our joint 2016 seed order. There is an Amish greenhouse nearby that sells seeds and supplies for gardeners. Mom and Dad are both talking about putting in a garden and I'm pretty certain that my seed vault has near 0% viability. So... it's time for (another) new start. Not much plant starting for me this year. We have the basement under construction and starting plants is just not on the can-do list this year. I have a few raised beds that need to be shifted and a handful more that are in progress. It will definitely be worth paying for tomato and brassica starts this year. I'm on the fence for peppers and squash due to price, quality, and availability factors. This is a direct seed and transplant year and I'm going to have to mull over how much effort and space I have available for seed starting. <br /> I have three raised beds that will have to be shifted, as well as several more that are in process. I bring bags of soil, compost, stone, and mulch home as they get discounted for being torn open at TheBigBlueBox. The swale that runs across our property got lined this past summer/fall with landscape fabric and the existing rocks re-laid across the bottom. The turn is all rocked in but the "stream" portion leading away from the turn still needs rock re-laid and added. The majority of the area between the swale and the fence has either landscape fabric with rocks (or will have rocks) or cardboard with mulch laid down. There is a section at the turn that I haven't gotten around to mulching yet. Our lilac tree from the NY house is planted there, the compost bin was there, and I did significant work building up that area of the turn so that water won't flow past the turn and flood our backyard. The 15 ft before the turn that leads along our property line and across the oil line has a 4 inch drainage pipe installed that exits amongst the rocks after the turn in the swale. Hopefully that will help channel excess water away and we won't be spending the spring cleaning muddy puppeh paws whenever the hound goes outside. The main garden area needs mulch in the walkways and more material added to the beds. I'm planning on a fall fruit tree delivery and will be working on prepping the tree sites this spring and summer. (Hopefully the bearded one or the redhead will be willing to deal with HOA stuff for the trees! I'm dreaming, I know.)<br />
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We hosted a holiday dinner last weekend with Baby Brother's family and Mom/Dad coming for dinner. Hubs and Redhead cooked, cooked, cooked and we had a fairly event-free first holiday hosting at the new house. Dad, of course, tried to teach DixieDog bad habits and Baby Brother's family seemed to make their trip up stretch out forever. <br />
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PT and various doctor's appointments still take up a significant amount of my time each week. The daily pain and mobility is slowly improving even if the PT sessions don't get any easier. I need to figure out a different work situation so I can actually make it to practices with regularity. (Not to mention the whole income situation being under-performing since I left NY. Yeah. It's awesome. Not.) Anyways... my Christmas gift was a trip to RollerCon 2016, so I'd better get prepared!<br />
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Delicate Flowerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818995801290711067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7216899386319725424.post-9721641267857560702015-11-08T00:48:00.001-05:002015-11-08T00:48:18.955-05:00Countryside drive With an early winter chill hanging in the air, I watched the scenery flash by in a series of brilliant autumn colors and blinding streaks of sunlight. The afternoon sun lingered as it set, slowly sinking behind the hills which I had somehow found myself within. <div>
I was driving home from tax school, headed west through hills which seemed more appropriate to the New York countryside that I left nearly two years ago. As the sun played peek-a-boo through the trees, I spotted a gas station which sat surrounded by farmland. The oddity of it sparked the ongoing thought that had been repeating lazily in the back of my mind - have to get gas or end up coasting home on fumes today. </div>
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After quickly purging my car of the donut box riding shotgun with me, I waited for the pump to slowly fill my tank. Motion from the farmhouse across the highway caught my eye. A older farmer tilted across the farmyard, his joints stubbornly abbreviating his range of motion. Swing, tilt, swing, tilt, swing, tilt. I gazed at his sheer determination, wondering what task took him away from his comfortable chair inside the farmhouse. </div>
<div>
The white dog following at his heels, and the red farm truck parked inside the barn made me think that it was time for some evening errands. Then I looked at the dog more closely. The tail wagged in a short, stumpy, erect manner that wasn't a dog's wag at all. It was a goat. The goat was joined by a trail of lumbering cows and weaving cats. (The cats obviously well accustomed to walking amongst shuffling hooves and switching tails.) I shook my head as memories of my father leading a parade of animals through daily herd checks flashed through my mind. Was the farmer preparing for the evening milking? Did he have afternoon hay and straw to distribute? </div>
<div>
As the gas tank neared full capacity, I jiggled the handle until my "lucky" number slipped into place. Looking up one more time as the printer slowly produced it's record of my purchase, I saw the farmer oddly bobbing up and down in his new position across the highway. Seeming to fight something that was just out of sight amongst the milling bodies around him. The movement suddenly became recognizable. He was running a hose into a cement water trough. Pulling on the hose and coiling it into the trough so the force of the water didn't shoot the hose back out of the trough. </div>
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As I reluctantly prepared to slip into the car and drive away, I let my perception expand and take in all of the hillside scene. The sheep cropping the short grass and the cows entering the shadows of the alleyway. Standing on the hillside, placidly watching the scene unfolding below her, stood a solitary cow. Her swollen belly hanging low and wide. Her coat shining in the impeccable way of a Jersey cow who is near her calving date. Her smooth coat proof of the care and husbandry that her farmer is still honored to give. </div>
Delicate Flowerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818995801290711067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7216899386319725424.post-65791735183470187822015-01-07T12:28:00.000-05:002015-01-07T12:28:00.821-05:00What do you want to be when you grow up?I have always despised that question. Jealous of the kids who had a canned answer just waiting to be brought out. The future firefighters and nurses and cops.<br />
<br />
I never wanted to be a "something". I wanted to love fiercely, to be indescribably cherished, to experience all the unknowns in life with faith, hope and loved ones at my side. I yearned for a set path that told me how. There is no career guide for love, or for living a full life. We are told that to be happy, we need to have a plan.<br />
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I am forced to enter, for the second time in my life, "unemployed" as my occupation. This time around it's tempting to enter "housewife" as my answer. Housewife is an acceptable role in society. That word means it is a conscious choice to be in the situation that I am in, rather than something which is forced upon me and in which I fail to change.<br />
<br />
I don't want to miss the sunrises. The off-hour drives on the interstate across a landscape which is undeniably my soul's home. I want to experience the seasons. The bitter cold of winter outside my window as I type sitting in a cozy spot with a mug of coffee at hand. The harsh changes spring brings as the air warms but the earth struggles to release it's cold, frozen grip on the soil. I want to nurture small sprouts of spinach, peas and carrots as they seek the weak light of early spring. Tiny seeds that hold the secret promise of warm afternoons spent harvesting and tending the garden's voluptuous needs and rewards before the chill of fall trumpets winter's steady advance. Planning not for the week's meals, but the next season, the next year, the next decade of nourishment and life.<br />
<br />
Packing my things every day to go to work for someone else's benefit is too slow yet too fast. The years creep by and when I come up for air, I'm suddenly much older without life's goals showing much progress. Yet it seems there is another major event always looming on the horizon. Or, at the opposite end, nothing to do but to plod along until the next thing hits. Life is spent doing what's expected instead of living as my core screams it needs to do.<br />
<br />
If I could go back and talk to the young me, I'd tell her that it's ok to simply "be". Be confident. Be patient. Be loving and kind. Be fierce. Be steady. Be spastic. Be scared and courageous at the same moment. Be leery of those who are new, until they prove that when you fall with them, you can fall without restraint. <br /><br />
Being unemployed is an odd gig for me. I am a worker bee. I like to put my head down and work hard within set boundaries. To have a problem and know that it could be fixed. Or to know that some things just are and that's how it is. Without a boss man nor a company schedule to keep, I have to learn to do those things for myself. What are my long-term goals? What are the immediate needs of myself and my household? Do I need to say "no" when it seems that I should say yes? I have to learn to let go and trust my household. To communicate and prioritize things that were previously ignored. I have to learn to listen to the old me, and the new me. What is unchanging and what, in the end, doesn't have to be? What little things matter to ensure that the big dreams come true? When I frame my window, is it looking out where I want to go?<br /><br />Until I learn all of life's answers, I'll relish the knowledge that going in circles is my happy place. The seasons and the scenarios change, but the underlying landscape is the same. Skate fast, turn left, and skate like a jammer until body and soul are one once again.Delicate Flowerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818995801290711067noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7216899386319725424.post-33763041021749708482014-01-28T22:29:00.000-05:002014-01-28T22:29:15.625-05:00Irreverent Thoughts of a Roller Derby Referee #1I've got this bloggy thingy, so let's see if I can record some of the randomness that goes through my head while skating. <div>
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#1 - Wow, I just got jumped by a ton of derby girls. </div>
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#2 - I wonder what she'll do if I skate all the way out the door with her (derby) wife in my arms. </div>
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#3 - Man, I can't blow right tonight. </div>
Delicate Flowerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818995801290711067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7216899386319725424.post-592565345034734332013-11-20T09:39:00.000-05:002013-11-20T09:39:01.236-05:00Of mice and menWhen my gut says that the noise I'm hearing in the car is the scrabbling of mice, apparently I really SHOULD believe my gut. A new air filter, re-attached muffler, and a repaired strut = a MUCH quieter and smoother-riding vehicle! <br />
<br />
Truck-driving brother was in town on Monday. I dragged him to dinner with my in-laws and we fed and socialized him for an hour or so. Very good times. My favorite story of the evening was when he told of parking his new-to-him semi in eldest brother's driveway. Nephew (~2 or 3 at the time) came out and stomped his foot, emphatically saying "Optimus, TRANSFORM!" several times. Ahh... the power of a father's influence.<br />
<br />
I have a tentative exit date at work and a trainee to train. <br />
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A loved one has said the long goodbye to her grandmother. Thoughts are, and have been, with her.<br />
<br />
I'm working 7 days a week and living with the in-laws. I'm being spoiled rotten.<br />
<br />
Sold my car (poof goes that debt!)<br />
<br />
We're on track to pay off another 1/3 of our non-mortgage debt before the end of the year.<br />
<br />
House is still on the market. Nothing much happening there.<br />
<br />
Goats are moved to their new home. Across the street from my in-laws!! :-D<br />
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Calves are getting shipped to Iowa next week (I won't be riding along to see the sale/visit family.) <br />
<br />
Another truckload is tentatively planned for the January 22nd sale. <br />
<br />
I haven't strapped on my roller derby skates since September. <br />
<br />
Hockey season has started without me signing up for the team. <br />
<br />
I finally retired my old flip phone and have the new iPhone 5. OH MY GOSH FACETIME IS AMAZING.<br />
<br />
Oh hey, Thanksgiving is next week. Where did Sept/Oct/Nov go?!?!<br />
<br />
<br />
And that, in a nutshell, is what has (and hasn't) been going on the last several months. <br />
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Delicate Flowerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818995801290711067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7216899386319725424.post-26157721336187620942013-07-05T00:22:00.000-04:002013-07-05T00:22:01.295-04:00Moving houseWe literally moved a house today. Dixie's dog house is in the moving truck, waiting for it's ride out west. It took three people, but it's in. I'm covered in gasoline from emptying the generator's tank and pretty much every muscle is sore. The brain checked out several hours ago while trying to carry on a conversation with my mom, who was out helping load. <br />
<br />
Mom let me catch an extra hour of sleep this morning (I took the couch so she could have the air mattress. Luxury accommodations we have around here.) Coming downstairs to a drastically smaller pile of boxes was pretty much magical. I planned on being on the road mid-day at the latest but between screwing up the truck rental, taking FOREVER to load, and losing a cat to the great outdoors... well, this trip's departure is getting delayed until the morning. There are a few odds and ends left around the main living quarters. The big things left to pack/load are the tools/basement and cat supplies. Whether I've got one cat or two will modify some of the plans. There is a Havahart currently baited on the porch with cat food but I'm not counting on that working. Oh! The couch and armchair finally got sold and the buyers picked them up this morning. Getting them out the door was major. Now the only furniture left in the house is a folding table, two bedside tables, two folding chairs and a dresser from my parents. <br />
<br />
There are some power tools waiting to be loaded and a wall full of hand tools to pack/load, along with gardening supplies. After they're in then it's time to get the cats and their things and hit the road! <br />
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Can. Not. Wait. Delicate Flowerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818995801290711067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7216899386319725424.post-64908692728378293082013-06-21T01:15:00.000-04:002013-06-21T01:15:11.948-04:00And the wheels keep rollin' Hubs is out in Missouri now. He left Saturday morning (uh... the fifteenth, to be precise) in the truck with dog and rented trailer in tow. We keep reminding ourselves that the separation is only temporary and that we'll soon be working on OUR dreams together. <br />
<br />
While he's out there, I've got changes going on back here on the flat track. I got back on skates for practice this past Tuesday. It was the first league practice that I've been on skates for since... uh... late February or so. The big change is that I was skating as ref-in-training. *shudder* Oh how I'd rather play. <br />
<br />
With the big move actually (for REALZ) happening now, I got on the wait list for Philly's WFTDA officiating clinic in hopes of getting a couple days of referee training in without the additional expense of plane tickets. I'll still need lots of practice at scrimmages before I can officiate a bout, but it's a chance to practice without skaters depending on my making the correct call (or really hoping that I goof and they can get away with stuff!) Last year's clinic ended with volunteer skaters "scrimmaging" and the head ref directing skaters to play out completely illegal scenarios in order to see who was paying attention amongst the ref crew. I volunteered to skate that and it was fantastically fun. <br />
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The house is scheduled to be listed on July 1st, so going to the officiating clinic leaves me with even less time to prepare the house before showings. A few people are coming out on Sunday to help clean/pack/sort. The realtor needs to come in before the listing goes up and get pictures taken for the listing. The chicken fencing *should* be taken down, chickens moved to their new home and the chicken yard re-seeded. That's looking less and less likely to happen. I still need to work (can't that robot just program itself?!) and bigger projects need to be taken care of. <br />
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On the robotics side of things, I've finally gotten back into the groove of hammering out nitty gritty details in my protocols so that SNP genotyping can be restored to its previous mostly-automated status at the core. (I should probably actually try to remember what the core's latest name is. It changed while I was out for Baby Brother's wedding.) I have to trouble-shoot some of the programming that has been running for a few months on the new instrument as well as dance around the unforeseen drawbacks of the older instrument's upgrade. At this point it is a lot of repetitive, line-by-line alterations as I attempt to emulate a human's motions. It's funny how our "automatic" movements are so simple to us yet so difficult to define and execute via mechanical means.<br />
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Hopefully this weekend I'll get some sleep and a decent cup of coffee. I'm one of those needs-coffee-before-making-coffee people and am usually lucky I don't pour the hot water into the toaster. Or try to put it in the cupboard with the coffee beans. Yesterday's walking into a veritable sea of maggots all over the kitchen took coffee-making to a whole new level of Not Happening. (I still have no idea where exactly they came from but a general purging seems to have cleared them. I'm suspecting the frozen (and I thought fully sealed) items that had to be pulled out when the freezers were sold are the origin of that adventure.) <br />
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Aaand once again it's WAY past bedtime! <br />
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Delicate Flowerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818995801290711067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7216899386319725424.post-6522999269674684982013-05-14T14:11:00.000-04:002013-05-14T14:11:25.636-04:00How to scare your mother. So I called my mom up today to wish her a belated happy Mother's Day. I hear it ring a couple of times and then I can hear her talking to someone as she answers the phone. And then I get greeted with an "Is everything OKAY?!?!" in a very alarmed tone of voice. "Um... yeah Mom... I'm a bad daughter and didn't call you two days ago for Mother's Day, why?" "Oh, the weirdest thing just happened. Your brother called not 30 seconds ago and I didn't answer. When you called right away, I thought something was wrong." <br />
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*headdesk* My brother and I should have been born as twins. I mean... really. <br />
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I then had my own phone beep as I got an incoming call that I've been waiting for, so I hastily (*cough* basically) hung up on my poor mother. <br />
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Yep, that's how we roll for Mother's Day around here. <br />
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Delicate Flowerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818995801290711067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7216899386319725424.post-53134767058271988232013-05-09T19:12:00.000-04:002013-05-09T19:12:18.791-04:00A Hamster's VentHey science-types! <br />
<br />
Have you thanked your hamsters recently? Both publicly AND privately? Are you breaking new ground with your research data? <br />
<br />
We know you're busy and tons of people may have contributed to the project and all that, but seriously. If there is someone who has handled <i>every single sample</i> from ALL of those oh-so-many people and also brings <i>years</i> of experience to the process to boot - YOU CAN SPARE A LINE FOR THEIR NAME! Not just the institutional name - the PERSON. <br />
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Put it in print. Put it in print even when you think they'll NEVER see it. <br />
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Acknowledgements are easy and rather painless compared to the headaches you went through to get all of that other information you are now SO excited to share. <br />
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You'd be surprised at what a difference cookies can make. After all, giving us cookies gives you an excuse to spread the news of your research into an even wider circle. <br />
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Just don't ask for my picture. Put up a baby goat picture instead. Thanking your hamsters really doesn't have to be an exercise in visual boredom. We're hamsters, not supermodels.Delicate Flowerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818995801290711067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7216899386319725424.post-32361871476093580002013-02-10T13:44:00.003-05:002013-02-10T13:44:55.953-05:00Things I learned from hockey.I'm busy packing up the coaching books for hockey. There are some gems of advice in these books that I'm having a hard time putting away! <br />
<br />
Angling In: <i>Skating into the boards at an angle means better puck control and less risk of injury.</i><br />
- Skating in on an angle affords players a <b>better approach angle</b> to the puck, and by giving the body a safe position to accept an impact with the boards, it allows players to <b>keep skating</b> and gain control of the puck.<br />
- When players skate into the corners at an angle, the risk of hitting the boards with their helmets first is greatly reduced. A leg, side or arm will absorb most of the impact. <br />
<br />
Important points of "angling in"<br />
- Go in <b>on an angle.</b><br />
- Keep a <b>low center of gravity.</b><br />
- Knees <b>bent, back straight and head up.</b><br />
- Absorb the shock over the <b>widest possible part</b> of your body.<br />
- Keep your feet <b>parallel to the boards.</b><br />
- Forearms - hands - legs <b>ready.</b><br />
- <b>Lean into</b> the impact.<br />
- <b>Never</b> hit the boards or glass with the <b>tip of your shoulder.</b><br />
- Check over your shoulder to see <b>where your opponent is.</b><b></b><br />
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Taking a Check:<br />
<b>Heads up - don't duck.</b><br />
<b>Keep your head out of it.</b><br />
<b>Know where your opponents are.</b><br />
<b>Skate through the check.</b><br />
<br />
Giving a Check:<br />
Separating the puck from your opponent, not separating your opponent from consciousness. Delicate Flowerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818995801290711067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7216899386319725424.post-40298717692992656162013-02-10T01:36:00.000-05:002013-02-10T01:36:04.294-05:00The box count is at...9 small and 1 medium.<br />
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DVD's, the good china (packed with some of my fabric), books, textbooks and canning/camping supplies. <br />
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2 kitchen cupboards are completely empty, several bookshelves in the den are half emptied and the DVD bookshelf is 2/3's empty.<br />
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We've still got a lot of packing and sorting to do and the wall of boxes is already looking intimidating. Next up are the rest of my college textbooks and then probably sorting through old clothes before hitting the sewing supplies. Then I may have the gumption to start packing canned goods. I'm a little scared of breaking one of those in transit!!!<br />
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The Crowned Flower screens are hopefully ready for use. I think I may have to touch up one before I can use it. I'll be glad to get those shirts printed and sent off. One more project complete is one less on the to-do list! I've got a long-overdue housewarming gift + baby gift ready to go as soon as I can find everything. One of the items is hiding in the clean clothes and I've yet to locate it. There's a dress hanging up for the niece that needs some embellishment, then it will be ready to ship out. <br />
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Alrighty. Rambling post, but I had to note that packing is starting! Trying to sort out the excess as I go, but that may not last long. I'm already tired of packing! Just throw it all in boxes!! YERGH!!! <br />
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Delicate Flowerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818995801290711067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7216899386319725424.post-83246906368191105462013-01-29T11:05:00.000-05:002013-01-29T11:05:34.737-05:00A little bit of law.Farmer to Consumer has <a href="http://www.farmtoconsumer.org/litigation-FDA-status.htm">this</a> blurb up. (This is the case of raw milk being transported across state lines and distributed in a type of raw milk buyer's club in Georgia. The case is depicted in the movie Farmageddon.)<br />
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"FDA's Views on Freedom of Choice <br />
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Here are some of FDA's views expressed in its response on 'freedom of food choice' in general and on the right to obtain and consume raw milk in particular:<br />
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"Plaintiffs' assertion of a new 'fundamental right' to produce, obtain, and consume unpasteurized milk lacks any support in law." [p. 4]<br />
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"It is within HHS's authority . . . to institute an intrastate ban [on unpasteurized milk] as well." [p. 6]<br />
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"Plaintiffs' assertion of a new 'fundamental right' under substantive due process to produce, obtain, and consume unpasteurized milk lacks any support in law." [p.17]<br />
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"There is no absolute right to consume or feed children any particular food." [p. 25]<br />
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"There is no 'deeply rooted' historical tradition of unfettered access to foods of all kinds." [p. 26]<br />
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"Plaintiffs' assertion of a 'fundamental right to their own bodily and physical health, which includes what foods they do and do not choose to consume for themselves and their families' is similarly unavailing because plaintiffs do not have a fundamental right to obtain any food they wish." [p. 26]<br />
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FDA's brief goes on to state that "even if such a right did exist, it would not render FDA's regulations unconstitutional because prohibiting the interstate sale and distribution of unpasteurized milk promotes bodily and physical health." [p. 27]<br />
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"There is no fundamental right to freedom of contract." [p. 27]"<br />
<br />
Document Referenced: http://www.farmtoconsumer.org/litigation/ey100426--ds%20mtd%20memo%20in%20support.pdf<br />
<br />
<br />
I find this paragraph particularly interesting: <br />
<br />
"Plaintiffs argue that “FDA could use a less stringent means of regulating raw milk,” such as warning labels stating that the products are unpasteurized. Am. Compl. ¶¶ 79-81, 105-108. In promulgating 21 C.F.R. § 1240.61, FDA specifically considered “the use of labeling to ensure that consumers who voluntarily choose to consume raw milk are informed as to the risks inherent in that choice,” but FDA concluded, for reasons it explained, “that labeling is not an acceptable alternative approach.” 52 Fed. Reg. at 29,513 (explaining that “the risk of infection . . . does not arise from the misuse or abuse of the product but rather from its customary food use,” and those who “are particularly susceptible to serious risks of infection,” including the elderly and children, “may not have the ability or the opportunity to understand the risks identified in labeling”). FDA could have also prohibited intrastate sales but concluded “that State and local authorities may be better situated to deal with the public health problems attributable to unpasteurized milk.” Id. Whether FDA used the least restrictive means to accomplish its goal, however, is immaterial under a rational basis review. See Heller, 509 U.S. at 330 (holding that whether a less restrictive means exists to further the legislative aims “is irrelevant in rational-basis review”)."<br />
<br />
Basically, warning labels are inadequate because children and elderly may consume this "risky" product. <br />
<br />
Initial digging shows that individuals who travel across state lines to purchase raw milk will not have enforcement action taken against them by the FDA. (<a href="http://www.iand.uscourts.gov/e-web/decisions.nsf/0/AC3A669ADB3D929C862579D6004A0D34/$File/MWB-10-CV-4018,+Farm-To-Consumer+Legal+Defense+Fund+v.+Sebelius,+Motion+To+Dismiss-Renewed+and+alternative+motion+for+Summary+Judgment,+03302012.pdf">FDA's authority to regulate interstate commerce is challenged, and dismissed for lack of subject matter jurisdiction, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Iowa Western Division.</a>) <br />
<br />
"(FDA’s response to the court’s questions ante); 3 Plaintiffs’ Appendix (as amended) at 292 (FDA’s press release, dated November 1, 2011, stating, inter alia, “With respect to the interstate sale and distribution of raw milk, the FDA has never taken, nor does it intend to take, enforcement action against an individual who purchased and transported raw milk across state lines solely for his or her own personal consumption.” (emphasis in the original))." <br />
<br />
It appears that the GEORGIA Department of Agriculture ordered the dumping of Wagoner's raw milk, not the FDA. The FDA's <a href="http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/CFRSearch.cfm?fr=1240.61">code</a> is as follows: <br />
"(a) No person shall cause to be delivered into interstate commerce or shall sell, otherwise distribute, or hold for sale or other distribution after shipment in interstate commerce any milk or milk product in final package form for direct human consumption unless the product has been pasteurized or is made from dairy ingredients (milk or milk products) that have all been pasteurized, except where alternative procedures to pasteurization are provided for by regulation, such as in part 133 of this chapter for curing of certain cheese varieties." <br />
<br />
Farm to Consumer Legal Defense Fund is apparently trying to use the dumping of Wagoner's milk in an argument against the FDA's code concerning distribution of raw milk in interstate commerce. The FDA has stated that farmers who sell to out-of-state consumers may attract regulatory action. The court system pretty much takes the stance that the case is not ripe.<br />
<br />
At some point I'd like to dig further into the Morningland case, and read more of the Farm to Consumer papers. <br />
<a href="http://http://uncheeseparty.wordpress.com/2013/01/18/morningland-dairy-the-final-solution/">Morningland Dairy's story</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.farmtoconsumer.org/litigation/ey100426--ds%20mtd%20memo%20in%20support.pdf">Case 5:10-cv-04018-MWB Document 11-1 (Brief in support of case dismissal)</a><br />
<br />
Oh, and a local farm - <a href="http://meadowsweetfarm.com/">Meadowsweet Farm</a><br />
<br />
Delicate Flowerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818995801290711067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7216899386319725424.post-69594367905414742042013-01-19T07:25:00.000-05:002013-01-19T07:25:05.761-05:00If I have to go to work on a Saturday...Then I'm doing it while wearing all things soft 'n fuzzy. <br />
<br />
Kind of like our Team Neon vs Team Black scrimmage. We can, so why not? <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMZrjx7VQ1lTmjwK5Ujr71-GF07Ci4TpzXg3Bf5zxOhldqbcw4sJ2BHG05X4N26f-2F9bWe5AcosBysWwrny0ivuEPlfll6r9Hs5vN-thkCwa6WSWbs267Kzf5FccvKgVMVU2dG3aZWGFk/s1600/Team+Neon+vs+Team+Black.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="213" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMZrjx7VQ1lTmjwK5Ujr71-GF07Ci4TpzXg3Bf5zxOhldqbcw4sJ2BHG05X4N26f-2F9bWe5AcosBysWwrny0ivuEPlfll6r9Hs5vN-thkCwa6WSWbs267Kzf5FccvKgVMVU2dG3aZWGFk/s320/Team+Neon+vs+Team+Black.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Delicate Flowerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818995801290711067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7216899386319725424.post-26899776864762487772012-11-24T18:42:00.000-05:002012-11-24T18:42:03.810-05:00Owww..I managed to overdo it yesterday while working on the basement and did my back in. It's a good thing Hubby was willing to make dinner or we may have starved!Delicate Flowerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818995801290711067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7216899386319725424.post-56452450161793511172012-11-16T15:12:00.000-05:002012-11-16T15:12:24.761-05:00This 'n thatWe won the State College bout. I'm still sore and apparently the hard work was noticed, as I saw this gem posted on SCAR's FB page - "Dear Delicate Flower,<br />
The Dolls ♥ you, except when you power jam. (score) 72-153"<br />
<br />
Also, my buttons sold like hotcakes! Yeah! <br />
<br />
Practice attendance was light last night, as we've got multiple events going tonight and tomorrow. We fooled around and worked on random skills. One discussion boiled down to - If you just can't get someplace at the right time, change the place you're going to and soon you'll consistently be in the right place at the right time. <br />
<br />
I've got presents to work on, so I'd better get cracking!Delicate Flowerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818995801290711067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7216899386319725424.post-23917986895591584692012-11-09T20:23:00.000-05:002012-11-09T20:23:53.160-05:00Pre-bout CCR's final bout of the season is at State College tomorrow. I'll be skating with two names written on my arms. Alma and Esther, this one's for you. A happy 104 to one and prayers/thoughts going to both. Delicate Flowerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818995801290711067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7216899386319725424.post-50608039575854343262012-08-03T01:17:00.001-04:002012-08-03T01:17:56.119-04:00Finding joyOur last home bout is a little over a week away and I've been pushing extra hard on the training side and shortchanging myself in terms of my body's recovery time. So to make a long story short, I sat out tonight's practice. <br />
<br />
I was motivated to sit out tonight's practice; <br />
a)to take care of myself (because it's just the smart thing to do) <br />
b)to ensure I'm physically fit for next week's bout. <br />
<br />
I actually WENT to practice because; <br />
c)I was expected to be at practice <br />
d)I wanted to be social <br />
e)I was hoping to be able to contribute to<br />
f)we had a league meeting (ie routine bizness to talk about) <br />
<br />
And while I was AT practice my teammates: <br />
g)acknowledged that I was doing the smart thing by sitting out to take care of myself <br />
h)expressed dismay at the potential for my not being fit for next week's bout <br />
i)asked why I wasn't practicing with them as expected<br />
j)specifically invited me to join them for a chat<br />
k)thanked me for being a part of their day and positively contributing to it<br />
<br />
and lastly;<br />
j)we had our league meeting and took care of bizness<br />
<br />
If you noticed, a-e (my personal factors) matched up with f-j (the actions of others). I guess I could also just say that my goals/expectations matched up with others' goals/expectations. <br />
<br />
On a purely emotional level, I was internally screaming:<br />
OH MY GOSH PEOPLE ACTUALLY CARE ABOUT ME.<br />
<br />
Okay, I'm probably the only one who really really cares about that. But I think it's something ALL women (especially derby girls) should be aware of and promoting amongst themselves. In other (less self-centered) words, building communities. <br />
<br />
We have the phrase "derby wife" in derby-land. Someone you just "get" and they reciprocate. That sister from another mother. When you find one, it's amazing and can do wonderful things to help your self-esteem, confidence and motivation. <br />
<br />
But what about the rest of the league/team? Are you/your league able to foster an environment where individuals feel valued and respected? Are you able to respect others and value their contributions AND ALSO express that respect and appreciation to them in a way which makes others feel valued and respected? Both within the context of the overall group and to individuals on a more personalized level? <br />
<br />
I moan and groan to my husband all the time about the challenges I face and the things that annoy/frustrate/upset me in derby. I *try* to also express the joy and satisfaction I feel as a Royal Pain. I've got the annoying habit of being a bit negative when I express myself, so it's a constant challenge to turn my phrasing around to shine a positive light on things. I'm working on it. :-)<br />
<br />
Anyho, this post is pretty much an attempt to mark another challenging, yet satisfying evening as Crown City's Delicate Flower. As I mentioned, I sat out during practice. I'm HORRIBLE at watching sports. I can't sit still; it's just too torturous to me. Well... I did it tonight. And I did it totally thanks to others' support.<br />
<br />
You see, I don't play derby just to skate fast and certainly not to be a "superstar". I play it for my sanity's sake. I *need* the regular physical exertion, personal interactions and sense of community that come with roller derby. My joy lays in recognizing and acknowledging that my presence makes a positive contribution to someone's day. Most of the time, just knowing that I skated my butt off and learned something or shared an experience with someone is enough to provide satisfaction while maintaining that yearning hunger for more. <br />
<br />
This time last year I felt that I was kicking butt on the track as far as my skating skills went, but I didn't feel that I was making a positive contribution to anyone's day. Not only was I not making a positive contribution, but it seemed that no matter what I did I was negatively influencing my team and the individuals that I most cared about. My heart was broken and left scattered on the track to get run over again and again and again as the rest of the league zoomed on by. And that was just the practice part of derby in my life. <br />
<br />
<br />
This year? <br />
<br />
My heart is still broken. <br />
<br />
Broken wide open.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
I don't think I'll ever fully put my heart back together again. <br />
<br />
And I don't want to. <br />
<br />
I've learned to embrace life with an open heart and to meet the world with a new inner strength.<br />
<br />
When I've felt particularly "delicate" (and also just plain out of the blue), my league and it's community of supporters have picked up the scattered pieces of my heart and return them to me, along with a bit of their own hearts. <br />
<br />
I feel like I've come home to family after a long absence. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
(And please, take a moment to think of all those you know who are struggling with *something* in their lives right now. If you have the opportunity, let them know that they matter or just that you are thinking of them. I've got a few people I'm thinking of and hoping for.)Delicate Flowerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818995801290711067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7216899386319725424.post-61051200329788784162012-08-02T14:22:00.001-04:002012-08-02T14:22:55.922-04:00Tolerance, responsibility and choice.I don't want to be told what to think, buy, support or do. I want the CHOICE to think, to purchase, to support and to do. I want the FREEDOM to make a CHOICE. <br />
<br />
I also want the freedom to protect, to serve and to create. To live life as an intelligent human being who understands that we are all each individually responsible for both our actions and in-actions. <br />
<br />
One voice can change the world. One voice can change A world. One voice can prevent change. It all comes back to a choice. <br />
<br />
Do you choose to be silenced? Do you choose to let others be silenced so that your world appears as you think it ought? <br />
<br />
Do you challenge yourself to not only hear others' voices, but to let others hear your own? There is no tolerance in your world if you all hear and see is what you already think and believe. <br />
<br />
And do you remember that even when we are all silent, our actions speak for us? <br />
<br />
I support free speech and a responsible citizenship. We have one, how do we build the other? And why don't we each start with ourselves? You might find that you have a bigger influence on others' behavior and beliefs than you thought. <br />
<br />
I say this all because really, I just want to see what kind of awesome you choose to be. That's my flavor of reality show. <br />
<br />Delicate Flowerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818995801290711067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7216899386319725424.post-78806154633100968372012-07-15T11:59:00.000-04:002012-07-15T11:59:22.078-04:00Garden updateThe garden has taken off with the recent heat and the mulch I put down has helped tremendously. The fall-planted garlic is nearly ready to pull. (Thank goodness! They're currently in one of my paths due to a shifting of garden beds this year.) I pulled up the Yukon (I think) potatoes, and one of the fingerlings. All of the lettuce got cut down to just a few leaves. The biggest squash has hidden the peppers. Sweet potatoes have started to extend their vines. Cucumbers are moving slowly. Onions are starting to thicken up. The beans I planted recently (last week? two weeks ago?) have sprouted and thus far avoided the ravages of the two remaining bantam chickens. Corn is nearly waist-high. Tomatoes are starting to set fruit. Transplanted herbs all seem to have finally taken root. The cover crop peas have been pulled and placed aside to dry for seed. The two-year old onion, leek and celery are almost ready to be saved for seed.Delicate Flowerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818995801290711067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7216899386319725424.post-35268696870448236702012-06-27T10:49:00.002-04:002012-06-27T10:49:55.227-04:00ECDX 2012Went to Team USA boot camp and ECDX 2012 in Philly. FANTASTIC time. <br />
<br />
The resultant catch-up with work/house/class/derby? Oi. <br />
<br />
<br />Delicate Flowerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818995801290711067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7216899386319725424.post-652289996963067852012-06-15T00:23:00.001-04:002012-06-15T00:23:16.815-04:00It's in the small things, really.I've been struggling to put into words for eight months the reasons behind my deciding to leave my former roller derby league and to become a Royal Pain with the Crown City Rollerz. Tonight as I was driving home from practice, I realized what those words are. "It was the small things." <br />
<br />
Those small things snowballed into bigger things and eventually it dawned on me that all those "things" had gotten me really messed up. I'd spend all day talking/thinking/doing derby things and go to practice stressed out and leave practice stressed out. The days that I wasn't stressed out, someone else was stressed out and it somehow became my stress. My husband wanted nothing to do with derby and would often worry about my getting hurt. And I <i>was</i> getting hurt. All the time.<br />
<br />
So step one was realizing that I wasn't who I wanted to be in a whole lot of areas of my derby life. Nor was I likely to become who I wanted to be if I stayed the course. *I* wasn't growing and learning in a healthy manner. And furthermore, not only was I being harmed, but I was hurting others and doing them injustices in the process. <br />
<br />
So what were my options for step two? Walk away from derby? I'd rather live without music than live without derby. I've never experienced such a community of strength, growth and courage. Derby lives in the hearts of thousands of fans, volunteers, skaters, coaches and trainers around the world. AROUND THE WORLD. <br />
In less than a decade, modern roller derby went from it's renewal in Austin, TX to (literally) the other side of the world. My mother's generation grew up with Title IX. My grandmothers never had a chance to play team sports. Now, thanks to all those thousands of derby-loving hearts, not only do I get to play sports (as I've grown up doing) but grandmothers who have never been "athletic" in their life can have those same experiences that have meant so much to me and my peers. <br />
I love coaching and seeing those bulbs go off in others' heads. Have you ever seen someone's expression change as they realize that their mentality is the mindset of an individual and that they need to think as part of a team in order to succeed? And then see them further realize that they've never actually had reason to think as part of a team? (Especially never as part of a team of capable women just like themselves.) We all need to be able to skate and "turn left" out there, but it's the ones who can strategize and out-think their opponents that really push us to new levels. To see the bombs explode in someone's head as they learn new strategy is amazing to me. To see those bombs go off in someone who is learning in a completely novel way is absolutely mind-boggling astounding. <br />
I grew up knowing what it was like to play sports as part of a team. Yes, I was often the rarity in male-dominated contact sports but there were high school and all-female teams available if I was willing to travel. There are thousands of mothers and grandmothers alive today who never had the means nor the opportunity in their typical American upbringing to play a contact sport. I'm honored to skate with daughters of the "Greatest Generation" and hope that we see many more on the track. <br />
<br />
Anyho... back to my step two. Obviously, leaving derby wasn't really a choice for me. Transferring to CCR became the clear and obvious choice after I spent two weeks as their guest skater while I was preparing to bout with the neighboring BC Rollers in their bout against SCAR. <br />
<br />
<br />
But do you know what really made the decision rest easy for me?<br />
<br />
CCR welcomed my husband. <br />
<br />
My husband who now has derby friends.<br />
<br />
My husband who now volunteers at bouts.<br />
<br />
My husband who is now able to experience pride and joy when his wife skates, instead of fear.<br />
<br />
My husband who has since taken up several of the things he used to do, which had fallen by the wayside for one reason or another. The things that made me fall in love with him in the first place. <br />
<br />
<br />
Want to know what "small things" really prompted this blog post?<br />
<br />
2 thoughts: "I'm glad my husband had a chance to see <i>his</i> derby girls tonight."<br />
And: "Boy, I'd forgotten how fun it is to drive <i>his</i> truck!"<br />
<br />
<br />
So thank you, Crown City Rollerz. For more reasons than you shall ever know, or I could ever express. <br />
<br />
With hugs and shoves, <br />
Delicate Flower <br />
<br />
<br />
P.S.- Kat, I made it home safely. ;-)<br />
<br />
<br />Delicate Flowerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818995801290711067noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7216899386319725424.post-1498441366887115712012-05-08T09:54:00.001-04:002012-05-08T09:54:54.068-04:00We've signed up for a Spring CSA through Good Life Farm for the month of May, with add-ons from Wide Awake Bakery and Double E Shiitakes. Last week was our first pickup, and boy was it tasty!<br />
<br />
From Good Life:<br />
Asparagus of various sizes (hard frosts overnight meant that ALL above-ground asparagus had to be harvested, or lost) <br />
Spicy Red Mustard Greens (from Remembrance farm)<br />
Crunchy Bean Sprouts (Dancing Turtle)<br />
Radishes- Very small and tasty, about the size of a large marble! Very good combined with the mustard greens and bean sprouts. <br />
Sorrel- Haven't tried these yet. Recommendation is to NOT saute them.<br />
<br />
Since it was our first pick-up, we also received a jar of pickled ginger (gari)!<br />
<br />
From Wide Awake:<br />
Two bags of pizza dough- The baker was at Good Life when we made our pick-up and he said the recipe is still a work in progress. The dough tore easily and I wasn't a huge fan of it due to the sourdough flavoring that got more intense when I had the leftover pizza for lunch.<br />
<br />
From Double E:<br />
A pint of shiitake mushrooms. Nom. We cut these up and put them on the pizza, of course! <br />
<br />
Saturday was Good Life Farm's "Asparaganza". We got yummy food from both The Piggery and Crooked Carrot. Fried asparagus, apple radish slaw, a pickled egg and beets from Crooked Carrot. <br />
<br />
Note to self: Don't post about delicious foods before lunch!Delicate Flowerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818995801290711067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7216899386319725424.post-34072747923749562702012-04-18T20:11:00.000-04:002012-05-08T09:34:22.104-04:00Sometimes you really can't do anything but watch and wait. And love.I'm spending the week in Iowa, where my parents were both born and raised. This week will, in all likelihood, be the last time I get to see my Grandma W. She knew it today as we left the nursing home and I barely managed to keep my tongue still as we said our goodbyes. <br />
<br />
I'm honored to have a 103 year old grandmother who still has her wits about her and her memory intact. I've always been proud to be her descendent and I hope she knows that. The old farm has been sold to one of my cousins and his daughter will be moving into the house soon. A house for a family of nine that started without indoor plumbing. The bathroom isn't even big enough for a bathtub yet it used to be Grandma and Grandpa's bedroom. There is *always* room for loved ones at Grandma's house. Long after she's gone, I'll remember the way Grandma values family. <br />
<br />
A few items that have been found in Grandma's closets are ration books, school certificates for spelling and attendance from the 1920's, miscellaneous tax and school documents from the 1930's on through the 1980's, as well as family photos and other signs of a long and active life. I've got most of her collection of hand-made jewelry, given to me when I was still a teenager and she could no longer fasten the clasps of necklaces. <br />
<br />
Tomorrow we're off to visit my little brother at college. Right now, there are cupcakes to eat.Delicate Flowerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818995801290711067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7216899386319725424.post-40339417568119593812012-04-11T10:18:00.000-04:002012-04-11T10:18:01.976-04:00Just a few of my favorite things...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDolevzeXvIJDaHyzuTTw9C5TKsUDt9GVNPyiuPAem-IH97C6Jq9xexcrHTLDjshCJOytBIVl4IZ50ngXqHkEAP0wEJNceWdT6bflRUWQpr6fUvCEubJm7k8Hpa2VLM1KIgJsvfPKFLMUq/s1600/7SaratogaSprings2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="214" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDolevzeXvIJDaHyzuTTw9C5TKsUDt9GVNPyiuPAem-IH97C6Jq9xexcrHTLDjshCJOytBIVl4IZ50ngXqHkEAP0wEJNceWdT6bflRUWQpr6fUvCEubJm7k8Hpa2VLM1KIgJsvfPKFLMUq/s320/7SaratogaSprings2012.jpg" /></a></div>Playing hockey in Saratoga Springs<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIhZ8r81ms-pJErAHhGdOa8AGihuUyyQKS7LZWPFvY8bdRcEzFe1kDZPLtzk-tOp0RwkIFW0pQfh3w-BTGQ0flPVC5PYTCwkcIsNLzm5gwIXtNxQlcB9AKzlZYLvIMFeWBGI2ojLgD9An1/s1600/Scar1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="320" width="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIhZ8r81ms-pJErAHhGdOa8AGihuUyyQKS7LZWPFvY8bdRcEzFe1kDZPLtzk-tOp0RwkIFW0pQfh3w-BTGQ0flPVC5PYTCwkcIsNLzm5gwIXtNxQlcB9AKzlZYLvIMFeWBGI2ojLgD9An1/s320/Scar1.jpg" /></a></div>Warming up for the SCAR intraleague bout with Bump and Grabher. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD2Yik5H2pibNW_zHBYnLQFiGwSpStZHKifqp6w1LOPH6r8UHzfBo9_8qYCNJjwyQsIwLnLa0dd6R5sOpj7Is2pzwpOu730WZD4dqN2HEtsoOfQtDGHODco4qu4qtaVM3KCk6Wa-tYL6JK/s1600/Scar4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="214" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD2Yik5H2pibNW_zHBYnLQFiGwSpStZHKifqp6w1LOPH6r8UHzfBo9_8qYCNJjwyQsIwLnLa0dd6R5sOpj7Is2pzwpOu730WZD4dqN2HEtsoOfQtDGHODco4qu4qtaVM3KCk6Wa-tYL6JK/s320/Scar4.jpg" /></a></div>Hey Magic, what are you doing sitting down on the job?!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9_XZVpcvzZf2MVhPG7LAzdZr1Jan3GGCcqTJpNIMkb65gadrAGwA03VixgiDTvmyUCOokW8WFlq1IKRgVGxDJfVANKAGaiER9G5IgUnYCsDpFcqN44SPkFpJyRikH_F8L3v_yCRxwl5w9/s1600/Scar5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="320" width="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9_XZVpcvzZf2MVhPG7LAzdZr1Jan3GGCcqTJpNIMkb65gadrAGwA03VixgiDTvmyUCOokW8WFlq1IKRgVGxDJfVANKAGaiER9G5IgUnYCsDpFcqN44SPkFpJyRikH_F8L3v_yCRxwl5w9/s320/Scar5.jpg" /></a></div>SCAR's twin jammers, Sounds Like Magic and Hootie's Bootie<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Ga-ee9jTgFToSHl00SazjIQK2bWOlcgs3_-hBMzBMWlKcRm7D4FrrQkDykwPSMHbjoPcJbXTL53au-TlH6PA9Bl2BLHlX7ZSmivaJZozInDGBkiFxe-y0_6ceMJ3wfYl7RSudtTAGxtg/s1600/PlungeBurpees.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="214" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Ga-ee9jTgFToSHl00SazjIQK2bWOlcgs3_-hBMzBMWlKcRm7D4FrrQkDykwPSMHbjoPcJbXTL53au-TlH6PA9Bl2BLHlX7ZSmivaJZozInDGBkiFxe-y0_6ceMJ3wfYl7RSudtTAGxtg/s320/PlungeBurpees.jpg" /></a></div>Burpees on the beach while waiting to take the Polar Bear Plunge with CCR<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsIAWDEOcvs6JYMObFchYZCm5SMKIauKeVMXxjh9QqLzVtE8AigmJiXXj0rDuYR4ZFkY2memjLOOyE_y9Y0mFCYAh9F5RtldskwY090CnYakZTTsquiZ6x2iADXWA7tQBvQCrLpRmVDWC4/s1600/AllStarTeam.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="214" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsIAWDEOcvs6JYMObFchYZCm5SMKIauKeVMXxjh9QqLzVtE8AigmJiXXj0rDuYR4ZFkY2memjLOOyE_y9Y0mFCYAh9F5RtldskwY090CnYakZTTsquiZ6x2iADXWA7tQBvQCrLpRmVDWC4/s320/AllStarTeam.jpg" /></a></div>NY All-Star B team. (We ended up losing to PA's All-Star B.)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6OOjkaHbNvhyQHGIs-tFvlqxH-g6aPrZYHIDeAVTT2KDcacgSt7ChDU8VEoZOp-7NFijk3zcwf_LDgBit9uWHLp2UB0QCWGibWZcH5kb8JyLc24KVxlBBWSgavxs48-nARZ8x-kYmTiZy/s1600/AllStarMary.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="214" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6OOjkaHbNvhyQHGIs-tFvlqxH-g6aPrZYHIDeAVTT2KDcacgSt7ChDU8VEoZOp-7NFijk3zcwf_LDgBit9uWHLp2UB0QCWGibWZcH5kb8JyLc24KVxlBBWSgavxs48-nARZ8x-kYmTiZy/s320/AllStarMary.jpg" /></a></div>Hey! I know that ref! Did you know that the All-Star bout was her very first bout in which she wore the zebra stripes? <br />
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I'm missing images for quite a few other favorite things from the past several months. These were all courtesy of Mr. Flower and therefore easy to steal. :-)Delicate Flowerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818995801290711067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7216899386319725424.post-17410652611097690542012-04-04T14:10:00.002-04:002012-04-04T14:10:50.120-04:00Why did the chicken cross the road?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiPMaLKtc1o0OAa72IsaR5HU98f0FX-EWAkfDAeMA_vvioMvsErfAhJBC_9DtxxOROwg2-Oh1TAIBM1aJBBFpB56nNkskAwxpP0zHyCVUNyDNg7ZjzUeDnmwkMePECYBr4RtMeyGrRbIk6/s1600/ChickenDoghouse.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiPMaLKtc1o0OAa72IsaR5HU98f0FX-EWAkfDAeMA_vvioMvsErfAhJBC_9DtxxOROwg2-Oh1TAIBM1aJBBFpB56nNkskAwxpP0zHyCVUNyDNg7ZjzUeDnmwkMePECYBr4RtMeyGrRbIk6/s320/ChickenDoghouse.JPG" /></a></div><br />
To get in the doghouse, apparently.Delicate Flowerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818995801290711067noreply@blogger.com0