bead, read, eat, bitch
Tuesday, Jul. 05, 2005, 7:15 PM

Since I last posted on Saturday, here�s a bit of catch-up�

Saturday night, we enjoyed a lovely dinner of steak, baked potatoes, garlic bread, and fresh sweet corn, and after dinner, spouse went to bed while I began beading the Green Goddess. I managed to get about halfway through the piece. And then I had a crimp bead fall to bits on me, which meant the whole piece would have to be started anew. Sigh. Oh, well�more beading? Some hardship.

While I was working on it, the design for the earrings came to me. But I had to stop at Hobby Lobby and more of the Czech ovals, in order to do them.

Sunday morning, I got up and did the usual dog/walk/coffee/paper/backyard routine, and Spouse got up just long enough to have breakfast, then went back to bed. So I whipped up a batch of coleslaw, and then spent the rest of the morning re-beading the necklace, and watching �Singing in the Rain� on TCM. A pleasant pastime on a Sunday morning.

He got up about 11 or so, and we got ready to go to the graduation party. Eighth-grade graduation is kind of stupid and outdated in my opinion, so I really think all the fuss is ridiculous. We got a couple of cards, stuffed two bits apiece into them, and if I had my way, we�d have skipped the party.

I haven�t had a relationship with Nephew�s dad and stepmom in about eight years, and I it hasn�t really been something I�ve missed. But there seems to be some kind of �mending fences� movement in Spouse�s family, and I guess I�m supposed to play along. Whatever. The Libra in me is loathe to go along, because once we finally give up and wash our hands of someone, it tends to be forever. But Spouse insisted we go, for the kids.

I behaved myself. Everyone behaved. But that really didn�t stop me from feeling the strain of the situation.

Especially since we had another strained relationship to throw into the mix. BOTH of Spouse�s parents attended.

And they do not speak. So that was just a wee bit tense. Especially as they both wanted to hang with me. I was so ready to go sit in the car, I can�t tell you.

We endured the party until the late afternoon sun became unbearable, then headed back to town. Spouse was planning on cooking Italian sausages on the grill for dinner. I had gotten some Amish Potato Salad from Meijer, and made coleslaw earlier in the day, so I figured that we were good to go. But Spouse had a jones for his favorite macaroni salad as well, so we stopped to get the stuff for it on the way home. And then I got to make it! What fun.

Dinner was very good, though, and we had ice cream cones for dessert. I was excused from my evening dog-walking, as Ms. Raji was in a terrified state from all the fireworks in the neighborhood. She tried, but only got a few feet down the block, when the noise had her scurrying back in. Poor baby�she really hates the racket.

I did a bit more beading, and then hit the bed. I was tired out from the day, and couldn�t keep my eyes open.

Yesterday, I got up and did the dog/coffee/paper again, then Spouse got up and made breakfast. Pancakes and sausage links. Then I cleaned up the kitchen and we got ourselves cleaned up and dressed.

We were going to go to Barnes and Noble in Racine, but once we got up there, we remembered that a new bookstore had opened in the mall. We went there instead, to check it out. Well, they don�t have any shelves yet, so it was a bit of a struggle to look at books.

But they do carry new and used books, and I enjoy poking around that sort of thing anyway, so it wasn�t so bad. And the proprietor gave us 20% off just for braving her disorganized mess, which was cool. I found two, and Spouse found two, so I�d call it a success.

I got �The First Paper Girl in Red Oak, Iowa�, a collection of short stories by Elizabeth Stuckey-French, and "Wicked", by Gregory Maguire. Yes, that "Wicked". I�ve only read a few chapters, and I am sooo hooked. I can�t wait for his new one, �Son of a Witch�, to come out this fall.

Really, that was about it for the day. The day was dreary, and it rained most of the afternoon. Which was absolutely wonderful because A) Gutters! I have GUTTERS! B) Hello�worst drought since 1988! We need rain soooo bad.

And C) The mouth-breathing idiots around here took a short break from shooting off their *@#% illegal fireworks.

So, we just hung out. I played computer games, finished up the choker, read a bit, and just relaxed.

Well, except for the time I spent shucking, cleaning, blanching, plunging, drying, bagging, and freezing a bus load of sweet corn. Prairie farm girl strikes again. But Spouse got a little too excited about the ten ears for a dollar sale, and I wasn�t going to let it all go to waste.

Spouse had put baby-backs into a Hawaiian-style marinade in the morning, and he grilled them with Sweet Baby Ray�s, for a �Chinese BBQ� effect. They were grand. We still had plenty of salads, and more fresh corn, so it was quite a feast. After I did the dishes, I puttered around a little, getting stuff set up for the workday to come. Then I settled down in the recliner and began �Wicked��I spent a lovely, all-too-brief hour reading before bed. Since Raji was still a trauma victim, I got out of walking her again, and went to bed early, to get rested up for the crazy, abbreviated-yet-overloaded work week I had in store.

Work was a PITA, and many people who needed to be there were not, so it was shitty all around. Everyone thinks that their project is the only project, so no matter whose project you are working on, there are three other people who are pissed at you because you aren't working on theirs.

I've been thinking of trying to get a second job on nights and weekends, once my hands get done and healed. The money issue is getting to be ridiculous, and I'm getting nowhere at work, except strung a little further along on their lies and empty promises. I've got to do something, and this whole area is becoming impossible for folks in my line of work. Hell, this whole nation is. All the jobs are getting shipped off to India.

What is going to happen to this country, once big business is allowed to ship all the taxpaying jobs overseas? Does anyone in power think about what it takes to keep a country going, or is the corruption so complete that it is only the wealthy elite and their bottom line that matters?

Spouse just called from work to tell me that as of the 11th, he is going to be working THIRD shift.

This means that there will be no time during the week when I will be able to be home, when he is not. And with him on 11 to 7, he'll be sleeping most of the time, which means no computer, no tv, just be quiet so he can get his precious sleep. And of course, I'll also be expected to be cooking dinner again for him every fucking night.

That second job is looking better and better, eh?

Or maybe I'll just drive off a bridge. That's looking pretty attractive , too.

I�m rather proud of that.

Weight: 247. Yeah, well�not so proud. But you can�t pig out AND forego exercise, without gaining a pound. Or two.

The good news is, I finally picked up a new pair of walking shoes, so I have a pair for home. I can go walking in the evenings as well as lunch time. I got Avias for $24.99 (1/2 price) at Meijer. I�ve come to the conclusion that I can put huge amounts of money, time, effort, and energy into finding a nice women�s athletic shoe�or I can just go buy a men�s size eight. So no, my new Avias aren�t too pretty. Plain, white leather with a tiny bit of grey on them. But a great fit, and extremely comfortable for walking.

Sigh. I have boy feet.