Extreme tact. What is extreme tact? This is tact that goes so far beyond being tactful that it begs the question, "Why the hell didn't you just say...so and so?" This morning, after staying up until 4:00 a.m., my mother decided to get up at 9:30 a.m. Me, sleeping on the sofa, sort of woke up and realized she was up and went back to sleep. At 11:30 a.m. I finally began to wake up, and moved around a bit. My mother, keying on this, sang out to the living room, "Gayle? Have you had breakfast yet?"
So, to save myself from thinking this is tact going beyond the point of stupidity, I have to remind myself it is coming from a woman with no mind power. She's sat for 2 hours not more than 4 feet from me sound asleep on the sofa, and she asks, "Have you had breakfast yet?"
I know I have the tact of a door knob. My husband has worked with me for 20 years to improve this fault. He still needs to remind me of it. But, seriously, what the hell is wrong with simply saying, "Gayle, honey, I'm really hungry. Would you mind getting us some breakfast?"
Showing posts with label Books I'm reading. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Books I'm reading. Show all posts
Saturday, September 29, 2012
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Bits and Pieces
Something I wanted to document before I forget it - Joe was weighed at the hospital yesterday. He now weighs 99 pounds. He lost 25 pounds since September 10.
I have to go to Paducah this afternoon to finish up paperwork for Medco. I'll be taking Joe some extra blankets and things. I'm going to stop by Wallyworld to see if I can find a small, affordable TV for him to put beside his bed. I debating whether or not to get him a headset to listen to it on. One would think he would be able to hear the TV with it, but then one wonders whether he could remember to use them.
Let's all keep our fingers crossed that Joe doesn't act out at this new place. He seemed calm yesterday, and was well behaved. Things will be so much easier if he remains so. I still have to coordinate getting his glasses replaced, his teeth cared for and his bottom partial usable, and hopefully some new hearing aids. I don't know if he can do the trip to the VA in Marion where the VA might hopefully assist in the cost. The price of them is mind boggling.
For Lynn - I've been listening to Boomerang: Travels in the New Third World, a financial book by Michael Lewis (for a review, click here.) One of the cities he visits to discover it's money woes is Vallejo. The first time he said the city's name, my mind immediately went to you.
Lastly, I hope to find time later today to finally get the pictures of Josh and Maurya's wedding off the phone and posted here. I'm sorry it didn't get done and posted more closely to the wedding day.
I have to go to Paducah this afternoon to finish up paperwork for Medco. I'll be taking Joe some extra blankets and things. I'm going to stop by Wallyworld to see if I can find a small, affordable TV for him to put beside his bed. I debating whether or not to get him a headset to listen to it on. One would think he would be able to hear the TV with it, but then one wonders whether he could remember to use them.
Let's all keep our fingers crossed that Joe doesn't act out at this new place. He seemed calm yesterday, and was well behaved. Things will be so much easier if he remains so. I still have to coordinate getting his glasses replaced, his teeth cared for and his bottom partial usable, and hopefully some new hearing aids. I don't know if he can do the trip to the VA in Marion where the VA might hopefully assist in the cost. The price of them is mind boggling.
For Lynn - I've been listening to Boomerang: Travels in the New Third World, a financial book by Michael Lewis (for a review, click here.) One of the cities he visits to discover it's money woes is Vallejo. The first time he said the city's name, my mind immediately went to you.
Lastly, I hope to find time later today to finally get the pictures of Josh and Maurya's wedding off the phone and posted here. I'm sorry it didn't get done and posted more closely to the wedding day.
Friday, July 15, 2011
A Bit Eclectic
Just a bit of an eclectic post. Julia and Larry, next-door neighbors, brought me a gallon of blackberries the other day. Tonight I got 5.5 jelly jars of blackberry jelly put up. Will have to wait until tomorrow to see if they jell.
Tonight my Dad whistled at me while in the kitchen. I turned around and asked him what my name was. He replied, "Debbie?" I asked him what his daughter's name was. He said, "I can maybe tell you tomorrow." He said, "You're tearing me up." I wonder if that's because he realized he was missing something important but couldn't figure it out. Then in a few minutes, he said, "Daughter, I'm going to bed," and kissed me good night.
I've just finished listening to Anthony Bourdain's "Kitchen Confidential," which was quite enjoyable and published in 2000 or so. Then I listened to his 2010 book, "Medium Raw," which wasn't nearly as enjoyable. The first had a flow that the second lacked.
I've also been watching the Gordon Ramsay shows on Netflix that come from the BBC America. His U.S. shows are trash to me. The drama and cursing that seems to be encouraged for American audiences make them unwatchable to me. His BBC shows are thoroughly enjoyable and present an all together different picture of the man than the U.S. shows do.
His series on the best U.K. restaurant were wonderful. They were a battle of different restaurants cooking different cultural foods until a final winner was chosen. It was delightful seeing the kitchens, chefs, and cooking from all those cultures - Indian, Chinese, Spanish, Italian, French, English.
After that, I watched his 3-hour special on Great Escapes, his to India, where he filmed going to different parts of India to learn the real way Indian food is cooked. It's the same as Indian and Mexican food is cooked in the U.S. The real food eaten in those countries is in no way like the crap the restaurants serve in country.
I'll never forget the shock and initial reaction a manager of a local Mexican restaurant had when I asked him why he didn't have something as easy and delicious on his menu as posole. He jerked back and, with eyes widening, said, "That's real food." Doh! For those that don't know, posole is a soup that has a lot of pork, a delicious broth, and hominy and various other things according to region - as in the difference between dressing in the north versus the south in the U.S.
Tonight my Dad whistled at me while in the kitchen. I turned around and asked him what my name was. He replied, "Debbie?" I asked him what his daughter's name was. He said, "I can maybe tell you tomorrow." He said, "You're tearing me up." I wonder if that's because he realized he was missing something important but couldn't figure it out. Then in a few minutes, he said, "Daughter, I'm going to bed," and kissed me good night.
I've just finished listening to Anthony Bourdain's "Kitchen Confidential," which was quite enjoyable and published in 2000 or so. Then I listened to his 2010 book, "Medium Raw," which wasn't nearly as enjoyable. The first had a flow that the second lacked.
I've also been watching the Gordon Ramsay shows on Netflix that come from the BBC America. His U.S. shows are trash to me. The drama and cursing that seems to be encouraged for American audiences make them unwatchable to me. His BBC shows are thoroughly enjoyable and present an all together different picture of the man than the U.S. shows do.
His series on the best U.K. restaurant were wonderful. They were a battle of different restaurants cooking different cultural foods until a final winner was chosen. It was delightful seeing the kitchens, chefs, and cooking from all those cultures - Indian, Chinese, Spanish, Italian, French, English.
After that, I watched his 3-hour special on Great Escapes, his to India, where he filmed going to different parts of India to learn the real way Indian food is cooked. It's the same as Indian and Mexican food is cooked in the U.S. The real food eaten in those countries is in no way like the crap the restaurants serve in country.
I'll never forget the shock and initial reaction a manager of a local Mexican restaurant had when I asked him why he didn't have something as easy and delicious on his menu as posole. He jerked back and, with eyes widening, said, "That's real food." Doh! For those that don't know, posole is a soup that has a lot of pork, a delicious broth, and hominy and various other things according to region - as in the difference between dressing in the north versus the south in the U.S.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Why Am I So Often Late on Authors
Stieg Larsson is a classic example. At least I discovered "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" before it became all the rage. The problem is, he up and died. The nerve. He wrote 3 books I loved, and died. RIP Stieg Larsson.
Again I find myself thoroughly enjoying a different set of books and just discovered the author died three months ago. These are the medical forensic books placed in 12th century England written by Diana Norman under the pen name of Ariana Franklin. Fortunately Ms. Norman was 77 when she died and had a long life, as opposed to Mr. Larsson. Unfortunately for me, I'll never have the joy of reading more of her "Mistress of Death Series."
Again I find myself thoroughly enjoying a different set of books and just discovered the author died three months ago. These are the medical forensic books placed in 12th century England written by Diana Norman under the pen name of Ariana Franklin. Fortunately Ms. Norman was 77 when she died and had a long life, as opposed to Mr. Larsson. Unfortunately for me, I'll never have the joy of reading more of her "Mistress of Death Series."
Monday, February 28, 2011
It's So Often the Little Things
I know it's late, but I've just finished up washing the dishes from the day. How this ties into the subject line is the clogged drain. When I left a week ago, the drain in the sink was clogged up. I'd already tried to Draino it 2 times. The sitters were comfortable with me leaving them with another bottle of Draino in hand and instructions to call me if that didn't work.
The Draino never worked. I never received a call, so I didn't call the plumber. When I returned, the kitchen sink drain was/is still draining slowly. I've been here a week but have put off calling the plumber trying to wait for the beginning of the month. Ergo, washing the dishes is a pain in the patooty. The dishwasher is totally out.
So I leave the dishes to the end of the day. I keep a big bowl of water in the sink for hand and knife washing. I keep the other sink somewhat filled to put dishes in to keep crusts from forming. At the end of the day, everything gets drained, and the dishes get washed. Except sometimes the sink drains quickly, and sometimes it drains slowly. Tonight, it drained oh, so very slowly, and it was Academy Awards night. So I've just finished washing dishes at 1:30 a.m.
Hehehe, I am just like my mother in wanting to stay up late and likewise get up late. If only Dad didn't want to get up so friggin' early...
Additionally, the electrical outlets on the right of the kitchen quit working. That's the side with the microwave and the toaster, both of which are used daily. I know it's a fuse that's blown. Only problem is that I cannot for the life of me get the old fuse unscrewed, nor did the store I went to last week have a 30-amp fuse. I have to wait until tomorrow and am keeping my fingers crossed the other local store has one. Otherwise I'll have to drive 30 miles to get one. Oh, and I still have to get the blown one unscrewed.
It was predicted we would have vicious storms tonight after bedtime. I've been a bit hesitant to go ahead and go to bed. Trying to get weather maps to download on a Verizon Wireless connection is more than a pain in the patooty. It's downright ridiculous. From what I can finally tell, the storms will likely arrive around 5:00 a.m. If I go visit Oz, it will be a total surprise. From asleep to awake in 10 seconds or less, I figure.
Another to-do item for next week - call the cable company and change my parents' service to include internet. Try explaining that to a frugal 90-year-old that can't hear, damns the internet, and doesn't understand or care about my "desperate need" for it. He'll throw a hissy fit. It won't get through to him that I'll be paying for the extra service. So I absolutely *have* to be here when they come to set it up. Then I have to coordinate with husband in Memphis to set up the wireless router. Life can be sooo much fun.
On the other hand, I'm listening to "Mistress of the Art of Death" by Ariana Franklin, which is quite entertaining. It's a story of a female coroner (so to speak) set in the time of Henry II, in Cambridge, England.
The Draino never worked. I never received a call, so I didn't call the plumber. When I returned, the kitchen sink drain was/is still draining slowly. I've been here a week but have put off calling the plumber trying to wait for the beginning of the month. Ergo, washing the dishes is a pain in the patooty. The dishwasher is totally out.
So I leave the dishes to the end of the day. I keep a big bowl of water in the sink for hand and knife washing. I keep the other sink somewhat filled to put dishes in to keep crusts from forming. At the end of the day, everything gets drained, and the dishes get washed. Except sometimes the sink drains quickly, and sometimes it drains slowly. Tonight, it drained oh, so very slowly, and it was Academy Awards night. So I've just finished washing dishes at 1:30 a.m.
Hehehe, I am just like my mother in wanting to stay up late and likewise get up late. If only Dad didn't want to get up so friggin' early...
Additionally, the electrical outlets on the right of the kitchen quit working. That's the side with the microwave and the toaster, both of which are used daily. I know it's a fuse that's blown. Only problem is that I cannot for the life of me get the old fuse unscrewed, nor did the store I went to last week have a 30-amp fuse. I have to wait until tomorrow and am keeping my fingers crossed the other local store has one. Otherwise I'll have to drive 30 miles to get one. Oh, and I still have to get the blown one unscrewed.
It was predicted we would have vicious storms tonight after bedtime. I've been a bit hesitant to go ahead and go to bed. Trying to get weather maps to download on a Verizon Wireless connection is more than a pain in the patooty. It's downright ridiculous. From what I can finally tell, the storms will likely arrive around 5:00 a.m. If I go visit Oz, it will be a total surprise. From asleep to awake in 10 seconds or less, I figure.
Another to-do item for next week - call the cable company and change my parents' service to include internet. Try explaining that to a frugal 90-year-old that can't hear, damns the internet, and doesn't understand or care about my "desperate need" for it. He'll throw a hissy fit. It won't get through to him that I'll be paying for the extra service. So I absolutely *have* to be here when they come to set it up. Then I have to coordinate with husband in Memphis to set up the wireless router. Life can be sooo much fun.
On the other hand, I'm listening to "Mistress of the Art of Death" by Ariana Franklin, which is quite entertaining. It's a story of a female coroner (so to speak) set in the time of Henry II, in Cambridge, England.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
What went on blather
It's Tuesday, and my last post was on Thursday; so it's what-went-on blather. Last week was my last full week at home in Memphis. It was a wonderful week of no responsibility to look after others. Who doesn't love not being responsible!
Animoto entered my life last week. It's a website that allows one to make a video. I've been taken in by it. Hey, I'm easy sometimes. It did, however, lead to hours of frustration trying to recover digital photographs. You know, those photographs you thought you had safely saved to a back-up drive or a data stick? Then the dang back-up drive won't work like it should, and those slippery little data sticks have slid through the hole in the time/space continuum.
Now, I'm not a computer guru, and I have no idea why I could recover three photos from the back-up drive, but none of the other 100. The home computer guru was seen slithering away upon becoming aware of some jolagayle-computer problem. Traitor.
Animoto entered my life last week. It's a website that allows one to make a video. I've been taken in by it. Hey, I'm easy sometimes. It did, however, lead to hours of frustration trying to recover digital photographs. You know, those photographs you thought you had safely saved to a back-up drive or a data stick? Then the dang back-up drive won't work like it should, and those slippery little data sticks have slid through the hole in the time/space continuum.
Now, I'm not a computer guru, and I have no idea why I could recover three photos from the back-up drive, but none of the other 100. The home computer guru was seen slithering away upon becoming aware of some jolagayle-computer problem. Traitor.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Back in Memphis
Oh, it's so nice to be home. This has been my sit and recoup day. I've done nothing but read news, email, blogs and played solitaire while listening to "Off Armageddon Reef" by David Weber. That man can sure get caught up in descriptions of arms and battles. Except that's it such a nice long audio book, I could do without a couple hours of that stuff.
I stayed home, as the maintenance people were supposed to come change the filter on the heater. If you have pets you're supposed to lock them up in a bedroom if you're not home. Like my killer cats are going to ravage them, purrrrr. Take a litter box, food, and two cats in a bedroom? I don't think so. Like I can't change a filter? Gimme a break. Only they never showed up. Dammit. Wasted a whole day. Amazingly, I actually had plans to go out today, which is against pattern on 1st-day-back day. I was going to go out and pick up the knitting needles and stop by the hair salon to see if I could get a trim.
Just as I pulled into the parking lot yesterday, I realized I left my cooler back in Ky. Grrrrrrr. Had to call the sitter to get her to put everything up. It was especially galling as I was so excited about Max tasting the, err, salt pork I made, and I also had another batch started that would hopefully not turn out to be salt pork. It's supposed to be in the freezer now. Maybe that won't spoil the process. Will just have to see.
I stayed home, as the maintenance people were supposed to come change the filter on the heater. If you have pets you're supposed to lock them up in a bedroom if you're not home. Like my killer cats are going to ravage them, purrrrr. Take a litter box, food, and two cats in a bedroom? I don't think so. Like I can't change a filter? Gimme a break. Only they never showed up. Dammit. Wasted a whole day. Amazingly, I actually had plans to go out today, which is against pattern on 1st-day-back day. I was going to go out and pick up the knitting needles and stop by the hair salon to see if I could get a trim.
Just as I pulled into the parking lot yesterday, I realized I left my cooler back in Ky. Grrrrrrr. Had to call the sitter to get her to put everything up. It was especially galling as I was so excited about Max tasting the, err, salt pork I made, and I also had another batch started that would hopefully not turn out to be salt pork. It's supposed to be in the freezer now. Maybe that won't spoil the process. Will just have to see.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)