African American History Month

It is here again! Last year, for those who have been with me that long, you might remember, I tried to put up some posts that were kind of cool and relevant to African American History month. Mostly the discoveries I have made in becoming fluent in that culture. Why? Because as a parent of African American children, it is my responsibility to bring their culture to them when they can't attain it.

I encourage you, if you are kind of interested in this, try a few things that you may not think to try. You don't have to go to a march or try soul food, although you're missing out on that, but just check out some of the things that you see being offered.

1) Keep your eyes on PBS. I am not kidding, they have some really great documentaries. One of them that brought me to tears last year is called "Banished". Why? Because it goes into communities that have not moved past 1960, and it's 2007, I believe, when it was made. It shocked me beyond belief to watch this woman stumble on her words to not say the "n" word which seemed to come so easily to her and she finally coughed up "colored". Well, that was a poor second choice. And she is about 10 years older than me. The civil rights movement is not over is some parts of this country, unfortunately.

I love one thing about PBS, they don't have an ax to grind. Honestly, they just show the history.

2) Some really cool things on tracing African American ancestry called "African American Lives" I am sure will air on PBS. You can see a link on the sidebar. Very cool documentary that traces back ancestry of famous African Americans we know today. The one that most touched me was when they traced by Morgan Freeman's ancestry. Many times, after slaves were declared free, African Americans changed their family name. Guess what Morgan's family changed to? Free man. Cool huh? And he's living history of that today.

One "nice" thing about slavery, slaves were property, and property owners kept meticulous records of their property. So in many respects, it is easier to trace Morgan Freeman's history than my own.

3) Look back on my blog under the label "African American History" to last February. I did several posts that are very good for kids regarding African American history, why my city has a predominantly "black" section of town, what horrifying event sparked the civil rights movement, etc. I will also try to post some of my new discoveries this year of movies, documentaries, etc.

Where is my head at this year? Martin Luther King Jr. The more I know about that man, the more I respect him. In an age of war, his biggest mantra during the civil rights movement was no violence. The older I get, and the more I see why violence happens, I am astounded that civil rights happened without violence from his followers. I know others belonging to other groups, both white and black, engaged in violence. But King stuck to his word. I really have a lot of respect for that.

So, I am excited! I am excited to learn new things, and present them to my kids. It is exciting to trace such a rich history, and to see where the African American movement is today compared to 40 years ago. And there are so many heroes to remember who gave their heart and soul to changing the minds of people. It gives me tingles to show these heroes to my kids. Join me!

Apparently This is Fat

If I were this "fat" so many things would be different:

1) It wouldn't be 7 seven years since I have worn a tank top in public.

2) Tucking my shirt in would be an option.

3) Going along with tucking in my shirt, I would wear tiger print belts and look great.

4) Tony Romo would be my boyfriend. Sorry honey!

5) I wouldn't need a bra that has some serious hardware to keep the correct things in the correct place.

6) I could strut my stuff with confidence in front of the paparazzi with this kind of a confident smile.

7) I wouldn't have been born with a gut (genetics) that requires 1200 sit ups a day just so I can see my toes.

8) If this is "fat" why can't I look like that?

Apparently, Fox News thinks Jessica is letting herself go. Shame on them. Jessica looks great.

One Advantage of Having Snowfall

We had a light dusting of snow on Saturday night. My hubbie seems to think these might be kitty tracks. Kitties have padded paws. Raccoons have claws and fingers.....I think it's a raccoon. These ain't no kitty prints. No, the critter did not penetrate my fortress chicken coop. Knock on wood!

Tabitha

We are a poor bunch these days! Yes, our cat has a bladder infection, which has been treated. Come to find out, it's a symptom of the bigger problem, and that is renal failure. Her kidneys are shutting down slowly, and it's a very typical way for cats to die. It's terminal.

So what do we do? She is in the early stages, and we're hoping some new meds we have will 1) Keep her comfortable. 2) Stop the incontinence. Big time! 3) Buy her a little time.

And we have such a history with this little lady. We got her the summer of 1992, right after losing one of my most favorite cats in my whole life died very tragically. Tabitha was a little spitfire of fresh air. Little Miss Destruction Furball. Yet, very sweet and cuddly and loving.

Now, in the last 4+ years, she has definitely become "old" in that she doesn't play much, and sleeps a lot. She gets a little cranky with the kids if they pet her too much or overwhelm her. She doesn't bite but definitely gives a warning hiss. When she started doing that, we knew she was getting old.

Then the incontinence started a few weeks ago, and how gross it has been. And things that can't be peed on have been. Like my banker's boxes of business papers for my business. That will be fun to explain to the cpa. But we took her to the vet, and was told bladder infection, come back in 10 days for a follow up.

During that 10 days on antibiotics, we saw some improvement, but not a cure. Still some incontinence. And other things were becoming apparent. It all has to do with bowel and urinary things, so I'll save you the details. I told the vet this a few days ago when I took her for the follow up. And the vet said what I had suspected, renal failure had set in. She is 16 after all!

I have to back up here. We had a cat die about 8 years ago from the late stages of renal failure, and it was awful. Her symptoms didn't show up until the really terminal stage. But the vet will try to do everything to save her....and we weren't wise. We spent $1000 trying to treat it, only to send her to the Kitty Bridge.

Hubbie and I have conferred--we won't do that this time. If we can keep her comfortable, happy, and in good spirits, we will if it's affordable. But I won't prolong the inevitable, or the suffering. She has had a great 16 years, and we want to make sure her final moments are just as great.

The picture shown above was taken yesterday. She is pretty much doing what she usually does, lounge around and sleep. And we are hoping the meds start to work that she is on, and that we can have a wonderful last few moments with her, however long that may be.

Is This How We Stimulate the Economy?

Click here.

Obama has lifted a federal ban that prohibits federal dollars to go towards organizations that provide abortions worldwide. Sick!

Folks, he ran his campaign on the most pro abortion ticket in American history. And if we didn't believe him, he is putting his actions where his promises are. Now, instead of using federal dollars to jump start this scary economy, my tax dollars will go to fund abortions in third world countries. And he's been in office about 48 hours. We have four more years of every day being extremely scary.

Mel made a great comment on the previous post about barfing at the headlines, and it should send chills up our spines, for the billionth time. Known dictators came into office as a wolf in sheep's clothing making promises impossible to keep, but people wanted to hear. It almost always resulted in huge loss of life. We may not lose our current lives to Obama, but our future, and the future of other cultures will be lost. However, his stance on terrorism may cause us to lose our lives. Chills....feel them? Spinal cord area.

I also agree with Kristina's comment, watching the news is like watching a car accident, you want to watch but you don't.

I'll take it one step further, I feel like I am about to watch a huge global disaster about to take place, and I am completely helpless. God! Help us!

I am not looking forward to tomorrow's headlines to see what Obama is going to do next to scare me to death.

Headlines Making Me Want to Barf

Here you go:

How Cool Are The First Daughters?

Obama Staffers Stunned by Antiquated Computers at White House

Beanie Babies Making Obama Daughters Beanies

Obama Closing Guatanamo Bay Within a Year

Obama Pushes Aside Bush's Terrorism Policies

Okay.....let me stop there. I am sick of hearing about the first daughters and Beanie Babies. If those last two headlines, yes they are real, don't send chills up your spine, they should. We will be having more 9/11's in the near future. Why? Because Obama thinks you can negotiate with terrorist using diplomacy! Condoleeza Rice has been negotiating with them for years, and it doesn't work! Obama will be inviting terrorists to come on over and continue a reign of terror. Mark my words.

I am also sick of the politics within my own town, however, they are richer and juicier than any soap opera. Hence they make me want to barf because they keep sucking me into the storyline, just like soap operas. Here are the basics I have been able to glean in the avalanche of news coverage:

1) City councilman, Sam Adams, had a gay affair with an intern in 2005.

2) It's not that juicy in that Sam Adams is openly gay, no one gasps at that.

3) The intern was 17 when he began his internships and was barely 18 when the alleged affair happened briefly in the summer of 2005.

4) Local news reporter started reporting on this affair in 2005, when Sam Adams was beginning his campaign to be mayor. Suddenly she stopped her reporting, and no one knows why. However, it is now known she now has a job on Sam Adams payroll. Interesting huh? Gives the impression a deal was made, "Hey, stop reporting on this, and we'll give you a cushy job in my office, that has nothing to do with your job skills."

5) When Sam Adams was confronted with allegations in 2005, he lied. He denied the affair for months until it finally went away. It was very reminiscent of Bill Clinton standing at the press podium and saying "I never had sex with that woman." Same kind of press conference happened to Sam.

6) The affair has been confirmed now by the "victim", Beau Breedlove. Even his name sounds like a soap opera name! He doesn't claim to be a victim and apologizes for lying, and wishes the best for Sam. No victim mentality there. He has also since moved out of state, doing who knows what.

7) Sam Adams hired a publicist type of person to coach Breedlove in how to lie to the press. This is confirmed.

8) Sam Adams was sworn in as mayor at the beginning of this month.

9) Sam Adams has refused to resign.

10) All local organizations, including a very popular gay publication, have asked for Sam's resignation. So far, he won't. Also including the Police Bureau and their union!

11) Criminal investigation has begun to see if the affair took place before Beau turned 18 or after. Not only by the city's investigative people, but by the state's attorney general!

12) City is making an investigation into whether Sam broke the city's "code of conduct". Ummm....folks, I think he did. Lying is not cool.

13) Sam Adams was a no show at the city council meeting today. Ummm...he's the mayor, doesn't he run that meeting? If he is asserting he won't step down as mayor, shouldn't he keep his composure and conduct business as usual? Well, I would, even if the paparazzi press in this town won't let him get his mail in private, he needs to stick his chin up and stick to his position.

14) Tune in tomorrow. These politics are way more fun than hearing if the White House uses Microsoft Vista or still using XP's. Whatever!!

House Full of Sickies

If you have ever considered being a parent, I really need you to take into consideration this situation. Because it will happen to you, and I can't think of any way out of it except to endure.

I am sick. I am on the back side of being sick, but sick nonetheless. I usually still do my candle parties when I am sick mainly because I need the money. I medicate myself to the hilt and put on a happy face, then pass out when I get home.

My hubbie is sick. He has a nasty cough that makes him gag, and that leads to other things. He also has the chills. The man who's body is normally a heat pump is asking me "is it cold in here?" If we are normally in a cold room, and he feels how cold my hands are, he is mystified as to why they are cold. Ummm.....because it's cold. Now, he is the one. He's sick.

Hubbie also has a history of pneumonia. The older he gets, it's interesting how a simple cold can quickly turn into pneumonia in him. It's not pretty either. The last time he had pneumonia, it took him a full month to recover and he was grouchy the whole blasted fun time! Oh joy!

So he went to the doctor today. Lord help us if he has pneumonia. I don't think he does since he hasn't called me. The worst is the kids. They have their homeschooling, activities and just everyday needs. Their parents want to curl up and die.

And the cat needs to go to the doctor as well for her little bladder infection checkup.


UPDATE: I was wrong, he does have pneumonia. He is not allowed to go to work for two days and he's on antibiotics.

Fresh Eggs!

Holy cow! After months of not having eggs because of one trauma after another. Dare I say, even forgetting the reason we have chickens is for the fresh eggs?

Goldie laid her first egg, and here it is!

I am a bit mystified as to why Lizzie still isn't laying. She's never been a prolific layer but she hasn't laid an egg ever since the raccoon attack.

But as the daylight hours get longer, they will lay more. Chickens internal clocks for egg laying is based upon how many hours of daylight there is. Since I don't have artificial light in their roost right now, it will be sparse. So good job, Goldie!

I Love My New.....

Infuser Teapot! Here is before....












....and here is after!

Merry Christmas to me!

Chicken Integration

Oh my word, our pets have made us crazy! Our 16 year old lump of a cat has a bladder infection. She is peeing all over the house, including my candle business boxes in the basement. She left a puddle right under my desk. She's been to the vet, and we have the antibiotics and a follow up appointment. In the meantime....

On top of this, we are integrating Goldie and Beaver into the flock. I have done my research on how to do this. My yahoo chicken group has been invaluable in how to do this so they all get along. Here is what I learned:

1) Keep them separated but able to see each other and get to know each other.
2) Keep them in an open space so the one being picked on can escape.
3) Be careful at night when they are in the roost and super confined.
4) It takes time.

And all of these things I blew when we had Daisy and Maisy. Unfortunately Daisy and Maisy also had the taste of blood and even if I started doing it right, it wouldn't have worked.

BUT! I am a new chicken woman. What is interesting, it's Lizzie who is the aggressor this time. She goes after Beaver. And Goldie is the mediator. Goldie will put herself between the two and it distracts Lizzie. I haven't seen Lizzie go after Goldie. Goldie is a big bird, she is the biggest of the three and Lizzie is the smallest, so maybe Lizzie knows she wouldn't win if they really went at it.

So the first week, Lizzie has not been in the roost at night. During the day, for the first few days, I had Lizzie out in our backyard while the other two were in the enclosure. The second picture shows how they kind of just stayed at the fence near each other. Once I saw they all like each other, I knew we were on a good path.

After a few days of that (with Lizzie coming inside at night), I had them stay out in our whole backyard for a few days. Yes, there were a few squawks as Lizzie took a few jabs at Beaver, but one thing, Beaver can run! Plus, the jabs are just pecks. When Maisy and Daisy were fighting it was spurring, like what roosters do. The run and stab another chicken with their claws. It's quite aggressive. No thanks! The pecks Lizzie is taking is normal.

Yesterday, the girls spent the whole day out in the yard. They did fine. When it was dusk, and I needed to go lock them up, it got interesting. Lizzie ran up to me as if to say, "Okay! Ready to go inside with you." The other girls were already in the roost. Okay, another trick I learned, to introduce them at night, turn out the lights. They can't see in the dark. So I pick up Lizzie and she is literally nuzzling and trying to cuddle with me. She even gets on my shoulder. I open the roost so we can all see each other and I turn out the light. It becomes apparent to me that Lizzie has memories of her past encounter in the roost with other birds. She really acts scared. I calm her and I perch her on one of the perches and pet her. The other two are just walking around. There is no aggression, no posturing, anything. So I close the door and listen. Nothing.

I go out a few times to listen, no thumping or squawking. Way late in the night I go out with a flashlight to see. Seriously, everyone is sleeping. Yahoo! I go out this morning, and everyone is still sleeping because it's dark and their little internal alarms say it's still sleepy time.

They are out in the backyard right now. But several observations:

1) Lizzie has chilled out. She is not going after Beaver nearly as much. Maybe a little bit this morning. Beaver and Lizzie can be in the same proximity, even brushing against each other, and no pecking happens. I think that pecking order thing is about done.

2) Chickens are smart! Chickens also remember things, like being attacked in a roost or being taken in at night.

My husband was quite thrilled last night to not have a stinky chicken in the house. Although that smell has been coupled by the cat smell. Our agreement during all this pet turmoil has been I am in charge of the birds, and he is in charge of the cat. I think I have the better job. Dosing cats with meds is not my idea of fun in the least bit! More power to ya hubbie!

The ladies this morning. All hanging out, no posturing or pecking.

This pic is from a few days ago when I had Lizzie outside the coop and Goldie and Beaver on the inside. It's a great example of how Beaver uses Goldie for protection. She is cowering under Goldie.

Crud Update

Remember a few weeks back (12/19/2008) how I was beyond bummed that our family update that I sent to BH's birth family got returned? I explained the tumultuous relationship we had with the adoption agency, and how the writing is on the wall--mismanagement would run that place out of business.

Here is the update. I just looked up another agency in the same city and left a message asking if they knew what had become of ABC agency or could they direct me to someone who could. Check it out, within 24 hours, I got a call back from this agency with some answers, and they did it out of the kindness of their heart. After pulling teeth to get ABC agency to return my calls, it was quite refreshing.

The news, ABC is bust. But, I got the phone number of the guy who does the state licensing for adoption agencies in that state, and he could help me.

And oh what a conversation with him that was! By the way, he returned my call within two hours. Again, not used to this kind of on-the-spot help with my east coast adoption.

The guy from the state, let's call him Denzel (just because), knew exactly who I was talking about, specifically Jeff, the guy who ran the agency. I got this barage of questions, "Is your adoption finalized?" "How did you manage to adopt a child from our state to your state?" "Did you do an interstate compact?" I felt kind of interrogated because I am having to defend my rock solid adoption, orchestrated by my lawyer, certainly not by Jeff, ABC's former director.

Turns out, he is asking me these questions to make sure there isn't another Jeff botched adoption out there. I answer his questions and assure him we are finalized, and you could hear the "whewie" in his voice. I explain that I am legally obligated to give family updates, and we also feel morally obligated to do this. You can absolutely tell Denzel's thinking is, "This is the least of my problems dealing with ABC! But I'll chat with this woman anyway."

Denzel tells me how to cover our tracks legally, and also advises us to double check with our lawyer to make sure we are not delinquent from that end either.

I also tell Denzel the story you all know about our dealings with Jeff. I can hear him nodding on the other end. He tells me Jeff won't even speak to him, but only his supervisor. "And I am fine with that!" he finished.

So, we concluded by agreeing that we are the lucky ones out there. There are birth families and adoptive families who have been messed over by Jeff's mismanagement, and Denzel's job these days is the clean up the mess. He agreed with me that the real victims in this are the birth families and adopted kids. Sigh....

Do I want to scare anyone out of adoption? Nope. Not at all. Do I want folks to have circumspect intuition when dealing with fallen people to put together a family? Absolutely! Just like you would check out an ob/gyn, hospital, and nursing staff before giving birth. I would also check out an agency. I have fully checked out, worked with, and endorse the agencies I have listed on my blog. There are countless others out there who are willing to take a few extra steps for the adoption world, and help others, and I certainly felt that in talking to Denzel and others just figuring this out.

Time to Say Goodbye

This couch, oh let me give you some serious history here. We got this couch about a year after we bought our house in September of 1998. It was given to us by someone who delivered furniture, and it had been traded in for a younger model by a previous owner. So it had some history before we had it. We liked it! It beat the futon we used as a couch at the time. It was a nice couch, almost ten years ago.

Since then, we reupholstered it with this sage green fabric I still love today. It has a gardening motif I really like.

This couch has seen history:

* I have held, read to, slept with and cradled both my babies on this couch.
* I have slept on this couch when I have been mad at my husband, and my back screamed "foul!" the next day. It's not good to sleep on if you have back issues.
* Both of our kids have been sick with their blankies on this couch and stared glazed over at the TV on it.
* We have entertained guests on this couch.
* Toys have found their way into the inerds of this couch, only to be found by me. I know where the cracks and crevasses are.
* This couch has had it's cushions removed and the covers washed oh so many times for so many icky reasons, let's just agree on that.
* One end of this couch has a serious butt-impression. The left side is the most conducive to TV watching, so if you sit there, your knees will meet your collar bone. I haven't sat there for quite some time.
* This couch needs to go to couch heaven. Why?

Because it bites! As you can see by the front, the little skirt is bunched into the couch. Why? There is a nail sticking up and it gathers the fabric each time one sits on it, where the butt-impression is. We have dealt with that for over a year, and just avoid the nail.

About a month ago, I did my motherly sweep into the cracks and crevasses for toys and money. I got my right hand fingers sliced open by a nail that wasn't there the last time I did the sweep. Nostalgia aside--not cool! The couch is growing teeth and you have to kind of watch where you're sitting. More than a few nails have been found. Scary!

So, I have done my research. I want a leather couch for two reasons. 1) Durability. Two kids, husband, dog, cat. Need I say more? 2) When things spill on it, I can wipe it off, instead of it seeping into the cushions only to stink badly two days later.

Much shopping, sitting, dragging, internetting, saving, and cajoling later, we bought a couch. It got picked up today.

New furniture. Nice huh? Well, there is a process that happens when you take the old one out, there is all the garbage underneath, nearby, inside, outside the area of the couch that one must clean up before putting a pristine, shiny leather couch in it's place.

Enjoy the pictures!

Goodbye old friend!

And the piles of junk, toys, wrappers and mounds of dust after our old friend goes away. This was a two hour project of vacuuming and dusting. Notice how thick the dust is on the lower shelves of the bookcase.

And when the dust is gone and all is vacuumed, trashed, and put away.

Our new friend has arrived. Five bucks says it's not that shiny in two months.

The Eagles Have Landed

We have the birds. I met the gal in a McDonald's parking lot to do our chicken deal. Felt kind of clandestine and dangerous. Dangerous more than anything if a chicken got loose at the busy intersection.

Anyway, we have names I think. The Gold Sexlink (I wanted to name her after a famous pinup girl only because her breed is so sexy, but that is just me, and try explaining that to young boys) is Goldie. Surprise! The Wyandotte is named Beaver. Why? Because her colors are awfully close to Oregon State's colors of black and orange.

Let me give you some translation of the chicken behavior I have seen so far....

Lizzie still in the roost. "I ain't coming out, I hear birds, and I don't want to
play!" Doesn't she look good though from her raccoon beating?

Finally a bird that appreciates my recycling of an old ladder, she actually perched on it! This is Goldie checking out the new place. She is all curiosity right now. Her thoughts are, "Where is everything?? I need to know where the washer and dryer are, the fridge, and the bathroom."

Beaver stayed in the box for quite a bit in this stance.
"What? Why are you looking at me and flashing that thing at me?
This is weird!"

Bringing Home Our New Ladies

We got pictures! Here are the pictures of the new ladies coming to join our coop on Tuesday. The top picture is our new Wyandotte. Very different looking picture than what I found the other day, but very typical of Wyandottes, they come in all kinds of two tone colors. I really like the brown and caramel combo. I sound like I am shopping for purses, I realize. Chickens come in all kinds of colors and combinations, not just the white ones we always picture.

The second one sounds like a naughty pinup chicken. Her breed is a Golden Sexlink. Yes, I typed the word sex. The breeder has really been watching the flock these two are in for the last week, and I so appreciate that. She didn't have to do that for me. She says these two are definitely the most docile out of them. And I realized after having two almost identical chickens, it would be nice to be able to tell them apart easily.

So both birds will lay brown eggs. Both are docile breeds. Both are about 20 weeks old, and not quite laying yet. Hopefully will be in about two weeks. That could change easily with our super cold weather, adjusting to a new home, etc. But at least we won't be buying store bought eggs for six months.

Okay, now we need suggestions for names?? Anyone?? The kids have no idea yet, and it would be nice to give them some ideas. Two names not allowed, Henny and Penny. Please feel free to post suggestions under comments.

Also, everyone wave to your computer--seems the stalker is back, and is checking out the blog again. Seems she always shows up around the holidays, just enough to make everyone edgy. Hello!!

Annual Purge

It's the annual get-rid-of-every-toy-that-is-broken-missing-pieces-outgrown-annoying-requires-too-many-batteries-need-more-space-for-incoming-toys-from-overindulgent-family-members-who-think-we-have-a-12,000-square-foot-house-instead-of-1200-square-feet.

The hubbie surveying the under side of the bed that keeps getting jumped on, and support slats keep getting broken.
And after. Fixed bed. Heck, you can see the bed! Toys are in bins, shoes are in bins, sheets are tumbling in the washer, and Dad and Mom get to tackle the tree now.