ALLERGIES, or THE SNEEZE THAT REFRESHES

Bad allergies today. Took two Benedryl at noon and slept the day away.

Lamar woke up my sorry ass at 4:00 and we went to the Bait & Switch. He had found me a snazzy exercise bike and an arc trainer at a yard sale over the weekend. Price - $25. For both. And they work. Lamar's motivation is to slim me down for his ogling pleasure and that's fine. Lamar is 75 if he's a day and ogling is about all he's capable of anymore. Besides he's kinda scrawny; I could take him at least 2 falls out of 3.

It's been drizzly all day. Sat on the porch.


Worked on socks.

A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ME

Been mowing and wondering what to write today. The problem isn't a lack of material (as I am an introvert and slightly crazy and have tons of conversations with the committee in my head.) No, the problem is how to narrow down the selection and then focus on that subject for at least a paragraph or three and without it turning into Moby Dick.

Hi, my name is Ishmael and I am an alcoholic.

I quit drinking on April 3, 1988. And I relapsed in October, 2004. I have so much drinking to make up for. That's a joke, I said, that's a joke, son.

So why did I relapse and why am I still drinking? How much space does Blogger allow? Not enough for the long version, so long story short - retail store, stress, Sweetie away, beer available, stress, awful neighbor and stalking, and stress. I will say that I drink differently than way back when in the bad old days.

Way back when, whilst married to the Pyg(malion) I was so miserable and unhappy and clueless that I drank in order to get through each day. At my worst, I chugged white wine before work, as much as I could without puking. Then I snuck vodka through the day (can't smell it, you know) and then drank beer in the evening. What a mess! I was lucky enough to not get caught or wreck the car and/or hurt others. I performed my job well and brushed my teeth twelve times a day. But I was a mess. Black outs, sex with strangers, and purity wildness. Manic/depressive, too. A tribute to my race, I was.

April 3, 1988 (I was 31 and it was Easter Sunday) I went to my first AA meeting and didn't drink again for a long, long time. I loved that group, the Dogwood Club in Atlanta. I got my shit together, learned how to live, and made peace with my cosmic muffin. Faced reality. I eventually left the Pyg, remarried and relocated, blah blah blah.

When I took a sip of beer two years back, I remembered that euphoria of a good beer buzz. Hello, Al ka Hol, my old and dear friend. Yes, now and again I drink too much. But I don't drink to live anymore. Of course, I live on that river in Egypt called deNial. And fuck it, I want to have a bit of booze in my life right now.

So there you have it. I'm not sorry except for the extra weight gained from the beer and menopause. I'm still cute. I still have my peace with the cosmic muffin. Life is short. I'm gonna live it like I mean it. What would you regret not doing or not having done if you got hit by a truck tomorrow? Think about it. Do it today.

DENTIST AND BUNNIES

It's 55 degrees, cool and rainy here in Lovely LAconia. Perfect for a trip to the dentist. I needed a crown re-glued after it lost its battle with toffee. It was sugarless toffee. Sweetie also went to get a filling. Bastard. This man neglects his teeth something fierce. He hasn't seen a dentist for 16 years. He seldom brushes and never flosses. Today the dentist tells him "You have great teeth! No plaque, no gum problems. Whatever you're doing, keep it up." Double bastard.

My teeth are a hillbilly train wreck. But I come by them honestly as both my parents had dentures by the time I was seven. I have been intimately acquainted with a periodontist. I have several crowns and enough filling material that I could start a metal scrap yard. My teeth are brittle, chalky and prone to shattering or just suddenly going loose and falling out. I brush and floss regularly. Bastard. But this dentist doesn't shame or scold me and I love her for that.

The porch bunnies are unhappy as they haven't yard time for a few days because of the rain. Stubby, the little Lionhead, gets out the most often. I put his cage within a fence so he can come and go at his pleasure. He likes to play racetrack round and round and round. Looks like crop circles.

Heizen is a big ol' boy, a rescue from an allergic owner and has always been a house bunny until this spring. Now, he gets to run loose in the yard (under adult supervision, of course.) After about 10 minutes, he's exhausted and hops back into his cage.

Percy is a crazy teenager and has to watched like a hawk or he'll be off like a shot.

Rabbit wrangling. That's how I spend my days.

The barn bunnies are doing well and all the babies are thriving!!! I am delighted! Spot got into a fist fight with Yoshimi (I suspect) while I was away. It's always something. Spot's ear has a huge slice in it but I'm doctoring it along and she has been placed in protective custody. Here she is as a baby and last week. She is magnificent!





Fuzzarelly's babies are due Monday. She and Groovy checked into the Honeymoon Hotel almost four weeks ago. Two days after that, Precious and Caspar did their thing. These were both planned pregnancies. Kelly Bob, on the other hand, sprang Hippie from his cage one night. I have never planned to breed her and this is her third litter! Crap. I'm acquiring a bunch of new cages tomorrow and there will be changes made, let me tell you!

YOU KNOW, PEE! RATS!

HOME FROM MARYLAND

What a long long weekend! But fun was included, and excellent friends, and good food, and good story material was created. Never apologize for good story material. You know. Cheese. Curds.

I tell you, the goddesses in the Friendship Spinners have saved my life more than once and I sincerely believe that they are the best people on earth. Betty Bob and Mark L. are so wonderful and I thank them for their hospitality. Theresa, the quiet one, the Republican, is so sweet and dear. Her fifth graders are some lucky kids. Nancy R., the Scheduler Supreme and Mini owner is the one person I would want to have around in any emergency and for any party. Thanks for the bourbon! (See "saved my life.") And Kathy. My goodness, you little pee rat, what are we going to do with you??? Because of her, we drove nine hours home from Maryland with not one, but TWO lambs on the floor of her Suburban. Nine. Hours. Two lambs in Pampers. Fun!

I didn't know what to expect at the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival. It was certainly large, with tons of vendors, lots of food, and a fiber art exhibit. I met the author and purchased the book HAND FELTED JEWELRY AND BEADS by Carol Huber Cypher available at Interweave Press. I had also wanted to get a support spindle and ended up with two - one is wooden and the other is ceramic. And I succumbed to the lure of self patterning sock yarn and bought a skein of Trekking from Germany.

As promised, here are the obligatory blog photos of socks in progress.







A visit to Frederick, Maryland would not be complete without a mess o' seafood from May's Restaurant.


I am exhausted. The Sweetie took excellent care of the bunnies, who are all still alive. More later once I can gather my wit.

IT'S A FREE COUNTRY...

...which means a person can be as stupid and misquided as a mutant cucumber.

There is a story in this week's local newspaper, The Corydon Democrat about a woman that wants to ban the showing of "The DaVinci Code because it is "a slap in the face of Jesus" . Methinks the nice lady needs to learn the distinction betwixt fiction and non-fiction.

But being a free country, it also means that I can gather with my friends and crown Crones every December. Ain't they cute?!!!

SAFARI, SO GOODIE...

It's been hard work around here at Fuzzarelly's place, but baby bunny health is on the rebound! (Touch wood, quick!)

While the meds didn't save the one that went to the vet, it does seem to be doing the trick on another two. It's day 4 for one and day 3 for the other and they are STILL ALIVE!! Yahoo! And Sweetie is coming home tonight. It's all good.

Thanks for all the great emails, friends, and for your concern for me and the babies. I am doing better now that the kids are, too. Sorry, Kitty, about the iced tea spew. Should I place a warning like, oh, Caution - Silly Humor Ahead?

I do knit(!) and spin(!!) and at some point I promise to have the obligatory sock-in-progress shots. There's a pair started out of some really nice but not-my-color boucle cotton from Cherry Tree Hill. The colorway is called Spring Frost, a muted grey/peach/green that looks like cat yak next to my skin. That poor yarn has been knit and ripped four times as I try to find some pattern, some garment to make out of it. I have 6 skeins, 4 ounces and 170 yards each. In spite of being so rudely handled by me, the yarn has held up beautifully! So, maybe socks will be the answer.

I need to have some small project in hand because I am going to THE MARYLAND SHEEP SHOW this weekend for the Friendship Spinners "Run From the Roses" trip. (That's a reference to the Kentucky Derby, for anyone not from around here.) This will be my first time going and I think I am more excited about the road trip than the actual festival as I have never driven that far east. (They don't let me out much. Except at night.) And I will be with all my dear friends and buddies Nancy, Betty, Lorraine, Kathy, Sandy, Linda and who am I forgetting? Well, Tori ain't going since she HAS to sit in Millionaire's Row and drink mint juleps for the Derby, poor thing. And even though Carol is recovering at the Mayo Clinic, her hat and money are going with us. Carol, we will spend it wisely. (heh heh) (PARTY!) Oh, and thank you Amy for the promise of bail, because ya never know. Let's hope that What Happens in Maryland, Stays in Maryland!

I'll leave you with a picture of a bunny and Sweetie...