Kinks

Still suffering the effects from the kink in my neck, but I get out of bed anyway--a sucker for punishment. Drinking my coffee, I pull my daily card, and it's

The Fool

Well, I suppose I could go back to bed. God knows I don't need to make more of a fool of myself than I already do. Imagine, if you will, the court jester playing a merry tune on a small flute, and a bird flies by, and while he watches the bird overhead, he's stepping lightly, and doesn't see the precipice that he's about to fall from. A little dog jumping merrily at his feet. This card literally says "WATCH OUT!" or at the very least "you're heading in the wrong direction...go back...go back!"

Like I said, stay in bed.



On a good note, hubby and I watched "Wild Hogs" on DVD last night, and I got the last two covers done for the tenor sticks. Here's what they look like before I draw them up and sew them together...

Those Three Swords and psychic connections

Well, by 10:30 am, I found out what those 3 swords were--

I went home with a kink in my neck, a hitch in my wiggle (actually more like sciatica), and a gimp in my knee--which has actually been bothering me now for a week...three pains, three swords....Get the picture? Of course, it could be that I'm just old and the body is falling apart, and the 3 of swords has nothing to do with it, so why did it take 2 Advil, 2 Bayer Back and Body, 3 hours of sleep, and the pain STILL isn't gone?

Okay, enough said. I'm just a pain.

Which got me to remembering something that happened a long while ago, and I thought, Hey! Blog fodder! It happened when I first started reading Tarot cards--well, that's sort of a lie, because things like this have happened all of my silly life, but I digress.

I've always seemed to have this "connection" to something that I didn't understand, that I didn't WANT to understand, didn't NEED to understand, didn't even CARE to understand, but one night, I realized that the "oddity" of Me needed to be understood at some level, or I wouldn't be Me anymore. It was a sort of epiphany of sorts. And here's how it happened.

I met this guy online.

Now lest ye think that I was just trolling for a new flame, let me tell you that in the course of five minutes, I knew this guy was a whole lot younger than me, and really superstitious! Chatting with him easily and probably a lot more intimately than he would like (as I said, I'd only chatted with him for 5 minutes, and we were already "friendly", and chatting as if we'd known each other for years, and NO, this was not a cyber-encounter)--he asked me if my name was Lisa. To which I said "no". He kept asking me, and finally I said "names not Lisa, my name is Julie". To which he promptly said "hello, Julie".

Now, we both know that my name isn't Julie at all, but some of us who were born of this era, would remember the song "I'm not Lisa....my name is Julie"...and he was oblivious to this, therefore, my determination that he was MUCH younger than me. He asked me a dozen or so questions, to which I answered no to every one. Of course, HE'S operating on the idea that I've lied to him, and that my name is Lisa after all--apparently someone he was having difficulty "shaking" from a recent stalking encounter...but eventually, I asked him if he was a psychic. To this, he answered an emphatic NO! And I responded "good, because you SUCK at it really bad!"

That's when he asked me if *I* was psychic. I thought about it a second...and answered "yes".

Well, how could he really know anyway, right?

So he asked me to tell him what his name was.

Oh, now, here is where it gets good, folks...how to tell someone you've never met what their name is! I realized I had about as much chance of guessing his name as I did foretelling the next 6 numbers on the Lottery, but I closed my eyes, and asked the Ether--what was this guy's name?

And I listened for the answer.

And he typed...

:"well?"
:"You don't know, do you!?"
:"You're not psychic at all."

I swear to you, I was not expecting it, but I literally "HEARD"

"Robert, John"

Now how can you go wrong with John, right?

Instead, I chose Robert. I will never understand WHY I chose Robert as the answer, but I did.

And the answer was right.

Yes, friends, you're talking to a bonafide, I can't believe I guessed it on one try, psychic!

He was quite astounded, and flabberghasted. He was now CERTAIN that I was Lisa, and that there was nothing quite as unsettling as this. He asked me to tell him his middle name. Of course, by this time, I had a clear idea of what he looked like, and an even clearer idea of where he lived (because he'd told me that he lived in California), and even though I'd never seen him, I knew that he was not from California. It was not because of his english, either. He was well spoken, typed the language VERY well with minimal typos, and learned/scholarly. But I knew that he was not originally from the USA, and told him so. He wanted me to tell him where he was from. And I said "You're dark complected--dark hair and eyes--thin, long fingers....you're in California, so my best guesses would be Mexico or Hawaii." Then I added, "you do not look like your father, who has hard hands, the hands of a farmer or gardener." "And further, I can't tell you what your middle name is, because you are not originally from the USA, and you have a very ethnic middle name."

To all this, he was astonished, because every word was true. He was amazed that I KNEW that he was not from the USA originally, but even more so that I mentioned Hawaii--which he claimed his GIRLFRIEND was from there, and that he'd lived in Hawaii most of his life. Still Hawaii, IS in the USA, and I told him "but you are NOT Hawaiian", and he said that he was not. He finally told me that he was from the Phillipines, and wanted me to tell him his middle name.

Two days later, I'm asking "the ether" again, this time in my car as I'm tooling down the highway..."what's his middle name?"

A picture formulated in my mind...that of an old flame--(well, he was MY old flame, but it was one-sided)--his initials were "RZ".

Now, I don't know...maybe my hearing is bad...but RZJohn...it didn't make any sense...

Until he finally told me his middle name...Arzadon.

I believed him instantly, and told him what had happend in my car. He didn't believe a word of it, and called me a "cold reader". I felt like I'd been slapped in the face. He asked me to read tarot for him...so I did. He asked about his job, and he asked about this girlfriend in Hawaii...I told him that his work was noticed by others, but that he still had much to learn before he could take off on his own, and that the "girlfriend" would break his heart--and then told him that ANOTHER woman he was involved with would ultimately tell him that she was not interested in a permanent relationship. Something he had not revealed to me was that he was dating someone who had been his teacher in school--so he was surprised that I would reveal this to him from a card reading.

I asked him what he did for a living, and he told me that he was in the entertainment industry, but that he didn't like the people. He told me he was an artist, and showed me some of his work--really impressive stuff. He told me that he was followed by a doppleganger. I asked him what that was--really odd sounding. He told me to google it, and so I did. It was what ghost hunters would call a disembodied spirit--that could perform full-bodied apparition(s). The whole idea of it unsettled me. I've been exposed to things like that, and it's not a comfortable feeling. He told me about how this "doppleganger" attacked him when he was a young child. Well, I can't think of anything more frightening than that! Had I been more of a psychoanalyst at the time, I would have told him what it was, but hoped to keep the fragile relationship online...in short, I figured him to be somewhat of a nut, but he was very superstitious--a throwback to his Phillipino heritage, I suppose.

At some point, Robert Arzadon Ramos and I lost touch with each other. I was a little dismayed by this. He was an interesting fellow. An artistic talent the likes of which I'll probably never see again, coupled with a psychic connection that will probably always be. My last reading for him said that he would return to the Phillipines and to his family eventually, something he swore that he would never do; however, his disappearance from the internet tells me differently.

And so, the login "TSOLOS", read backward "So Lost", rings a rather true note for my "lost friend"...sometimes somber, sometimes a bit immature, like a child lost in a dream, and other times, just lost to me.

So if you know Robert Ramos--or his professional name Robert Arzadon, tell him that GlowBidie still thinks about him now and then. Thanks.

And that Second Cup of Coffee goes to..

Yes! My second cup of coffee. I've been awake since 3:30am, although I didn't actually STAY out of bed until about 5:15am, and now, it's 5:51am--I'm on my second cup of Folger's coffee. My dog, Mandy, decided that it was time to chase all the cats out of the bedroom at 3:30, and then decided it was as good a time as any to ask to be let outdoors.

I don't know about you, but her fur coat seems much more applicable to late autumn windy, wet weather--and me in a mid thigh nightgown and bare feet. But once I let her out, I pulled the covers over my head and fell fast asleep again--that is, until she started howling about 5:15.

Goofy dog.

Tarot card of the day, good grief, another 3 of swords. Titled discord in the Celtic Circle deck, Robin Wood depicts it with one heart stabbed through with 3 swords. Usually for me, it bodes some sort of heartbreak. It signals tears will be shed. At it's very worst, it can mean a breakup with someone you love. At it's least, an argument with someone close that you care about--a family member or your best friend.

Not a good card at all for a Thursday morning.

The workers got the facia on the house, but apparently forgot to put holes in the soffit. Houses have to be able to breathe...so under the soffit, the crews drill holes to allow air to circulate. A house that is too tight will trap steam and wetness and create mold. Mold in your house can make you very sick. The extra air deters mold from growing. I would think it would allow heat to escape--but what do I know?

So, Hubby contacted the workers, told them that he would pay for the repair if they could prove that they DID put the holes in, but he's pretty sure they didn't...so the facia isn't yet finished...but I took some pictures anyway. Sorry for the grey day--it doesn't make for "pretty" pictures, but it's DARK when I leave in the morning now.

We've also finally lit the fireplace. We normally wait until November 1, but this year, we didn't light the stove until November 5th. The first night, it didn't work. It wouldn't light. And it was COLD that night!

We cleaned it out and got it working on the 6th. Hubby was a mess, and I wish I had a picture of him--all covered with soot from his head to his foot...had he a red suit on...oh, never mind...he was on his way to the shower, and quite X-rated.

Probably most of you didn't know, but I have snakes, and they are about as "fun" as snakes CAN be--which isn't much, but yesterday, my Honduran, who is quite large now, tried to catch a live white mouse, and ended up frustrated and hungry under her hide. So I gave the mouse to my Boa Constrictor. This white mouse must be a veritable Houdini, because he is still alive today to tell the tale.

Amazing. Pictures of my snakes another day.

Last night, Hubby and I watched Spiderman 3 on video. We both critiqued it to be not nearly as good as the first two Spiderman videos, so I will buy the DVD for my collection, just in case there's a Spiderman 4. It's been a long time since we watched a video--tonight, we're watching "Wild Hoggs" with Tim Allen in it.

It is now 6:10am. I have to get dressed to go to work again, but this time, I remembered to put my knitting needles in my bag, so I will get some more knitting done on those socks for the tenor beaters. I walk out the door; however, slightly under-dressed for the weather, so came back in and bundled up some more. It is blowing snow outside. I look like Kenny from Southpark!

Another finished project

Well, not "finished" per se...I have gotte 2 covers done of the 4 that I need for the tenor drum sticks for the band. Here's a pic:




First, the empty tenor stick:








Then the stick and the sock for it:









And now, the sock on the stick.




Cool Huh? Now imagine this little item on a shoelace, swinging around in the air? There ya go--no I won't demonstrate! I'm still in my jammies!

So lest you think I accomplished nothing yesterday...HA! At lunchtime (the day I was so stuck), I drove over to the LYS and found a new book (well new for me) and the latest Interweave Knits magazine. I tend to pull the most difficult assignments for myself because I like to challenge myself. The book is Alice Starmore's Celtic Collection--now in reprint. The projects in there are JUST AMAZING. I don't think that I could find better words to describe it. Knitting beyond the Hebrides knitting group does her patterns over and over again--and they are remarkable! Because they are fair isle and cables, very often, these top knotch knitters will knit the same pattern over and over again, because they are just, quite simply, classic designs. Interweave Knits had lots of nice eye candy, and quite a few projects that I would like to put on my list of to do's, but I am a realist, and know that there is not enough time left in my life to do all these projects that I have planned for myself.

Today's card is the four of pentacles:

This card generally pops up when I need to think "charitably". Give out directions, give to a charity--either by money or sweat, or just "be there" for a friend. The picture is that of a man, sitting in the corner of his castle with his feet on two coins, one in his hand and one on his head. Generally, it means I'm being a tad miserly--thinking too much about money, or hoarding it. It's long since past time to think about making gifts for Christmas, and I am waiting for Thanksgiving for when we draw names for my hubby's family--so I know that something will pop up today, where I will be asked to go over and above, without a grimace. My mother and son are easy this year. She wants more cross stitch books, and he wants a bike. Imagine that, my son, almost 30 years old, and he wants a bike for Christmas...seems like I've heard that story before...

So, I am up and blogging at 4am. Drinking my coffee, and planning my Christmas, when I really should be thinking about Thanksgiving...when really I should be planning TODAY. I figure that I need to do 2 more of the little pink covers--they don't take much time. Then I can get back to knitting on my Latvian Mittens. I actually started a pattern of my own. It's not really "Latvian" but here it is the beginning of it anyway. I'm sure I'm knitting it too tight, but since it's likely not going on anyone's hands, let alone MINE, I suppose I can put up with a little bit of tightness.

Well, time for my shower. I do have to work for a living. It really gets in the way of my LIFE, though.
































I did go to bed early, however, because I had a massive headache all day that just wouldn't quit!

Stuck in the mud

Today’s card: The three of Wands.

Here’s a fellow, looking out over the waterway (could be a large lake, small ocean, or just a wide river), which appears to be a haven for vacationers (sailboats and canoes), but also a method of commerce and trade (ferry and tug). He, of course, is on shore. I think he missed the boat, frankly, and now he’s watching it “pass on to bigger waters”. The card actually means thinking ahead—or having foresight. It stands for leadership and being in for the long haul. It could also mean a trip over water.

OH! I’m going on a cruise? Fat chance that will happen!

Of course, you might know, I pulled the card in reversed position, which means I’m feeling a little stuck—and this is true. Stuck on land, unable to fly. I don’t seem to be able to get anywhere these last couple of weeks. Even sock knitting has become something of a chore. The only GOOD thing about this feeling is that once it hits bottom, there is only one direction left to go—up.

All I can think of is Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), because it makes you…well…SAD! It happens to folks like me in the North country—the sky goes a little grayer every day, there’s snow (four letter word) in the forecast—or worse, snow showers, and it gets colder every day. Winter is my least favorite time of year. Actually, I don’t like either of the extremes in Michigan. I like spring for the green grass and new leaves on the trees. I like autumn for the colorful maple trees. But once the leaves have hit the ground, it seems like I hit the ground too.

So, I need to come up with hints of something new to do that will make my whole outlook sparkle. I’ve already done my coif and had a manicure. A pedicure sounds good, but I wonder if I have enough in my budget to allow it. There I go…the “but” queen! I could head over to the coffeeshop and have another of those wonderful cups of coffee with caramel and white chocolate, like I had yesterday. That was a wonderful change of pace, and tasty too! And as much as I’d like to do that, I don’t want to do it again TODAY. Maybe that can be a Friday treat.

This morning, I parked in the lot beside where I work, and I might take it at lunch time and just go somewhere, but WHERE I’ll go, well, that’s another story. When I get in this “blue funk”, even shopping for yarn doesn’t help. It’s like I’ve overloaded on life, and now, I’m coming down the other side of the hill. A change of pace and direction is needed, but I’m so stuck, I have no idea which way to go. Up is the only way that sounds good.

Can I blame this on my ex-husband? Yes, I can! Later in the afternoon, I decided to head over to the nursing home to see my ex-mother-in-law—it has, after all, been over a week since I last went to see her. He had spirited her away for a couple of days. Well, at least she gets to see her cat, and I’m glad for that because she misses her cat a lot! The thoughtless part of it is that it costs $200 a day to take her out of the nursing home for overnights, and this will seriously put a cramp on her holiday time! What with Thanksgiving and Christmas coming in less than 60 days! She really doesn’t have the money to go visiting on overnights—so even thought it’s none of my business, I still wonder how my ex is going to pay for it. He’s never been one to save money of any kind for such purposes, and I hope that he doesn’t expect his poor mother or the rest of the family to pay for his thoughtlessness.


On a good note:
Our house is getting new facings—or a face lift, if you will. Soon, we’ll get new gutters. So far, the house looks quite nice. The new gutters will complete the outside the house repairs. From there, we’re going to work on the INSIDE again—this time, the downstairs. There is a ton of work to be done down there, along with a bunch of things to be “tossed out”. My old computer is down there, and all of my fabric and sewing supplies…along with 3 sewing machines. One is a treadle, one is a featherweight and one is a Montgomery Ward heavy duty cog machine with several elaborate stitches which are made by switching the cog in the top of the machine. In short, working on the downstairs is going to be a major effort, and not one that I’m looking forward to. There are still many small jobs that could be completed upstairs…for instance staining the bay window—but that’s another story.

Gray Days and Rainbows

On the way home from work, it started to rain suddenly. Then, just as suddenly, the sun came out from behind the big rain cloud--and caused a complete double rainbow.

I took pictures, but they need editing yet. Otherwise, nothing interesting to report--even though I had my spin night last night.

Today's tarot card is the 10 of swords. This card is of a person, lying face down in the dirt with 10 swords sticking out of his back.

Well, I guess you know that today doesn't bode well for me for some reason--the heading on the Celtic Circle deck says Disillusionment. It sure looks like somebody died there on the card. But the 10 isn't a "death" card, but more like a "for heaven's sake, can things get any WORSE?" type of card. True to it's background, it defines my spirit this morning and yesterday at spin night. Sort of dull and difficult to bring life into the mix. A bla-zay day meant for staying home and sleeping in. One of those "gray days" that I have now and then. However, there is hope for gray days--they can only get better, and you can't have rainbows unless you have gray days.

Of course, they are forecasting snow-showers today.

Recognition for the job I do

I've forgotten to put a picture of my red sweater on my blog, which I promised last week, and there has not been time to put it here--unless you want to see a picture of this really crazy lady trying to take a picture of herself in the bathroom mirror--a picture that looks much to uncertain--including the frustrated face--because I didn't think you'd want my face, but the sweater instead--but somehow, it just would not come out...so I have to get my hubby to take a picture of me in one of those circus mirrors that show you at your thinnest...not that I'm wanting to be a bean pole, but would prefer that you see the SWEATER, rather than Me...First the "Do I really want to do this so early in the morning?"

I also have some updates from other pics I've taken--some good, some bad. The MSU-UofM game was this last weekend, and as predicted, MSU lost again. About the only really good thing was the picture I got of the blimp floating overhead, but I got that snapshot the day before. MSU has a tendency to do really well in the first half--they look good, they play hard, and they are usually ahead by the end of the first half. But you know, I think maybe the coach goes home at halftime, because when they come out after the band leaves the field, the game is all but lost--especially to UofM.

Remember the pic I tried to get when it was early in the morning and dark outside, and I couldn't get a picture of the walk-don't walk sign? Well, this was what I got.

Now, I am NOT a photographer, but just to show you that I am capable of taking a reasonably good picture, here's one by the river, not too far from where I work.

See? See?

Okay, so what that the band didn't make me drum sergeant again this year! Oh, all right. Yes, I'm really ticked off about it. We had the annual general meeting, and they asked me to keep everybody "on task" (I think they called me "chair-person"), and it was the quickest AGM we'd ever had. Not that I have a lot of experience keeping things "on track", but the meeting seemed to go well. Even so, they didn't give me the sergeant's stripes, which is what I've been working for since time began. So now, the trick is not to work so hard over it, I suppose. They want to play in competition next year. They want to do the ceilidh. They want to play more parades and make more money. All good things...yes, but do they have the staff to do it? Will enough people be available to actually play?

Good questions. Even so, I'd like the recognition for the job I do in the band, and so far, it's not been forthcoming. I don't want a pat on the back "good job". My pride is realized by obtaining the brass ring on the merry-go-round.

I've taken up drinking coffee. Yesterday, I drank the equivalent of 8 cups. Normally, I drink about 2 cups in the morning, and decaf soda the rest of the day. Yesterday, I was really tired, but I was also really WIRED. Tight as a drum head, literally. And now it's Monday again, and I'm blogging at 4 am, drinking more coffee. Has anyone ever figured out why coffee is such a "morning person's drink"?

Well, I'm really trying to fill up time now, trying to get this picture uploaded. It would seem that blogger doesn't work well on a dialup computer.