William Tell Momisms by Anita Renfroe

I may be the last person on the planet to see this clip of Anita Renfroe on You Tube but it's one of the funniest things I've ever heard. She sums up everything a mom says in one day in a three-minute song set to the tune of the William Tell Overture! These hysterically funny, very clever lyrics rival even Weird Al. I laughed until I cried when I heard my parents' words ("You're grounded until your 36") as well as more up-to-date versions ("Your iPod's my iPod if you don't listen up") in these lyrics. Bravo, Anita!


Squidoo has a nice article about Anita as well as the lyrics but why not visit Anita's web site and buy a CD or book?

Actually, the lyrics are so funny I'm going to post them here so you can follow along with the video clip.

Lyrics to William Tell Momisms

Get up now
Get up now
Get up out of bed
Wash your face
Brush your teeth
Comb your sleepy head
Here's your clothes
And your shoes
Hear the words I said
Get up now
Get up and make your bed

Are you hot?
Are you cold?
Are you wearing that?
Where's your books and your lunch and your homework at?
Grab your coat and your gloves and your scarf and hat
Don't forget you got to feed the cat

Eat your breakfast
The experts tell us it's the most important meal of all
Take your vitamins so you will grow up one day to be big and tall
Please remember the orthodontist will be seeing you at three today?
Don't forget your piano lesson is this afternoon
So you must play
Don't shovel
Chew slowly
But hurry
The bus is here
Be careful
Come back here
Did you wash behind your ears?

Play outside
Don't play rough
Would you just play fair?
Be polite
Make a friend
Don't forget to share
Work it out
Wait your turn
Never take a dare
Get along
Don't make me come down there

Clean your room
Fold your clothes
Put your stuff away
Make your bed
Do it now
Do we have all day?
Were you born in a barn?
Would you like some hay?
Can you even hear a word I say?

Answer the phone
Get Off the phone
Don't sit so close
Turn it down
No texting at the table
No more computer time tonight
Your iPod's my iPod if you don't listen up

Where you going and with whom and what time do you think you're coming home?
Saying thank you, please, excuse me
Makes you welcome everywhere you roam
You'll appreciate my wisdom
Someday when you're older and you're grown
Can't wait 'til you have a couple little children of your own
You'll thank me for the counsel I gave you so willingly
But right now
I thank you NOT to roll your eyes at me

Close your mouth when you chew
Would appreciate
Take a bite
Maybe two
Of the stuff you hate
Use your fork
Do not you burp
Or I'll set you straight
Eat the food I put upon your plate

Get an A, Get the door
Don't get smart with me
Get a Grip
Get in here I'll count to 3
Get a job
Get a life
Get a PhD
Get a dose of reality

I don't care who started it
You're grounded until your 36
Get your story straight
And tell the truth for once for heaven's sake
And if all your friends jumped off a cliff
Would you jump too?

If I've said it once, I've said at least a thousand times before that
You're too old to act this way
It must be your father's DNA
Look at me when I am talking
Stand up straighter when you walk
A place for everything
And everything must be in place
Stop crying or I'll give you something real to cry about

Oh!
Brush your teeth
Wash your face
Get your PJs on
Get in bed
Get a hug
Say a prayer with Mom
Don't forget
I love you
**KISS**
And tomorrow we will do this all again because a mom's work never ends
You don't need the reason why
Because
Because
Because
Because
I said so
I said so
I said so
I said so
I'm the Mom
The mom
The mom
The mom
The mom
Ta-da

Wolverine Turnaround

Do you hear "Hail to the Victors" playing somewhere? You should because the Michigan Wolverines have done quite a turnaround since the beginning of the season. Yesterday they beat Purdue 48 to 21. Whew! Unfortunately, the game was only televised on stations we don't have, so I didn't get to see the game.

The University of Michigan NCAA News site and The Big Ten Network: Michigan seem to be good places to follow the latest Wolverine football news.

Pumpkin Festival 2007

The Davison Pumpkin Festival is this weekend. The Davison Index and the City of Davison web sites both include a schedule of activities.

I love Pumpkin Fest but won't be able to go this year because we already have other plans for Saturday. We won't miss the fish fry at St. John's, however! The food is always good. It's so crowded we usually get our dinners to go and they give us so much we always have leftovers.

Looks like nice (but strangely warm) weather is in store for the weekend, I just wish I could be there to enjoy it!

Funny Warning Sign

My friend Laurie and I were so amused by this sign on the microwave in the breakfast area at the Davison Comfort Inn (where we attended the "Stitchalot Weekend" last week) that we took a picture of it.

Apparently a simple warning was not enough. We can only guess that kids are heating up the hard boiled eggs from the breakfast bar without adult supervision.

If you are having trouble reading it, it says:

Do not put eggs in microwave

They make a huge noise when they explode

Someone will come running

to see what happened

I thought my students (especially those in technical writing) would appreciate this wordy but funny warning sign.

Stitchalot Weekend

Stitches 'n' Things hosted a "Stitchalot Weekend" at the Davison Comfort Inn this weekend. It's like grown-up camp for stitchers. I went with my friends Sue and Laurie. We live so close we didn't stay at the hotel but 45 other stitchers came from all over the state (one even came from out of state) to spend the week.

When we got to the hotel Friday afternoon we were given goodie bags. Each was a huge fabric tote bag with the Stitches 'n' Things logo (not a cheap paper bag!). Inside we found two bottles of water, drink mix to add to the water, a chocolate truffle, cross-stitch fabric (mine is a pretty pewter gray), a 25% off coupon good until 12/31 at Stitches 'n' Things, an "I Stitchalot" Colorforms-type sticker, and a list of info about the weekend.

There was only one class; the rest of the weekend was just time to stitch on your projects, visit with others, and see their projects (which is always inspiring). Also, there was a mini-store set up in one of the rooms where everything was 20% off (and much closer than driving to Stitches 'n' Things in Fenton).

The class on needle felting was held twice on Saturday. My friends and I attended the afternoon session. In two hours we learned the basic techniques and made these cute snowman pins:




















I needed to grade papers, etc., Sunday so I only attended Friday and Saturday but I'm very glad I went. I got a lot done on a project from last Christmas that I am determined to finish before this Christmas! I really enjoyed the class and am looking forward to Camp Stitchalot in Feb., which will include three classes by different cross-stitch designers and should be lots of fun. I'll post a link when the class info when it's posted on the Stitches 'n' Things site.

Banned Books Week

I was so upset about Flower, I almost forgot that September 29–October 6, 2007 is the American Library Association's Banned Books Week. Visit the web site and read some banned books.

Scream Theatre

From Stephanie Roach, just in time for Halloween...

Flint City Theatre
presents the return
from the dead
of our
haunted story hour
SCREAM THEATRE
Oct 19, 20, 26, 27 8pm
The Good Beans Café
Tickets $7, available Oct 1

Finally,
a Halloween event
for grown ups!
That's right,
adult themes
and language.
Don't miss it!

Update: Oct. 5
Hear a Scream Theater clip on You Tube!

RIP Flower

I'm so glad I'm no longer watching Meerkat Manor. I nearly cried yesterday when this story popped up on MediaNet on my cell phone: Meerkats Mourning Lady of the Manor. (I'll paste the story below in case the link moves.)

I love Meerkat Manor but had to stop watching during season 2. I was heartbroken when Shakespeare died and little Blossom's tragic death was the last straw for me.

Poor Flower. Apparently I'm not the only fan who feels sad. Animal Planet has added a In Memory of Flower page to its Meerkat Manor site where fans can watch video of Flower, talk about her, and read about the upcoming movie on her life.

I wonder what will happen to Flower's family but I can't stand to watch and see more meerkats die. Please, somebody keep me updated on what happens to Yosarian, Mozart, Mitch, etc., without Flower to lead them.

---

Meerkats Mourning Lady of the Manor by Natalie Finn
Fri, 28 Sep 2007 09:09:16 PM PDT

The Whiskers clan is without a matriarch.

Flower, the leader of the central gang of meerkats that is the focus of Animal Planet's documentary cum soap opera Meerkat Manor, died in February during filming of the show's third season after being bitten by a cobra. She was six.

Friday's episode of the hit series, "A Journey's End," featured the events leading up to Flower's untimely death, which occurred during yet another meerkat struggle for survival in South Africa's Kalahari Desert—an inevitable part of the frequently compelling, albeit furry and adorable, drama that has made Meerkat Manor Animal Planet's number-one show.

"Flower's courage and strength in life was mirrored in her passing," said senior executive producer Mick Kaczorowski. "Viewer and fans have become attached to Flower because she exemplified the qualities of a true hero and a veritable leader."

According to Kaczorowski, Flower was buried onsite in a market grave by the Cambridge University scientists who preside over the Kalahari Meerkat Project.

Although Animal Planet didn't televise news of Flower's passing, in order to stave off the viewer confusion that resulted when Flower's son Shakespeare was injured at the end of season one and then was gone by season two, a statement was posted in March on the network's Meerkat Manor message board informing fans that Flower hadn't survived a snakebite and would be missed.

"When Shakespeare disappeared over the season, we weren't filming—there was no evidence, no body," Kaczorowski told the Los Angeles Times. "When we came back in Season 2, everybody was completely frustrated. Conspiracy theories came up. The most important thing is to track down the remains or stay with the body so we could put an end to the story."

Animal Planet is planning a commemorative spot, an online tribute and a press event in New York to honor the Meerkat Manor heroine. There is also a feature film in the works, Queen of the Kalahari, which is intended to be a prequel about Flower's life prior to her small-screen stardom.

"Flower was larger than life," said Marjorie Kaplan, general manager of Animal Planet and Discovery Kids Media. "She stood tall against her foes, readily and regularly faced conflict and was a pillar of strength for her family.

"The circle of life is very much a reality in the animal kingdom. We at Animal Planet are devastated by the loss of Flower and recognize that her death will have a deep impact on our viewers. Life in the Kalahari will never be the same."

Up in the air now is the fate of Zaphod, Flower's partner and the dominant male of the Whiskers mob. If losing his mate proves too much to handle, his brother Youssarian—a former top meerkat who has been pegged as having "social problems"—could rise again.

Flower and Zaphod's son, Mitch, also has exhibited leadership qualities in the wake of his brother Shakespeare's death, and he could be a force to be reckoned with, as well.

It's also unsure who will become the new female leader of the extensive clan. Flower's daughter Mozart is a possibility, but despite being caring and compassionate, she has estranged herself from the family more than once.

No, the above was not a summary of a Dallas episode. Although just as it was for the Ewings when J.R. was shot, the Whiskers' societal order now hangs in the balance.

The daily goings-on at the so-called manor may read like a page from any prime-time soap, replete with jealous exes, sibling rivalry, (meer)kat fights, pregnant daughters getting kicked out of the house and a lot of mating, but the stars of this show don't follow any script.

Instead, it's a group of intrepid researchers, their specially built fiber-optic cameras and some crafty editors that have captured a slice of life that just happens to be taking place, at times, in a burrow.

And while regular watchers of the series might sometimes trick themselves into thinking that they're watching teeny-tiny humans who just happen to have tails, crescent-shaped ears, tapered faces and particularly beady eyes, these mammals are members of the mongoose family.

Sean Astin narrates the U.S. version of the Emmy-nominated series, while Brit Bill Nighy is the human voice of the U.K. and Canadian installments.

Topics/Category Labels Done!

I have finished adding category labels to all my previous posts. My loyal readers (all two of you :), can now search by topic for all the entries published on this blog. Just look for the Topics list on the lower right side of the screen. Let me know if you spot any inconsistencies.

Stitches 'n' Things

The Flushing Observer published a nice story about Stitches 'n' Things last week.

---

Stitches N Things, where you count in Fenton

By: Sally Rummel, Business Reporter 09/23/2007

If you think counted cross-stitch is an "old-fashioned" craft for people who have a lot of time, you haven't been inside Stitches N Things at Fenton Lake Square, directly behind Sagebrush Cantina in Fenton.

Reportedly carrying the largest inventory of counted cross-stitch projects and accessories in Michigan, Stitches N Things is well worth a visit, whether you've ever "counted a stitch" in your life or not.

Fenton native/owner Deb Koch has crafted for herself and her customers an interesting, colorful and well-organized retail store in just 800 square feet of space. Downsized from her former Davison location, this store is a tidy space from floor to ceiling, with enough room to house Stitches N Things' growing Internet global presence. For the crafter, it's a destination for every project idea, supply, accessory or custom frame that one could imagine.

With drawer boxes containing favorite patterns by category, both novice and experienced crafters can easily find what they're looking for. New designs are located in a rack that's changeable monthly, so that visitors to the store will always have an opportunity to see "what's new."

Fabrics, kits, beads, buttons and embellishments are plentiful, too. Stored in cube units, fabrics are categorized by colors and varieties. Pre-made pillows, purses, totes, stockings, ornaments, boxtops and baby items are also available, making a perfect "backdrop" for one's stitching project.

Many new techniques are also on display, providing contemporary designs, textures and visuals. Knotwork (as easy as it sounds), needle felting, needle sculpture and Russian Punch Needle are just a few of these new techniques that have added a contemporary twist to the age-old art of counted cross-stitch.

For the crafting novice, it's a vision of possibilities, because some projects are simple and can be tackled in as little as a couple of hours.

"It's all done for you, you're just reproducing it on fabric," says Koch, who admits she flunked home economics in her school days. "I'm 'sewing challenged,' but this is easy, fun and relaxing."

Serious counted cross-stitchers can also add their own artistry to their projects, by adding texture and embellishments, changing fabrics, etc.

While Koch enjoys teaching the craft, the small size of her store makes on-site instruction impossible, but she and her staff pride themselves on helping customers "over the counter."

"I'm hoping to teach classes this winter at off-site locations," adds Koch. "But please stop in and let us help you with any aspect of your project, even if you're a beginner needing assistance in picking out your first kit."

Assisted by a staff of three, Koch has literally the world at her doorstep, thanks to her strong Internet presence. One-third of her store is dedicated to the Internet portion of her business, from order storage to order filling and packaging.

But it's the people she really enjoys, as they come to her store from as far a drive as 1½ hours. "We are really unique in the state of Michigan," says Koch. "While other cross-stitch stores are closing, we're thriving. And we have more than 5,000 designs in stock for you to see."

Koch is also proud of her extensive custom framing department, which provides a variety of wood frames in dozens of colors and styles. "It's the first thing you see when you walk in the door," says Koch. "You can visualize the completion of your project before you even start."

Stitches N Things is open Monday through Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, call (810) 629-3333 or visit the store's Web site at: www.stitchesnthings.com.

©Tri-County Times 2007

Fantastic Tales of Ray Bradbury

I just purchased the audio book Fantastic Tales of Ray Bradbury. It's a wonderful collection of 14 of his most popular stories and, best of all, it's read by Ray Bradbury. He introduces each story by explaining how he got the idea and I like that a lot. My only complaint is that it does not include a table of contents.

While searching online for the table of contents I found some great sites devoted to Ray, including one with quotes. I love this quote:

"If you can't read and write you can't think. Your thoughts are dispersed if you don't know how to read and write. You've got to be able to look at your thoughts on paper and discover what a fool you were." ~ Ray Bradbury (Salon.com, August 29, 2001)

You said it, Ray!

Here are the web sites:

Ray Bradbury (official web site)
Fantastic Fiction (includes all his works in chronological order)
Ray Bradbury Online (a list of his audio books and some quotes)
Ray Bradbury Audio (contents of many of his audio books, including Fantastic Tales of Ray Bradbury)

I've loved Ray's books for a long time and have written about him several times. Here are the links if you are interested: Hooray for Ray!, 86 and Still Writing, and Farewell Summer.

For me most of his stories evoke "a world where miracles are just everyday occurrences and even the most ordinary things are pervaded by eerie glimmerings of the supernatural and the unknown" (to quote the blurb on Dandelion Wine).

I feel compelled to read Ray's books in the fall, not just the ones with obvious Halloween/autumn connections (like The October Country, The Halloween Tree, From the Dust Returned, and Something Wicked This Way Comes). I also want to read those with summer settings that evoke that sense of October and the supernatural (like Dandelion Wine).

There's nothing like curling up with a good Ray Bradbury book on a dark, cozy evening while listening to the rustle of fallen leaves in the crisp autumn air. My stack of books and I are ready for fall, even if the weather isn't cooperating.

Irish Fest 2007

Saturday I attended the Kalamazoo Irish Fest held in beautiful Arcadia Creek Festival Place in downtown Kalamazoo. Unlike last year, the weather was perfect: sunny, breezy, and pleasant with not a monsoon in sight. The festival itself featured good food (with beer, unlike Scottish fest), music, and shopping. What a great way to spend the day! I was too busy to take many pictures, except of my friends' booth. Here are a few pics of their merchandise:














































































































































Now you know where I get my amber and Celtic jewelry. :)

Since the Irish American Club of Kalamazoo doesn't keep archives of the Irish Fest info on their web site, here's the info on this year's Irish Fest:

Dates
Friday, September 21st from 4:30 p.m. - Midnight
Saturday, September 22nd from 10:30 a.m. - Midnight

Food Vendors
Bennigan's
Gallagher's Eatery
Ibison Concessions
Kalamazoo Scottish Festival
Kalamazoo Kettle Corn Co.

Beverages
Guinness
Harp
Smithwick's
Smirnoff Ice
Killan's
Coke Products

Marketplace Vendors
Celtic Expressions
Celtic Imports
Celtic Seasons
Darkblade Studios (my friends)
Designs in Glass
Earthencraft Pottery
Lynch's Lair
O'Brien's Irish Cottage
Medieval Madder
Philosophers Stone
Rampant Lion
Scottish Tinker
The Irish Baker
Thy Sterling Silver
UK Market
We'll also have on hand Handiworks Palm Reading and a Celtic Shaman Healer. (I never saw either of these but our booth was very busy all day! O'Brien's Irish Cottage was left off the list on the Irish Fest web site, so I wonder if this list is accurate.)

Main Stage Events
Friday, September 21
5:00 pm Craic Wisely
6:15 Quinn School of Irish Dance
6:50 Harvest Home
8:10 Kalamazoo Pipe Band
8:45 Fonn Mor
10:45 Craic Wisely

Saturday, September 22
11:00 am Twin Thistle
11:30 5 Leaf Clover
Noon Leim Irish Dance
12:35 Squid Jiggers
1:35 Kalamazoo Pipe Band
2:10 Rare Combination
3:20 Quinn School of Irish Dance
3:55 Kennedy’s Kitchen
5:10 Quinn School of Irish Dance
5:45 Whiskey Before Breakfast
6:55 Leim Irish Dance
7:30 Blackthorn
9:15 Belfast Gin
11:00 Napper Tandy

If you've never been to Irish Fest, it's worth the trip to Kalamazoo. Keep an eye on the Irish Fest web site for news about next year's fest. It's usually the third weekend of Sept., no doubt to celebrate the fact that it's only six months until St. Patrick's Day. :)

Ode to Frost

In honor the unusually high mold and ragweed levels this year: Poems by Clifford Leap, Lord Endall (Scott Russell). Thanks, Scott! You are the only person who has ever written a poem for me and I am honored.

An Ode to Frost

The human head can hold a lot of stuff,
Magnificent cassava whose ripe seeds
Have launched a fleet of rockets at the moon
And named the alkaloids in certain weeds.
But my poor head has finally got enough.
What thoughts may enter it when air cannot?
What music when I can’t hear the tune?
All useful space is taken up with snot!

It is that time when leaves begin their turn
From life to afterlife, from green to fire;
As though a devil claimed them on the limb,
Igniting them before they could expire.
Most people like me, in September, learn
How leaves must burn and suffer for their crimes
Before their gold can tarnish and go dim:
Hay fever is like Hell in autumn times.

One morning dawns, though, when my tears are gone;
As if the dying of the year became
That resolution born of suffering
By nurse and patient both, and both can claim
Relief now that the mortal ill has won.
-- ‘tis John Lennon’s Lucy tumbled down
And dust of diamonds covers everything:
The first frost shines like crystal on the lawn.

I breathe the silence in, the silver air!
As when the mobs of Paris woke one day
Without a king, last August’s stench and heat
Replaced by death and chill. Like them, I lay
In liberty’s embrace, maternal care
That soothes the sickly child back to its health.
The old regime, a miser in defeat,
Now suffocates beneath excessive wealth.

And though I was a royalist last spring,
And welcomed summer days with open arms,
Despite oppression in the heady shade
Or rainless weeks that taxed the poorest farms,
I now renounce the autumn of that king!
The flag I wave in publican belief
Recalls the time when I wept and obeyed.
It is a clean, white, linen handkerchief!



Paroxyismos (An Ode to Sighing)

The tempest in my bosom rose to fall
As once that city on the seven hills
Ploughed round about by those two wolf-weaned brothers
Didst arise; though ‘twas for-told by some
That it would crumble after Christendom.
Thus was my breast to sink in brief repose
As breath once drawn absconded through my nose.
What sound! Unlike a multitude of others.
Sweet air is needed; moaning each lung fills
Until the biggest, saddest breath of all.

Then blow, great billows, blow against the end
That like the ruins on the Turkish shore
Make Heaven’s breath to howl defiant song.
As seaward, coughing oar-strokes brought their horde
Of gruff Achaean warriors heaped aboard,
I heave against the ribs along my flanks.
Did they, knelt on stout timbers, murmur thanks,
Though all their aspirations came out wrong,
And most would not sail homeward evermore,
Once they exhaled upon that dismal strand!

A New Look

I decided to try a new look for Citadel of Stars. What do you think? Besides the colors, the only difference is that readers can now access a list of all the Labels (below the Archive on the bottom right side of the screen). Labels are a quick way to search for entries by topic.

I've been wanting to add the list of Labels since Blogger made it available last year. To do so I had two choices: add them individually to the html of my old blog or upgrade to a new template that automatically updates the list of Lables. I had customized the colors of my old blog and was quite fond of them, but upgrading was much easier and faster than html-ing (if that's a word! :) all those Labels.

I've been including Labels on my posts since Blogger added that feature and am now going back and slowing adding them to all my old posts. Someday you'll be able to sort through all my posts by category. I'll probably be the only person who looks at my blog that way, but I think it's a pretty neat feature.

I'm think I like the new look but I saved my old template, just in case.

UPDATE: I just noticed that the template has changed the layout just enough that pictures and captions in old entries no longer line up. SIGH. I just fixed the entries for July-Sept 07 and it only took a few minutes. It's annoying but still easier and quicker than creating/maintaining the list of Labels manually!

Michigan Redeemed!

Yesterday Michigan beat Notre Dame 38-0. Whew! Both teams had no wins when they faced off and that has never happened before.

I discovered that I could follow the game with the Internet feature of my new phone! I can track any team and when I added Michigan to the list, it gave me instant updates during the game including the score, statistics, etc. I never thought I needed to access the Internet on my cell phone but that is a pretty cool feature.

Never Forget

Take a moment to look at the memorials, photo essay, and videos on Fox News today and remember 9/11/01.

My university is having a memorial today including a Walk of Remembrance from the University Center, where there will be 3,0000 miniature flags (one for each victim), to the Patriot’s Grove, a collection of trees that represent historical locations and events from our nation’s history. The interim chancellor and students will join in planting a Sweet Gum tree (the same trees have been planted at the 9/11 Memorial site in New York City). Follow the link for pictures and the text of the Chancellor's address.

More Bees!

Do you remember the character Rob McKenna in Douglas Adams' So Long and Thanks for All the Fish? Rob could never figure out why it always rained, no matter where he went. Unbeknownst to Rob, he was a rain god; rain loved him and wanted to be with him wherever he went. I'm beginning to feel like that, but with bees. Remember the secret elephant graveyard in Tarzan? My living room is like, but with bees.

Yes, every day I find still find dead bees on the floor of the living room. Almost every day I find live ones crawling on the sliding door. My phobia is getting better: I can now pick up the dead ones with my bare hands and shoo the live ones outside with a paper towel (and most of the time I no longer panic and kill them). I am awfully tired of bees and still concerned that they will sting the cats, since I inevitably find the right next to the cats' favorite spots. At least fall is in sight and I won't have to deal with this once the cool weather gets here. I can hardly wait!

UM Game: Worst Loss in 39 Years

In case you missed yesterday's Michigan Game: Michigan fares no better this week. They lost to Oregon 39-7.

Hear that whirring sound? It's Bo Schembechler, Michigan's beloved "winningest" coach ever, spinning in his grave. The Wolverines have not won a game since Bo died last fall. That's only three losses (four, if you count Bowl games), but these last two were so embarrassing that Coach Lloyd Carr must be ashamed.

Come on, Blue, your fans know you are better than this. Get your act together and start winning for Bo!

RIP Madeleine L'Engle

In yesterday's news: 'A Wrinkle in Time' author L'Engle dies.

Now I feel really sad. I loved her books when I was a kid. I didn't realize how much A Wrinkle in Time impressed my husband until he blogged about it yesterday. Now I want to read all the books in that series again, including the "new" 4th book which I've never read. (Yes, when I was young this series only had three books.)

UPDATE: Oct. 3. I just visited her official web site and found that there are five books in the Wrinkle in Time series!

The News section of her website includes this memorial info:

The memorial service for Madeleine will be held on November 28th at 4pm at The Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City. That is the day before her 89th Birthday--come help us celebrate Madeleine!

NPR Features a tribute to Madeleine and the tesseract here!

Madeleine McCann's Parents Prime Suspects

Today on FoxNews: Portugese Police to Name Parents as Suspects in Madeleine McCann Disappearance.

I'm not surprised. I've wondered all along why the parents weren't accused of neglect at the very least. What kind of parents leave a four-year-old and two-year-old twins alone in a hotel room while they go out to dinner?

Good-Bye, Luciano

Today on FoxNews: World-Famous Tenor Luciano Pavarotti Dies at Age 71.

I'm not into opera but feel so sad after hearing this news, like a great light has gone out.

Mastodon in Traverse City?

Today in the news: Possible mastodon carving found on rock in Grand Traverse Bay. The Traverse City Record-Eagle included this caption with the picture above: "Mark Holley explains what he thinks is an ancient carving of a mastodon carved into a rock recently found in 40 feet of water in Grand Traverse Bay. The red lines follow etchings made in the rock, he said."

This is interesting because Mastodons didn't live that far north (or so we've always thought) and because it's underwater. I wonder how they're going to get petroglyph experts, who usually aren't divers, to examine it?

Compare the Mastodon to the Sanilac petroglyps near Bad Axe:

















I have no idea what the petroglyphs depict, but to me the Mastodon does look similar.

Waiting for the Equinox

Sophie is awaiting the fall equinox, when the afternoon sunshine will return to the bed where it belongs.

Saffron Update: Two Steps Forward

Good news! After a rough night last Wed., Saffron clearly feels better. She's acting like her old self: talking to us, purring a lot, and eating everything in sight (her food, Sophie's food, and our food).

Even better news: Saffron's blood test today showed that one of liver enzyme levels has dropped (improved); it has dropped enough that's nearly in normal range. The other enzyme went up such a tiny bit that the change is not significant. This is wonderful news! I expected the results to be the same as the last test; I never dreamed that we'd see this much improvement.

I did ask Dr. Amy if the fact that Saffron is still alive and actually improving means this is more likely to be liver disease than cancer. She said that IS likely and it's also gone on far too long to simply be from the weight she lost when she had gingivitis.

The regular doses of fluid, Reglan, and B12 are obviously helping and Dr. Amy said we should continue to encourage her to eat. I can do that!

Lunar Eclipse

Don't miss the lunar eclipse Tuesday, August 28.

According to Sky and Telescope "A total eclipse of the Moon occurs before and/or during dawn tomorrow morning for much of the Americas. The farther west you are the better. (For Hawaii the eclipse happens during the middle of the night. For Australia, New Zealand, and much of the Far East the local time is Tuesday evening, perhaps around sunset.)"

Scottish Fest

This is a picture of one of the many pipe and drum bands I saw yesterday at the Kalamazoo Scottish Festival.

The festival was held at the Kalamazoo County Fairgrounds, so there was lots of room but, unfortunately, the rain kept many people away, including some of the vendors.

Speaking of vendors, we really liked the t-shirts by Got-Kilt? (Follow the link to pictures of the t-shirts on his web site; there you will also find a link his blog with a Celtic joke every Monday.)

After a rainy start, the day turned out to be sunny and breezy -- perfect weather for all the activities, and there were quite a few:

Event Attractions For 2007

* Ceilidh
We are host a traditional ceilidh again this year at the Kalamazoo Fairgrounds. Friday night, please bring a dish to pass. Join us for an enjoyable evening of storytelling, singing, piping, and dancing.

* Pipe Bands
Enjoy on-field performances by area bands and two massed band demonstrations. Talk with band representatives about piping and drumming and, maybe, give it a try!

* Clans
Visit the clan tents to trace your roots, meet “family,” and join in the parade of tartans!

* Dancing
See demonstrations of highland dancing given by the award-winning Kathleen McMahon Dancers. Watch or join in with the Kalamazoo Royal Scottish Country Dancers.

* Heavy Events
Cheer the regional amateur athletes competing in such highland games events as the stone put, hammer throw and caber toss. You could test your skill in the renowned haggis throw!

* Children’s Games
Kids of all ages may participate in the children’s parade and games.

* Artisans
Watch artisans demonstrate ancient crafts. Marvel at spinners, weavers, and a blacksmith.

* Re-enactors
Walk through the encampment of Grant’s Company of the 42nd Royal Highland Regiment. Visit the History Tent and join in the activities with Elliot MacFarlane.

* Vendors
Shop for Scottish and American food, clothing, jewelry, books, music and more.

* Animal Exhibitions
See rare Highland cattle and watch border collies in herding demonstrations. Visit Clydesdale horses, Jacobs Sheep and see the greyhounds.

I didn't see the Clydesdales or greyhounds, but enjoyed the herding demos and visiting with the Border Collies and the longhorned Highland cow and her calf.




















Lots of people bought their dogs, so I got meet and pet lots of beautiful dogs. Here are a few:




















A cute Dachshund in a kilt.




















Just a few of the 16 Border Collie puppies.



















Connery stopped by our booth to visit and enjoy the shade.

The people who didn't attend due to the threat of bad weather missed a good festival and lots of fun. Hopefully this year's Irish Fest will have equally lovely weather (unlike last year's monsoon).

Math 911

I got this from a friend and couldn't resist sharing. I think the title should be "When NOT to Call 911!":

Summer Flowers

After weeks of heat and humidity, it's cool and rainy. Despite the weather change and attacks from Japanese Beetles, my Hibiscus is thriving. It has 10 flowers today! Unfortunately, you can't quite see all of them in this picture.

Rowling Writing a Mystery?

Today on Fox News: Report: 'Harry Potter' Author J.K. Rowling Working on Crime Novel

Rowling demonstrated how good she is at misdirection in the Harry Potter books, so I'm sure any detective novels she writes will be very well written. I just have one question: she's the richest woman in Britain and she still writes in cafes? How the heck does she avoid being continually interrupted by her fans?

At Last, Camelot

In the early '80s, I fell in love with the Broadway version of Camelot with Richard Harris and Meg Bussert. Unfortunately, we didn't own a VCR at the time, so although I watched it countless times on HBO, I was never able to tape it.

I've been hunting for the tape for several years without success. A few years ago I even e-mailed Meg Bussert who is an instructor at NYU Steinhardt. At that time all she knew was that the rights had been sold to A&E. When I contacted A&E they had no idea when it would be available.

Now, quite by accident, I found it was released on DVD May 1, 2007. (At last!) I've already ordered my copy from Amazon.

If you haven't seen this version, I must say I like far better than the 1967 movie with Richard Harris and Vanessa Redgrave (which looks very dated). The performances are fresh and entertaining. Bussert plays Guenevere with a charming mix of innocence and cunning. Richard Muenz portrays Lancelot as confident but a bit naive. These interpretations make the tragic ending all the more poignant. Harris is, of course, superb as the idealistic and forgiving Arthur. I can hardly wait for my DVD to arrive so I can see it again after 24 years. (Man, does that make me feel old! I was about 20 the last time I saw it.)

UPDATE Aug. 22: It arrived today and I watched it immediately. It's a good as I remembered: beautiful costumes and staging, wonderful music, and Harris was so good I didn't think of Dumbledore once. :) There aren't many special features on the DVD (not even closed captioning), but I don't care. I'm so glad to finally own a copy of this version!

Damn Bees!

According to NPR and National Geographic, bees are disappearing by the thousands -- and I know there they are. They are in my living room!

Every day I find a dead or dying bee near the sliding door and kill at least one live bee that's hanging around the door. I can only assume they are attracted to the flowers on the porch and come in to enjoy the air conditioning any time we open the door. Unfortunately for the bees, coming in here is a death sentence.

I'm rapidly overcoming my bee phobia because I'm so afraid they will hurt my cats that my instinct is to kill the the bees. Is that an unrealistic fear? Maybe, but Saffron is so sick she doesn't need a bee sting to add to her problems. Sophie likes to eat bugs, and has found several feeble bees for me, so she's even more likely to get stung.

My husband tells me these bees don't even have stingers, but I don't care! I'm not taking any chances. Bees, be warned: enter at your own peril!

Davison Election has 10 Candidates

According to this week's Davison Index, the Nov. City election has 10 Candidates, the largest number in years:

Mayor Fred Rappuhn has thrown his hat into the ring for another four years. Rappuhn has served as mayor for four years.

Rappuhn has some competition though, with three other candidates in the running: Jim Hansen (a former city councilman), Charles Purdy, and Fred "Mac" Fortner, who has also served on council in past years.

Mayor Pro Tem Ralph Arceo and Councilman Don Csutoras, are running for re-election. Newcomer Gordon Winther, who was choosen to fill Kevin McKague’s vacant seat on Monday June 25, has also turned in his petition.

Three other residents running for city council are Tim Bishop, Jim Hershberger and Tom Lesnock.

Future issues facing the city council include looking at building a new municipal center, continued infrastructure needs and economic development.

I'm not surprised. I think many residents are annoyed about the canopies, scheduling major downtown work just before this year's Pumpkin Festival, and the idea of a new "municipal center" (i.e., city hall and library).

Saffron Update: A Step Back

Saffron had a bit of a set-back this week. She started throwing up again Thurs, right before we went to the vet on Fri for her weekly B12 shot. She lost 5 oz. last week (which is a lot, since she only weighed 5 lb. 10 oz. before that!). The vet examined her, did a blood test, and gave her fluids, Reglan for her tummy, and her vitamin shot. The blood test showed that her liver enzymes are slowly getting worse. That could be the cause of her digestive problems. Her overall health is excellent, especially considering her age and her illness, which is why she has a good appetite and why she is doing as well as she is. The vet says I’m doing a very good job taking care of her, but I’m disappointed. I kept hoping that if I could just get some weight on her, her liver problem would improve. For now, we are going to try fluid and Reglan twice a week to see if that keeps her comfortable and helps her tummy. I’m glad she’s bright eyed, happy, and comfortable, but losing hope that she will improve. I'm thankful every day that she is comfortable and happy but afraid she won't be with us much longer. This picture is typical of her these days: resting, relaxed, happy -- and purring.

UPDATE Mon., Aug. 13: Fluids are helping. Last Fri, she weighed 5 lb. 5 oz. (and must have been pretty dehydrated); today she was 5 lb. 14 oz. and today she clearly feels better! Yesterday she wouldn't eat anything except baby food (she usually prefers her crunchy food); today she's eating everything in sight: baby food, treats, crunchy food, and our food!

Progress, At Last

I saw the sports doctor yesterday. We are both pleased with how much my tendonitis has improved. I'm done with physical therapy, only use ibuprofin for inflammation, and am doing my home exercises every day. I'm doing so well that I didn't need to schedule another follow-up appointment! I now see the sports doc on an as-needed basis. Hoo-ray!

I continue my home exercise plan and wearing my brace for another 3-4 months. It I get the faintest twinge of sharp pain, I see the sports doc again, but right now everything looks very promising!

Since typing is one of the things that makes the tendonitis worse, I asked if he had any advice for how to deal with teaching three on-line classes this fall. In addition to being as ergonomic as possible, he recommend dictation software: here's the Mac version. I ordered my copy today. He said once you get used to it, it's very efficient and he uses it all the time. I hope it's as easy as it looks! Of course, I will be blogging about it once I get my copy. :)

The Man in the Moon

What do you see when you look at the full moon? I see a friendly face smiling back down at me, but maybe I'm not seeing what everyone else is seeing.

This site has some wonderful images of How to see the man in the moon and Images seen in the Maria of the moon. Some of these images are quite complex, like these examples of the man in the moon and the moon hare:







































What I see is actually a much simpler version of the Man in the Moon. I've darkened the facial features so you can get an idea of how I see it:




















Is this what you see, or do you see something more complicated?

What Happens After Harry Potter 7

In an online chat Aug. 30, Jo Rowling told us what happened after Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows:

Summary on CNN Rowling: So you want to know what happens next?

Complete transcript on The Leaky Cauldron.

I'm glad Jo filled us in! This info, plus the Epilogue, should be enough to keep other authors from trying to "fill in the gaps" -- and it's so much better than Sir Arther Conan Doyle's Reichenbach Falls solution for dealing with Sherlock Holmes. I don't know if this will satisfy readers' desire for more Harry Potter stories, but it's good info.

Halloween Stitching

Not long ago I mentioned that I'm doing lots of little counted cross-stitch projects. Here are pictures and links to the designers. I'm also challenging myself to stitch on something other than plain old white Aida cloth, so I'm stitching each chart on the colored fabric pictured with it.

I love Meowy Halloween (I'm stitching all three and they glow in the dark!), Halloween Kitty Moon, Christmas Kitty Moon, and The Cat Did It (customize with your pet's name), all by Stitchy Kitty. I used 16 count fabric for Meowy Halloween and 14 count for everything else. This was the first time I used 16 count and I really like it! Note for non-stitchers: this refers to number of squares per inch. Each cross-stitch, which looks like a little x, is one square.























































































I found Ursala Michael's Bewitching Banner in the September issue of Cross-Stitch and Needlework and couldn't resist stitching it! (Don't they remind you of the Sorting Hat in Harry Potter? :)

This will be the first time I've used DMC Light Effects floss (fluorescent colors, but there are now more than the 2 colors pictured on the DMC site). I'm stitching this pattern on 28 count Opalescent/Raw Belfast Metallic Linen by Zweigart. The pictures don't do it justice! It's pretty with a hint of sparkle. Note for non-stichers: when using linen you stitch over two squares, so this design has 14 stitches per inch, not 28.


























Merlin Max is one chart in special series by A Kitty Katz Originals. This chart came with all the charms you can see in the picture (spiderweb, spider, "Halloween," key, witch shoes, witch head, moon and stars, and candy corn) and was the same price as most charts without charms! This is a good deal since charms can be expensive.


























I couldn't find fabric quite like that pictured with Merlin Max, so I'm using a really pretty, sparkly fabric by Laguna called Rainbow Sparkle. The picture on Herrschner's web site (click and scoll down) doesn't do it justice! It's a pastel blend of blue-ish, purple-ish colors on a light blue/gray background with sparkly rainbow metallic thread throughout. I will try to take a picture when I'm done stitching. If it shows the fabric well, I will post it here.

I don't recommend Herrschner's, by the way; I didn't spend anywhere near what they charge for Rainbow Sparkle! As always, I buy my supplies at Stitches 'n' Things in Fenton, MI. which has much better prices and service than any online site!

#$%& Ragweed!

Summer's here and the time is right for Ragweed pollen. Crap. I hate this stuff! The mold level has remained relentlessly high all summer, now there is also Ragweed. I don't need to see an allergy report to know it's here. The first clue was when I woke up earlier this week with swollen, itchy eyes -- and that's with prescription allergy medicine and central air conditioning (my friend, the big pollen filter).

SIGH. Only two more months until my friend Jack Frost shows up to kill the Ragweed. October seems unbearably far away right now.

Harry Potter Links

My friend Jason Fisher posted some cool Harry Potter links on his blog (Lingwë - Musings of a Fish) yesterday, including these Scholastic links:

Explore Cover Art: See the HP covers and deluxe covers up close.

Pronunciation Guide: Learn how to pronounce Hermione, Scrimgeur, and other unusual words — includes phonetic spelling and audio clips.

While I was exploring these sites, I noticed that Scholastic also has an HP Glossary. Who knew Scholastic has so much cool HP stuff?

Be sure to visit Jason's blog. He has lots of interesting HP entries on word origins and other linguistic topics.

Weather Radio

I bought a Midland WR 100 Weather Radio (only $30 at Kroger). I've always wanted one but had the impression you got every county in the state, not just your own. This radio was easy to program. You can set it for up to eight counties, but I set mine so I only get weather alerts for Genesee County. This radio has a battery back-up so it would be great for camping (not that I do that any more!).

According to the manual the National Weather Service sends out a weekly test message every Wed. It's text only (and the yellow light comes on) so I missed it. I guess I'll find out if the audio alert works when the next thunderstorm hits!

UPDATE: July 27.
We had a severe thunderstorm warning tonight and the alert never sounded on my weather radio! I double-checked the programming, took out the batteries and re-programmed it, and had a friend (who is familiar with weather radios) double-check it for me. Neither of us could find anything wrong. It works fine if you want to listen to a weather report any time, but doesn't give alerts, even when it's set to give alerts for all counties, not just Genesee. I'm going to return it and get my money back! If I do get another weather radio, it won't be this model and if I can find a different brand, I will buy it instead.

Festival of Flags 2007

Today is the first day of Davison's annual Festival of Flags. A parade on Main Street, an ice cream social at the fire hall, and fireworks in the park kick off the activities. For a complete schedule of everything that's happening between now and Sunday refer to The Davison Index or the Chamber of Commerce web sites.

The festival is one of the many things I like about living in a small town. My only complaint it the timing. Since it's the the Festival of Flags and Davison is the City of Flags, I think the festival should take place on an appropriate holiday, like Flag Day or Independence Day.

The Festival used to always be on Flag Day until some wimp complained that it was too cold in June to sit in the beer/entertainment tent at night. In June! That person must no longer live in Michigan if he or she think June is cold. Now the Festival is at the end of July, when it's always hot and humid. Hope the whiner is happy now that the rest of us are miserable in the hot, sticky weather!

Even if it's hot and humid, the Festival of Flags is always worth attending. I can hardly wait for Art in the Park this weekend.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

I just finished reading Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Wow! I won't post any spoilers but I was very pleased with the book. It lives up to the hype, it wraps up every loose end in the series, and is very satisfying. I especially like the climactic battle(s) and the Epilogue.

I'm just sad that it's the last book. Oh, Jo, please change your mind and write more!

Two More Days...

Just two more days until Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows! I'm so excited I can hardly wait. Muggle Net has a clock counting down the hours, minutes, and seconds to midnight Friday night/Saturday morning. (I'm surprised The Leaky Cauldron does not have a count-down, too!)

Need something to tide you over until book 7, but you've re-read books 1-6, and re-watched all the movies? Check out the Harry Potter Wiki or J. K. Rowling's web site. I expect both will be quite busy over the next few day!

Summer Vacation

I’m really enjoying my summer vacation. Every day I wake up and I think, "Wow, I don't have to go to work or grade papers today!" I really needed this break.

Yesterday I finished physical therapy for my tendonitis. I’m doing everything they tell me (a LOT less typing, daily strengthening exercises, medication, etc.) and hoping for the best. To keep away from the computer, I’ve doing lots of needlework (counted cross-stitch and needle punch) while watching DVDs and TV shows Mom or I taped during the school year, and reading.

I've also had time for several visits to my favorite needlework shop, Stitches 'n' Things, in it's new location (Fenton). God, I miss having it just a few blocks away! It's worth the drive though, since they have the best products and service in the state. It's fun to look at all the new patterns and see what everyone is working on. Of course, I've bought quite a few new patterns and all kinds of supplies.

You may be wondering why doing needlework doesn't aggravate my tendonitis. It's because I have two cool stands so I can work without holding the frame in my left hand: a floor stand for larger pieces and a lapstand for smaller pieces. (I'd link to the company but their site is down. I hope they are still in business because their products are excellent!) Right now I'm working on lots of little projects involving my favorites things to stitch: cats, Halloween, and Christmas.

The cats are great about keeping me company, especially when my husband is at work. Sophie likes to lay on my lap (when she’s not bouncing around like a kitten!) and will do so even if I’m doing needlework. She likes to get under the frame and bat at the thread! Saffron has never been very cuddly, so when she is in a cuddly mood, it’s special. She likes to stay where she can see me and some days doesn’t want to me out of her sight. On those days she even follows me to the bathroom!

I’m also working on some long-awaited research projects. I'm expanding the Frodo paper I presented at last year's Mythcon (the annual conference of The Mythopoeic Society). As part of my research I'm reading part of Christopher Tolkien’s History of Middle-earth (12 vols. of his father’s notes and drafts of everything); Vols. 6-9 are the drafts of The Lord of the Rings. I’ve found a few things that apply to my Frodo paper, but it’s just fascinating watching JRRT’s writing process and watching the story develop from the children’s-book-sequel to The Hobbit into the book we know and love. Some weird bits from the early drafts:

• Frodo’s original name was Bingo Bolger-Baggins (thank God JRRT changed that!)
  
• Aragorn was originally a Hobbit ranger called Trotter
• Treebeard was an evil giant who was responsible for Gandalf’s delayed arrival in Rivendell
• The Riders of Rohan were servants of Saruman
• Aragorn married Eowyn

Weird, eh?

Speaking of books, only a few more days until Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. I know what I'll be doing this weekend! :) I can hardly wait to see what happens, and if I guessed correctly (refer to my post on HP).

Books, Cats, Needlework ... life is good.

The Hula Chair

I recently saw a commercial for the funniest weight loss product I've ever seen: The Hula Chair! You sit and the base of the chair moves in a circle, simulating a hula dance, and no doubt leading to tight abs. I can't believe anyone would buy this thing!

For specs, video, etc. on the Hula Chair and other hilarious products, refer to Weight Loss Gadgets for the Lazy and Unmotivated.