Archive | August 2005

It takes a natural disaster to bring this family together

Aug31

Last time I talked to my grandmother before Katrina arrived on land: July 4, 2005.

Last time I talked to my cousin Laura before Katrina devastated the area where she was doing her graduate studies: December 25, 2004.

Last time I talked to my cousin Jessica before Katrina went through the path that I thought she was taking to drive my cousin Laura: also December 25, 2004.

Last time I talked to my mom before Katrina just missed her on the gulf coast of Florida which was devastated last year: I don’t even remember, sometime this summer…

I talked to my gram on Friday to ask about my cousins then talked to everyone else today. My grandmother lives in the Northeast and is the matriarch so always knows the status of all family members across the globe, hence my call to her about my cousins instead of calling my aunt or uncle. I do try my hardest to find the good in the very worst of situations, and this is what I am taking away – reconnection with family.

PS – If you have money to spare, that’s what is needed now.

There’s nothing funny or smart to say…

Aug31

…when people are still waiting to hear from their loved ones who lived in the path of Katrina. Natural disaster happens, but we always think/hope it doesn’t happen to us.

BTW, I have a doctor’s appointment tomorrow. My husband is convinced it’s just stress.

Maman might be right

Aug30

I searched Google for diabetes symptoms and found this list from the American Diabetes Association:

  • Frequent urination
  • Excessive thirst
  • Extreme hunger
  • Unusual weight loss
  • Increased fatigue
  • Irritability
  • Blurry vision

In my mind, I have all of these. So, I took the short test online and:
db

No one in my family has it, but I’ll be sure to get the test done at my next visit. And, I will call my doctor tomorrow, really!

I’m not sure why, but…

Aug29

I’ve lost so much weight this summer (without trying) that I weigh the same as on my wedding day. I should probably report that to my doctor. I’ve never had an easy time losing weight. Hmm.

Rock that shit homie*

Aug29

So, I am driving my co-workers (one male, one female) from H-E-L-L back to our office at 6ish tonight and I have the radio tuned to a top 40 station with a “hip hop” song playing. I’d call it more hip pop, but whatever. Male co-worker asks me if I like hip hop and I say I do. He tells me that he recently was at a high school event where “the kids were scratching, do you know what that is?” and I’m thinking “yah, I know what scratching used to be, but maybe it’s been reinvented into something new” and then he tells me “it’s where they play a record and – ” *hand movement back and forth to signal air scratching* I…look at him and think, “where the hell have you been for the last 20 years?” but I just smile and say, “oh, neat!”

Is scratching not commonly known? Granted, he grew up in Kansas, but…um…I think people in Kansas know what scratching is too. Right?? (And, just for the sake of anyone who doesn’t know what it is but would like to, here’s Scratching 101.)

*De La Soul as hip hop:

Cool breeze
Rock that shit homie
Rock
Lyte as a
Rock
A a a a a as a rock
Cool breeze
Rockin’ it rockin’ it
Rock
You gotta rock it
Keep on rockin’
Rock’s the best
Rockin’ music
Cool breeze
The king
Of rock’n'roll
Rock rock
This world for you
King Adrock
Rock those bells
I want
Body body rock body body rock
You are now rockin’ with the best
I put this together to
Rock the house
Michael?
“I wanna”
Rock!
“With you”

Overstating the obvious

Aug28

12:45pm EST
If you live in New Orleans you should be evacuated by now. That includes you, Laura Jean. Get out.

top.kat.animate.0945

Katrina is a category 5 hurricane and is heading straight for you, with projected 28 ft. waves. I realize that a similar scenario occurred last year and New Orleans was spared while Alabama was ravaged, but why be stupid and tempt fate?

9:45pm EST
Katrina is getting much, much closer:
kat2

Moxiegrrrl linked to a page of New Orleans webcams. There are a few webcams still working (as of this moment):

(Another webcam actually has a “recorded” message saying the webcam is down because of Katrina.)

Spectacular garden

Aug28

I was a little disappointed that we didn’t have many good garden photos for you today, but then we went out to a restaurant that had some nice landscaping and to the perennial greenhouse to window shop. The only picture in the garden set that is from our garden is the strawberry, but we hope to own some of the other flowers in this set sometime this week.

hibiscus

By the way, the hibiscus pictured as well as each of the other hibiscuses in the set is the size of my hand. Really.