Feeds are up and running!

So, you may or may not have noticed this, but the news blurb part of Crochet Pages is no longer something that I need to constantly update and change and re-upload et cetera, et cetera. I've got it fixed, by way of FeedBurner, to update with new blog posts now. This way, you guys get a more current glimpse of what I'm up to, and when I do post site related news to Other Pages it will automatically post on to Crochet Pages, without me typing it twice or playing the copy/paste/repeat game.

On the subject of Crochet Pages related news, the laptop is still not working and I still don't have my files from it either. This new patterns every month thing will happen, I swear!

Lots of Zeros

Apparently, Google has now logged 1 Trillion unique URLs on the web. So that makes me, 1 in a Trillion, or more correctly, between Crochet Pages and here, several in a Trillion, it's like multiple personalities, but without the psycho therapy. ;-)

Aw, shit! or You'll never guess what I did now.

So, I was waiting to post this until I had pictures, I figured the evidence would be appreciated, but as I just discovered that the battery pack for my digital camera has gone bad and I'm currently waiting for the dryer to finish so Hubby doesn't have to go to work pantless tomorrow, I figured, "Heck, what better time to post this story?"

Last weekend, after I spend a day feeling, well, quite sick, actually, we decided that it was finally time to put the air conditioner in the dining room window.

Now, if you've never installed a window air conditioner, there's a few things you need to know.
1) They're really friggin' heavy.
2) The bastards don't have anything resembling handles or a piece you should hold it by.
3) It's really, really awkward to put something out a window and then slam the window shut on it so it doesn't fall out.


If you've never seen my house, there's a few things you should know.
1) My dining room is on the 1st floor, but the window is still about 6 feet off the ground.
2) The sidewalk leading to the basement door runs along that side of the house.
3) The basement door is one of those outside slanted kind with steps under it.


If you have seen my house, you probably know where this is leading already.


Anyway, Carl wrestled the a/c unit up from the basement and then we proceeded with the suck-tastic job of actually putting it in the window. It went really well, sat right into the window frame, pulled the window, started adjusting the little accordion thingys on the sides to close up the extra space around it.

Then Carl noticed that lip on the window frame was on the wrong side of the thing on the bottom of the a/c. And here is the part where we should have communicated a little better.

I thought that I was only helping him guide the thing back into place. He thought I was actually holding on to it tight enough to support the weight. Then he let go.

And the air conditioner tore right out of my hands and FELL OUT THE WINDOW!

Now, remember the part about the slanted basement door? That door is right below that window. And for a brief moment, it was right below the falling air conditioner.

The good news is, when the a/c hit the door is bounced slightly and sort of rolled onto the sidewalk, no harm done. The bad news is, the door didn't fair so well.

The thing is, the door is, correction, was, old beadboard plywood. When the a/c hit, it cracked along one of the grooves, almost the whole length of the door.

And that's not even the best part. Replacing it is a pretty big project, not huge, but most of a day. The problem is, due to a coworker of mine being on vacation, Carl and I have not been home at the same time long enough to fix it yet.

Here is the best part. We've had 3 thunderstorms since the door broke. I never thought I'd be glad for that nasty old drain in my basement floor.

A couple of points.

First and foremost, no more physical therapy! I do have to continue with the exercises and I have another follow up with the orthopedic in 3 months, but otherwise that's it. Brace as needed and back to real life!

Also picked up She & Him: Volume One today. Now, I'm not particularly impressed with Zooey Deschanel as an actor, but I do have to say, this CD is great! Talk about a surprise find. It had gotten a pretty good review in Rolling Stone, but I always take that with a grain of salt, because RS gives glowing reviews to a lot of stuff I would never listen to - let alone buy - simply because I tend to avoid Hip Hop, Electronica, Industrial and that kind of stuff.

This is really good though. Folksy, bluesy, mostly originals. There's a somewhat uninspiring cover of "You Really Got a Hold on Me" but really, even that isn't bad, it's just a little more laidback than what I think of when I think of that song. The cover of "I Should Have Known Better" is pretty good, too. Although, I have to day, with all honesty, I greatly prefer the original stuff.

"Why Do You Let Me Stay Here?" and "I Thought I Saw Your Face Today" are definitely favorites. And a surprise inclusion of "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" was certainly appreciated. I've always loved that songs ability to be anything from a funeral dirge to a big band-style dance number. I'll probably listen to this until I've driven everyone around me crazy, like I did when I bought Minnie Driver's latest CD. (Which was incredible!)

Also, I've discovered that Jardinains 2 is out! If you got even the slightest kick out of games like "Super Breakout" or any of the other Breakout clones, definitely check it out. I haven't gotten the chance to play this edition, but original is great. As with the original, there's a free edition and one with a price tag that's got some extras and bonuses.

If you haven't heard of Jardinains before, the best way to sum it up is this: breakout, populated by foul-tempered garden gnomes. They throw flower pots at your paddle, dance to the music, and just generally make the game hilarious. (The original Jardinains features a sped up, cartoonish version of "In the Hall of the Mountain King" as background music.)

Go check it out, and if you have more money that I do, spring for the paid version. If it's half as good as the first game, it'll be well worth it.

Photos of beach cake and Lisa's party!

First things first, this is why I wore a different shirt home from Lisa's that what I wore to get there. A-Treat black cherry exploded on me.

I twisted the cap heard the little hiss, waited a second and then as I started to loosen the cap the rest of the way... *FSSSSZT* Soda everywhere. On the floor, the microwave, the fridge.




Dave playing with Lyam. Yes, Dave has managed to park his butt in a chair built for toddlers.




The little monkey likes to be upside down, who am I to deny him that?




A shot of the cake. Lisa's own private beach, complete with a poorly built, half-finished sand castle.




Another shot of the cake. It didn't photograph well, but there's edible glitter in the water.




A close up of sand in the little bucket, and to the left of that, if you look closely there's a little footprint. (Which also didn't show up very well in the photos.)

It's been quiet, or Nothing Rant-worthy has been happening.

Well, work's been ok, physical therapy is going pretty well, the wedding present is almost done, Lisa's cake was a hit, but nothing terribly exciting is happening. I try to at least post something pretty regularly, but there really hasn't been much to say.

So, I'm an award winning artist.

Ok, it wasn't a big award or anything, but one of my dolls won 1st Prize and a little local fair. I got my prize money check the other day. $5!