For Adults (or, actually, for cat owners of any age), courtesy my sister:
Wake Up!
For Kids (or the immature childlike of any age):
That’s about the size of it
Also, this is pretty damn funny.
For Adults (or, actually, for cat owners of any age), courtesy my sister:
Wake Up!
For Kids (or the immature childlike of any age):
That’s about the size of it
Also, this is pretty damn funny.
So Mr. Squab just started a new job at a new design firm (he’s a graphic designer). The main reason he left his old firm, where he had a lot of fabulous coworkers, was that they consistently proved themselves unable to pay him adequately for the work they gave him to do. After almost five years, neither his professional pride nor our ever-dwindling bank account could take it, so he moved to this new firm, who’s paying him about 20% more for the exact same position. The ironic/sucky part is that while the switch was made primarily for financial reasons, the timing of the move and the weirdness of payroll conventions means that we’re extremely short of funds, in this, the giving season. Have I mentioned that there are 6 birthdays in my immediate family at the end of November and begining of December, in addition to the holidays? Maybe Mr. Squab can design some really nice looking IOUs. Oy.
Comments Off on Ironic, or just sucky?
Posted in trials and tribulations, updates
Well. This may just have solidified my decision as to whom I’ll vote for in the upcoming primaries. (I admit I was leaning in that direction, anyway.) Check it:
Manchester, NH – Today, Senator John Edwards outlined his bold policies for a more family-friendly America with universal paid family and medical leave, universal pre-kindergarten for four-year-olds, more affordable care for other children and job benefits for independent workers. Among the most significant policy proposals of the Edwards plan is for at least eight weeks of paid family and medical leave that will help American workers balance their jobs and their families.
If you can stand the PR-speak, check out the whole press release. Universal paid leave and Pre-K + subsidized childcare = music to my ears. And should be music to everyone’s ears, of course, since those little rugrats will one day be deciding how nice your nursing home care is. Among other things. I’m not super confident that Edwards will get the nod, but policies like this make it pretty easy for me to give him my vote.
Comments Off on Primary Decisions
Posted in current events
This post is just … look: if you are a plus-sized woman, or you have one in your life, you need to read this. I almost don’t want to pull a quote so you’ll go read the whole thing, but:
Because, you see, the Fantasy of Being Thin is not just about becoming small enough to be perceived as more acceptable. It is about becoming an entirely different person – one with far more courage, confidence, and luck than the fat you has. It’s not just, “When I’m thin, I’ll look good in a bathing suit”; it’s “When I’m thin, I will be the kind of person who struts down the beach in a bikini, making men weep.”
Oh, yes. Check and check. The comments are really good, too, especially this one, which beautifully articulates why it’s so damn, damn hard to let go of the fantasy.
Comments Off on The stupid fantasy
Posted in weighty matters
I don’t know what’s gotten into me lately, but I just do not have anything blogworthy to say. Everything I can think of sounds so boring it puts ME to sleep, so I can only imagine the soporific effect it would have on my beloved readers. (You heard me: soporific. Just because I’m at home with a 19-month-old doesn’t mean I can’t use unnecessarily large words, dammit.) Random tidbits from the last few days:
– I just finished re-reading Jane Eyre. It’s still really good, in case you were wondering. Also, Jane and Mr. Rochester were a lot flirtier than I remembered. Like, holy badinage, Batman. (You heard me: badinage. Look it up!)
– Even though we had 8 people for Thanksgiving and a not-huge turkey we still have So. Many. Leftovers. Anyone have any good, easy recipes for quart bags full of dark meat and a metric ton of cornbread dressing?
– After going on a bit of a nap-strike last week, yesterday the Hatchling took two 2.5-hour-long naps. That’s FIVE HOURS I had to myself. Please don’t hurt me, other moms reading this.
– Whose idea was it for there to be merely a month between Thanksgiving and Christmas? Because I have a few choice words I would like to share with them. Words like, “Are you a fucking idiot?!?“
– Um, that is all. See? Booooooring.
Comments Off on Blah, blah, blah
Posted in random tidbits
Nine-year-old nephew, on getting ruthlessly laser-blasted as he makes his way through the new Simpsons video game:
“Dude. That does not bode well.”
Me: Did you just say ‘that does not bode well?’
Nephew: Yeah.
Me: Gimme five, dude.
Nephew (too cool for it, but complying): Why?
Me: Because I just don’t think many nine-year-olds would use that phrase.
Comments Off on Quote of the Day
Posted in kidstuff, random tidbits
OK, it’s the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, yo, and we’re hosting this year, so there is NO TIME for blogging, but I had to drop in and post this, because: PIGTAILS!
You have noooooo idea how long I’ve waited for the Hatchling to have enough hair for pigtails. Well, ok, actually, you do. THIS long.
What cooler way can there be of teaching kids the alphabet than making up extremely catchy songs about the different letters? These are two of the best, IMO.
Lonely Letter N
Capital I
With the weather getting colder I get the urge to get in the kitchen more often, and between epicurious.com and blogs like the smitten kitchen (not to mention the subscription to Bon Appétit my lovely mother-in-law got me) I have plenty of inspirations for new things to try. Last week I made this crazy yummy soup that is definitely going into our regular rotation of meals. It’s simple to make and the sausage gives it a fabulous flavor. Also, as Deb notes, it’s funny to say. Sausage soup. Heheheheh.
Sweet Potato and Sausage Soup
adapted from Bon Appétit, October 2007
Makes 8 servings
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 10- to 11-ounce fully cooked chorizo sausage, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
2 medium onions, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, minced
2 large yams, peeled, quartered lengthwise, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
6-7 small red-skinned potatoes, halved lengthwise, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
5 cups low-salt chicken broth
1 cup white wine
1 can white beans, rinsed and drained
1 bag fresh spinach
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add sausage; cook until brown, stirring often, about 8 minutes. Transfer sausage to paper towels to drain. Add onions and garlic to pot and cook until translucent, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Add all potatoes and cook until beginning to soften, stirring often, about 12 minutes. Add broth and wine; bring to boil, scraping up browned bits. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until potatoes are soft, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. Using potato masher, mash some of potatoes in pot. Add browned sausage and white beans to soup. Stir in spinach and simmer just until wilted, about 5 minutes. Stir in remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Season with salt and pepper. Divide among bowls and serve.
Comments Off on Thursday Recipe Blogging: Holy Yum!
Posted in Comestibles
Things that are not fun: going to the MOA this evening to buy Mr. Squab some much-needed shoes with an extremely crank-ass toddler in tow. She didn’t want to be carried, no she DID want to be carried WHY AREN’T YOU CARRYING HER? Just let her run in the shoe aisles, that’s all she ever wanted to do, except the shoe aisles SUCK, Jesus Christ just let her out into the MALL, ok fine, then, she will just sit on the floor and cry. Now are you happy?
This behavior lasted right up until we’d gotten the check for our hastily consumed supper, at which point the Hatchling decided all she needed in this world was a ballpoint pen and the receipt to draw on, and happily spent about 10 minutes intensely scribbling on the tiny piece of paper. Because by that point, of course, we were too exhausted to make her stop before she was ready. (“Boo boo, are you ready to go?” “NO.” Scribble, scribble, scribble. “Do you want to go home and see the kitties?” “Nononono.”)
When we were finally back in the car, nothing would do but that Mama had to sing songs all the way home. Mama, of course, is still getting over her stinky cold and has a dry hacking cough that makes repeated renditions of “I’ve Been Working on the Railroad” (a perennial favorite) somewhat trying. So Mr. Squab decided to “help” by providing some back up singing/commentary that did indeed add a little je ne sais quoi to the ditty. See for yourself:
I’ve been working on the railroad (toot! toot! toot!)
All the livelong day (clank! clank!)
I’ve been working on the railroad
Just to pass the time away (pass the time!)
Can’t you hear the whistle blowing? (toot! toot! toot!)
Rise up so early in the morn! (Man, it’s early!)
Can’t you hear the captain calling: (whoo! woo!)
Dinah, blow your horn! (Blow it, Dinah!)
Dinah won’t you blow, (blow!)
Dinah won’t you blow, (blow!)
Dinah won’t you blow your horn? (toot!)
Dinah won’t you blow, (come on!)
Dinah won’t you blow, (pretty please?)
Dinah won’t you blow your horn? (blow it goooood.)
Someone’s in the kitchen with Dinah (who is it?)
Someone’s in the kitchen I know-oh-oh-oh (who can it be?)
Someone’s in the kitchen with Dinah (but who?)
Strumming on the old banjo, and singing
Fee, fie, fiddly-eye-oh (that’s a weird song)
Fee fie fiddly-eye oh-oh-oh-oh (seriously, that’s weird)
Fee, fie, fiddly-eye-oh (why not use words?)
Strumming on the old banjo. (WHO ARE YOU?!?!)
It’s kind of hard to sing when you’re having a fit of the giggles, I tell you what.