What to blog, what to blog... oh the choices!

Well, let's talk about blood (fits in with guts & don'tcha like the color choice today?)  First of all, I am job hunting and I noticed an advert for a phlebotomist.  No problem, except that it mentioned that for qualifications, knowing how to draw blood was not necessary.  That's just what I would want when I went to the lab for tests, someone who hadn't learned to draw blood practicing on me!

So, yesterday I went to donate blood.  There is a young lady in our town that had an accident and has had a few surgeries and this was an opportunity to help her out.  So I walked in and said, "I have been deferred for a couple of years because of low iron - so I'm wondering if I could get my iron level checked before I have to wait in line."

The answer was no and I had to wait for 40 minutes before my iron level was checked.  It's a good thing that my iron level was OK.  Which really suprised me since I have been deferred so many times the last few years for low iron.

While filling out the information sheet, I noticed that the Red Cross is very interested in not only MY sexual history, but all my partners as well.  Perverts!  At least I didn't have to tell them the postions we use. 

At the bottom of the infomation paper is marked in large letters, "CONFIDENTIAL, DO NOT SHOW ANYONE!"  I find this very funny.  First of all, I have to show the people whom I hand the thing out to.  Secondly if I really want to, why couldn't I show whomever I wanted?  It is MY confidential information to share with whomever I wish.

Being that I have to be contrary wherever I go it was no suprise that my blood didn't want to be drawn.  In the beginning, the nurse could not hit my rolling veins and then my blood did not want to flow fast enough for the comfort of the machinary.  I kept setting off the dumb alarm. 

Despite the setback, I was able to actually get my 1 gallon pin yesterday.  Having been on the verge of donating a gallon, and being deferred frequently, this was exciting to me.

The last bit of blood was when I got home.  Our lil' Winnie-dog had puppies!  She had a very hard time of it, as the pups were large (she is tiny) and breech.  One was still born out of three.  There is one black male and one black female that survived and mother and babes are doing well.
 

The word for the day is viscera 1. The internal organs of the body esp. those contained within the abdominal and thoracic cavities. 

IOW - guts.

Chaotic Theory: this is where my life (as most mothers' lives must be) is chaotic despite any careful planning to keep crap from happening.  I think it has something to do with a butterfly somewhere half way around the world.  Every morning, for example, is tending to all the children, dogs, cats, chickens, ducks, and other birds.  I seriously doubt that anyone can do that without chaos.  (The reason only the previous birds are mentioned by type is because they are the noisiest.  Quail and pheasant are quiet.)  The noises start with the roosters around 3AM.  It has something to do with the idea roosters have that they need to 'crow' to show how great they are.  My old dog takes up around 5AM with whining.  I must say that the morning goes down hill from there.

Today's word is brought to you because I was butchering chickens for the freezer.  There is nothing like being elbow deep in guts to think about great words like viscera.  My visceral feeling about all of this is that butchering poultry puts me in a thoughtful mood.  Being that it is such a dreadful job one must be thoughtful to make it bearable.  Eating of another animal lifeform gains a whole different dimension when one has to work with the animal before it becomes a package like the one simply picked up in a store - just ask a fisherman.  Birds are a dirty smelly job.  It is usually a very chaotic chore.  Planning tends to stand at the sidelines and watch you while you work with all sorts of unexpected stuff coming up.  Not the least of which is when a chicken escapes before realizing that it is dead.  That is always a mess - and still not as bad as the plucking and cleaning part.

Updated: I'm here to add that I just enjoyed a roast chicken dinner the likes I have never seen!  Not only was the chicken organic (& mine!) but we had fresh local corn on the cob, portabello mushrooms & wildrice stuffing.  Since I eat like this but once in a blue moon, I simply had to have Ben & Jerry's ice cream to top it off (don'tcha know!)  I may not be able to move for a week now   Chaos thy name be YUM this time!

Just a foot note, I decided this entry is not chicken shit so I could put it in... but it is chicken feed !

That is, until I can come up with a readable blog.  This chicken
shit that I have been spewing is so bad that punishment is the only
option.  I sincerely apologize.

Eye patch problem, SOLVED!

Plus there is an added benefit of her not being able to talk my ear off anymore.

    So, in addition to acting this very small part
(ironic since I take the longest to get made-up) I also helped build
the set, apply others make-up, sewed the costumes, and was backstage
manager.

Two of the costumes I built

    Actually because of all the above, not only
was I very tired, I also got sick.  I guess lack of sleep coupled
with stress is a good conduit for illness.  Suprise, suprise.
    The first week of our production went very
well.  The audience stood to applaud before the whole cast came
out for bows.  The folks who play John Proctor and his wife
Elizabeth Proctor had people in tears.  Everyone, however, was
excellent.
    Next weekend we do our final public
performances.  After that we may have some shows to take to area
high-schools in the Autumn.

I have loads of fun stories about the black teeth.  Maybe if Fleenie dances the funky chicken for us I'll tell them to you. 

Since my elder daughter is at camp, and since she is due a bedroom
makeover, Frank and I have been redecorating her room.  Before she
left Misha picked out some really cute mural wallpaper border that has
realistic cats and dogs in cartoon settings.

But if you want to see the close-ups, here are the links: dog wallpaper border
and cat wallpaper border

Coming soon:  pictures of Shari (whoever that is!) in full make-up & costume!  This is production week, so I'm off all the time - not that this is something unusual.

While a picture is worth a thousand words, the picture in the previous entry hasn't told even a portion of the real story.  At the specialist pediatric eye-doctor (and there is only one in the whole state) it was decided that an eye patch for a mere hour a day to improve her 'lazy' eye was not going to help.  On to patching all day.  So, with tongue in cheek, I give you the story behind patching ALL DAY LONG for four weeks. 

Day 1:  The doctor's office has given us two ideas to make patching more fun.  First we'll get stickers and put them on the eye patches and second, we'll make a scrap book of all the patches she's worn.  I've also told her that she'll get a prize when her book fills up.  There is excitement on all fronts... for about 10 minutes.  Realization that an eye patch won't be fun despite the decorative stickers purchased hits hard. 

Day 2:  Eye patch put on upon waking.  There is still some enthusiasm since putting stickers on patches to decorate them is still colorful and interesting.  We take an extra half hour for each errand as Seeta must explain to anyone within hearing distance that she is wearing this to make her eye strong.  This is followed by my interpreting for the lucky 'victim'

Day 3:  Eye patch put on only 1/2 hour after breakfast... oops, let's not forget this thing here!  Some kitty stickers found on back of a chair.  Patch replaced three times within the day.  Those suckers just don't want to stay on!  Either that or someone is sneakily pulling them off to peek (but of course not our girl!)

Day 4:  Much like Day 3.  Fun design eye patches found on-line (oooooh I absolutely love the internet) and purchased.

Day 5:  Loads of attempts to 'peek out' have been foiled (curses!)  Extra tape is purchased and dire threats are given out hourly.

Day 8:  Able to remember to apply patch before lunch time.  Four weeks of decorative stickers used up.  Dad wears eye patch in sympathy (which is especially funny since the junior size only just covers his eye and the 1/2 inch thick of Winnie the Pooh stickers makes him look like a freak.)

Day 10:  Half box of eye patches found 'decorating'  the bedroom door and wall behind the bed.  The supposed month's supply of patches must now be replenished.

Day 14:  Eye patch generally applied before 3 PM.  This event followed by a major temper tantrum from both mother and child.  Father generally found hiding in garage.

Day 17:  Largest dog knocks himself out after running into the door.  Eye patches found glued into facial fur.

Days 20 to 28:  Eye patch forgotten and family happy again.

Day 30:  Visit to eye doctor reveals treatment to ineffective and blinding drops are recommended.

Now, remember that we haven't actually been through days 10 thru 30, but let's just say that I can see the writing on the wall.