We could almost pay for college for Ryan at a private university with it!
Check out this fun site!
http://www.kokogiak.com/megapenny/default.asp
Tuesday, November 22, 2005
Wednesday, November 16, 2005
Interesting news articles today
A lady who participates in a forum I am a member of for MDDS was featured in these articles in the UK today. She was featured in her local paper (Manchester Evening News) yesterday, and then the national papers picked the story up today. She is hoping that getting some national attention (in the UK anyway) will get more doctors or researchers interested in finding a treatment or cure for this yucky stuff. I consider myself very fortunate after reading her articles in that mine typically only lasts a month or so at a time, but the experiences and emotions she described when seeking her diagnosis as well as the way I feel many days are the same. I'm not suicidal, don't worry, but I can't imagine having this for four years!
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/11/16/nsea16.xml
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=368808&in_page_id=1770
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/11/16/nsea16.xml
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=368808&in_page_id=1770
More from the "Right" Coast
My friend told me she was enjoying my postings about the Right Coast, so I thought I'd write more. I've never heard it called that. Have I been sleeping? One of the things I always enjoy doing when I travel is, as you know, taking lots of pictures. It is one of the especially fun things for me when I am wandering around alone because I know I'm not slowing anyone else down when I take the same shot 10 times to get it "just right." Todd was really patient with me in Newport, RI last Friday when we walked up and down the beautiful avenues where many people built "summer cottages" around the turn of the century (18th to 19th, that is!). I was going for that just right picture of the famed fall foliage. It was difficult because for some reason, the East Coast decided to stay green this year! There were just enough gorgeous trees and vines in dramatic shades of red, yellow, and orange to keep me busy, though. Another thing I like to do with photos is to capture smaller details of well-known locations. You should have seen me taking pictures of doorknobs and banisters this past spring at the capitol building in Austin. So, this time, I did manage to do that a bit and thought I'd show you some of those things. One of my favorite places on this trip was Salem, in spite of the train ride and resulting equilibrium issues.
I visited the House of the Seven Gables, which is directly across from the little house where Nathaniel Hawthorne was born, although apparently his birth house was originally located a few blocks away and moved to the current location in 1958. The setting for the book of the same name was obviously the House of the Seven Gables, and it was really amazing to walk through these houses that were constructed hundreds of years ago. I read The Scarlet Letter in high school, but never read the Seven Gables book. I bought a copy from the gift shop on the property (which by the way is in a house built in 1655!!) and started to read it last week. I was pleasantly surprised at how interesting it was after struggling a little with the other in high school. Imagine the look on my face, though, when I finished page 10 and went to the top of page 11 to continue and realized it had skipped to about page 252!! I went back and forth a few times to be sure my eyes weren't playing more tricks on me than usual. Sure enough, it skipped about 240 pages, went almost to the end of the book, then started back up at page 43 and to the end again. Pages 11 through 42 were completely missing.
I was really starting to think this whole trip to Salem was not such a good thing. I did visit the Salem Witch Museum, and it was somewhat interesting and sobering to hear about the history and stories of the false accusations leading to many people's deaths, but it was far too commercial. I was starting to wonder if all the warnings about Salem were true and I should have stayed away, though, between my mysterious health problem reappearing and this issue with the book! I'm smarter than that, though. :) I called the gift shop yesterday and they apologized and said they had gotten several calls about that particular edition and would be happy to send me a new one. I told them it gave me a good laugh. I'm hanging onto that book in case it becomes a collector's item!
So, here are some pictures of Salem and of the House of the Seven Gables and Nathaniel Hawthorne's birthplace from my perspective. I'll include a few photos of each in entirety, too, in case you've never been there! The charcoal colored house is Seven Gables; the red one is Hawthorne's birth place. Some of the shots of his birthplace are taken from the little "counting house" which is down a short path. This little building is apparently where the sea captains over the years conducted their business. Or something like that…you can learn more about all that at http://www.7gables.org/ if you'd like!
I visited the House of the Seven Gables, which is directly across from the little house where Nathaniel Hawthorne was born, although apparently his birth house was originally located a few blocks away and moved to the current location in 1958. The setting for the book of the same name was obviously the House of the Seven Gables, and it was really amazing to walk through these houses that were constructed hundreds of years ago. I read The Scarlet Letter in high school, but never read the Seven Gables book. I bought a copy from the gift shop on the property (which by the way is in a house built in 1655!!) and started to read it last week. I was pleasantly surprised at how interesting it was after struggling a little with the other in high school. Imagine the look on my face, though, when I finished page 10 and went to the top of page 11 to continue and realized it had skipped to about page 252!! I went back and forth a few times to be sure my eyes weren't playing more tricks on me than usual. Sure enough, it skipped about 240 pages, went almost to the end of the book, then started back up at page 43 and to the end again. Pages 11 through 42 were completely missing.
I was really starting to think this whole trip to Salem was not such a good thing. I did visit the Salem Witch Museum, and it was somewhat interesting and sobering to hear about the history and stories of the false accusations leading to many people's deaths, but it was far too commercial. I was starting to wonder if all the warnings about Salem were true and I should have stayed away, though, between my mysterious health problem reappearing and this issue with the book! I'm smarter than that, though. :) I called the gift shop yesterday and they apologized and said they had gotten several calls about that particular edition and would be happy to send me a new one. I told them it gave me a good laugh. I'm hanging onto that book in case it becomes a collector's item!
So, here are some pictures of Salem and of the House of the Seven Gables and Nathaniel Hawthorne's birthplace from my perspective. I'll include a few photos of each in entirety, too, in case you've never been there! The charcoal colored house is Seven Gables; the red one is Hawthorne's birth place. Some of the shots of his birthplace are taken from the little "counting house" which is down a short path. This little building is apparently where the sea captains over the years conducted their business. Or something like that…you can learn more about all that at http://www.7gables.org/ if you'd like!
Friday, November 11, 2005
Happy Veterinarians Day
Kristen had to be at school a little early today. They were going to march out and gather around the flagpole and sing a song because it was veterinarians day at school. I thought that was a little odd, but thought nothing more of it. They have special guests sometimes. Later she mentioned she was supposed to wear red, white, and blue. I still thought nothing more of it until I overheard her discussing it with Emilie again this morning. Emilie said, "Do you mean VETERANS Day?"
So, Happy Veterinarians Day to ya.
I mean to post more about my Boston/Newport trip, but haven't felt much like it this week. I am working on some albums of the millions of photos I took on Photo Bucket and will post a link when they are finished. Lots of nature and architecture pics because I was alone most of the week.
It's been a weird week for a few reasons:
1) I have a hole in my laptop computer and nobody's confessing. Yes, a small chunk of the corner of the case is missing and nobody remembers picking it up and dropping it, or dropping something on it to cause this slightly larger than pea-sized hole. My kids are generally pretty honest and so I'm having to give the benefit of the doubt and believe the elves did it. Only other thing I can think of is it was already cracked somehow and the piece just fell out overnight.
2) My goofy equilibrium problem that I get after travel sometimes is back. It hit after I rode the commuter train to Salem last week (I didn't get to go with the companions group after all...long story...my life would be much better at the moment if I had!). It is extremely exhausting and frustrating. So, if you know me and love me, please pray for me that it will pass soon. Ask me how I'm feeling sometimes and let me tell you for a few minutes. I won't dump on you for too long, but it sure helps to talk about it a little. Even though there's nothing you can really do but pray, it helps me feel I can keep going because you care. :)
3) My son turned 17 and that makes me feel strangely mature. He is a lot of fun to talk to right now and I am very proud of him. He has lots of decisions to make about his future--college, etc.--and I am thankful that he wants to include me in those conversations. I love it that we can listen to music together and both like it! We are definitely cut from the same mental cloth, although there are definite natural variations in the weave, as those little tags say that come on certain pieces of new clothing. He may find that scary. :) He has some big dreams, and I hope that I will be the one who says, "Sure, you can!" and not, "There's no way."
Have a good one (you know, a good Veterinarians Day). Stop by and read Heather's blog. She wrote a very sweet post about her little addiction that made me weepy!
So, Happy Veterinarians Day to ya.
I mean to post more about my Boston/Newport trip, but haven't felt much like it this week. I am working on some albums of the millions of photos I took on Photo Bucket and will post a link when they are finished. Lots of nature and architecture pics because I was alone most of the week.
It's been a weird week for a few reasons:
1) I have a hole in my laptop computer and nobody's confessing. Yes, a small chunk of the corner of the case is missing and nobody remembers picking it up and dropping it, or dropping something on it to cause this slightly larger than pea-sized hole. My kids are generally pretty honest and so I'm having to give the benefit of the doubt and believe the elves did it. Only other thing I can think of is it was already cracked somehow and the piece just fell out overnight.
2) My goofy equilibrium problem that I get after travel sometimes is back. It hit after I rode the commuter train to Salem last week (I didn't get to go with the companions group after all...long story...my life would be much better at the moment if I had!). It is extremely exhausting and frustrating. So, if you know me and love me, please pray for me that it will pass soon. Ask me how I'm feeling sometimes and let me tell you for a few minutes. I won't dump on you for too long, but it sure helps to talk about it a little. Even though there's nothing you can really do but pray, it helps me feel I can keep going because you care. :)
3) My son turned 17 and that makes me feel strangely mature. He is a lot of fun to talk to right now and I am very proud of him. He has lots of decisions to make about his future--college, etc.--and I am thankful that he wants to include me in those conversations. I love it that we can listen to music together and both like it! We are definitely cut from the same mental cloth, although there are definite natural variations in the weave, as those little tags say that come on certain pieces of new clothing. He may find that scary. :) He has some big dreams, and I hope that I will be the one who says, "Sure, you can!" and not, "There's no way."
Have a good one (you know, a good Veterinarians Day). Stop by and read Heather's blog. She wrote a very sweet post about her little addiction that made me weepy!
Thursday, November 03, 2005
I've walked.
I have walked more in the last few days that I have walked since...well, Toronto! I think more, though! They don't call this the "City that Walks" for nothin'. I've done lots of touristy things and hopefully some more off the beaten path things and it's been fun! I rode a subway (The T) back and forth several times the other day attempting to get to Concord to see Orchard House, where Louisa May Alcott wrote Little Women, but never got there. I went to the wrong stop first, then went back, then was going to board the commuter train out there, then decided I didn't have time, so got back on the T and ended up at Harvard, where I wandered for a few hours! See train picture below!
Yesterday, I rode a trolley and got off near "Old Ironsides" (see another pic!), then walked up to Bunker Hill, and then walked UP the monument--all 294 steps! I thought I was pretty much going to die, or at least pass out, by the time I got up there. Even scrawny guys who said they were in shape were huffing and puffing, so I felt pretty good!
I decided if I moved to the Boston area, I'd have to live in the neighborhood where Bunker Hill is--Charlestown. It is a peaceful, "quaint" little area. Lots of pretty townhomes with all kinds of cool decorations on the stoops, and quiet! They have these weird little short doors on the lower levels...I'm still wondering about those.
Well, I'm off to Salem today with a bunch of women. I am spending this one day with the "companion" program for Todd's conference instead of alone.
Yesterday, I rode a trolley and got off near "Old Ironsides" (see another pic!), then walked up to Bunker Hill, and then walked UP the monument--all 294 steps! I thought I was pretty much going to die, or at least pass out, by the time I got up there. Even scrawny guys who said they were in shape were huffing and puffing, so I felt pretty good!
I decided if I moved to the Boston area, I'd have to live in the neighborhood where Bunker Hill is--Charlestown. It is a peaceful, "quaint" little area. Lots of pretty townhomes with all kinds of cool decorations on the stoops, and quiet! They have these weird little short doors on the lower levels...I'm still wondering about those.
Well, I'm off to Salem today with a bunch of women. I am spending this one day with the "companion" program for Todd's conference instead of alone.
Tuesday, November 01, 2005
My feet hurt.
I'm in Boston this week and mean to be posting lots of little anecdotes and incredible pictures, but I'm too tired! I have been trying to make mental note of things overheard while wandering around Boston (I'm mainly sight-seeing alone while Todd's in a conference).
Overheard Monday at the Boston Aquarium:
"Wheah's that shahk?"
Yes, folks, that's a real live shark. Click on it to see it bigger, but not nearly as big as it looked in real life swimming up to the window! The older man with the strong NY accent voiced what we were all thinking!
Overheard on Boston Common:
"You just need to find a girlfriend..." said the preppy college girl in plaid skirt as she stood and rounded the corner where I was taking a break on the monument on the hill, leaving some poor guy in her wake. I wonder what he looked like. She was obviously wishing he'd find HER from the little smile on her face as she walked self-consciously away from him...I had the advantage of seeing her from the front from my vantage point! Wow, that sky was blue!
More later!
Overheard Monday at the Boston Aquarium:
"Wheah's that shahk?"
Yes, folks, that's a real live shark. Click on it to see it bigger, but not nearly as big as it looked in real life swimming up to the window! The older man with the strong NY accent voiced what we were all thinking!
Overheard on Boston Common:
"You just need to find a girlfriend..." said the preppy college girl in plaid skirt as she stood and rounded the corner where I was taking a break on the monument on the hill, leaving some poor guy in her wake. I wonder what he looked like. She was obviously wishing he'd find HER from the little smile on her face as she walked self-consciously away from him...I had the advantage of seeing her from the front from my vantage point! Wow, that sky was blue!
More later!
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