Blarg.

I feel like this bear looks- getting up and moving is just too much trouble, ya know?

I dunno if I'm still crashed from the trip (I'd think I'd have bounced back by now) but I'm still sleeping a lot, and on days that I go to the pool I spend the rest of the day zoned out. And Wanda says that it's taking me longer to bounce back. I have an appt with Dr Becher in a couple of weeks- I'll have to see if she has any illuminating thoughts...

Tuesday Larry and I walked down to the Cup and Saucer only to find that they've cut back their hours and close at 3. So we walked the rest of the way down to Kennedy School McMenamin's and got a bite to eat there. We got there about 5:30, which was perfect, because at 6 it filled up. That place is way too popular. We came back here and worked upstairs for awhile. Larry is finally down to hemming his new undertunic. I'm fringing the ends of a new Frankish mantle- a black one. I should see if I can get some black silk for a veil too.

Not much else happening- Wanda comes home Friday afternoon. I plan to day-trip to Dragons Mist Defender Tourney on Saturday- they're holding a wake for Ciarain in the evening. Sunday we have tentative plans for brunch. Be nice to see the gang again.

Oh- and a judge in a US District court just ruled that Congress can indeed force White House aides to testify under subpoena, that there is no case law that supports their claims of immunity. Heh. I wanna see the marshals drag Karl Rove in. He won't go quietly, I'm sure...

Well, off to make some muffins- the last of the frozen cranberries! * sob! *

Sooooo tired!

I'm home, but barely moving. Wanda and I went to breakfast at the Cameo, but I am surprised that I managed to stay awake! Drank plenty of tea, but after we got home I went back to bed, and slept for about 2 1/2 hours. And still sleepy...

The reunion was great. Far too many Klaassens in the same place (noisy!), and far too many pastors in one place- it was a miracle that anyone could get a word in edgewise! Lots of singing, lots of pictures, and too much food. I'm going to regret the last one there.

Houston is BIG. Lots of sprawl. Lots of really BIG vehicles, and the drivers are insane! Sooo glad I wasn't driving anywhere- I was terrified just being a passenger! Barbara and I went to a import place Friday before I left, and it was BIG too! I almost bought a hairpiece, but the one I wanted was out in my color. :-( I did get myself some earrings and a Dem donkey pin, and Wanda a necklace. Barbara bought me a lovely bracelet with deep green stones.

We had lunch with James' sister Barb in Tulsa before we left. It was so good to see her! And then we had a hard time finding the way into the airport again. Just barely all got onto our flight. Getting Ahmed the Terrorist (Dad) through security was, er, amusing. :-) Poor Barbara had to sit next to someone who was really rude to her. But we got back to Houston and retrieved Dad's van (and then braved the Houston traffic) without a whole lot of hassle. And my flight out on Friday was ok- I was the very last one on, and they closed the door behind me. Wand got in from Chicago just before I got in, and we got some food before we came home. Very, very nice to be in my own bed at home!

News just came in a little bit ago- my friend Gunthar won Ansteorra Crown Tourney! W00t! I'm going to make them something really pretty for their reign. :-)

But first, some more sleep...

Hot enough for you?

Ok- I just had half a page done on this post, and it disappeared. So I'm starting over. Arg.

Hot. Hot. HOT. About 100 outside right now. Houston was in the upper 90s when I got there Sunday afternoon. It is very FLAT. There's some trees in the residential section but not much otherwise. Most of the houses in Houston appear to be made of brick (they don't get the regular small tremblors like we get in Oregon). Everyone has A/C, which is good since it's hot...

Oklahoma has some very low, rolling hills, some pecan trees, scrub oak, and white pine. Except the trees, everything is shades of brown. And it's hot here too. I went out to go to the pool at 9 am and it was well over 80 even then.

The family has rented several cabins/houses and there's kids everywhere. And this is really alarming- I'm not one of the 'young ones' anymore. Oh oh oh oh, that smarts!

The aunties are fun. I'd forgotten how much I'd liked them.

I've been eating too much- tasty, mostly picnic food so far. And I'm almost out of tea already.

Dad has been bragging about how cool James is. Heh. Got him fooled, don't we? :-D

Had very bad news Sunday evening. Ciarain Clain Ferta had a fatal heart attack early Sunday morning. Everyone is in shock. Pretty horrible. I'm hoping that I'm home in time for a service if they have one.

Interesting thing- flying to Houston, I noticed that a lot of the fields are planted/watered in big circles. So much of the fly-over country looks like a Twister board!

I'm off to try to reduce the pile (324 messages) in my mailbox. :-P And then is time for a nap.

...I'm leaving, on a jet plane...

Well, I finished the last of the sewing after breakfast this morning, and packed my bags. I think I have enough clothes- I hope. Hard to know since I don't really know what we're doing for the next few days. If nothing else fails I have a brick-,er, book in my bag, and I can go curl up with it. Or nap...

Packed my swimsuit, and hopefully I'll get a chance to use it, since I'm missing class here. And maybe I'll get some sun. (Weeeeellll, that might not be so good, since I burn at the drop of a neckline...) But a few days out of the house will probably be good for me. And I don't have to set up and take down camp to do it!

I'm contemplating going to DMDT, and haven't decided whether I was to day-trip or camp. Probably day-trip, and save my energy (and $$$) to do Summits Coronet in September. It's in Corvaria, so day-tripping is out of the question. But it'll be the end of the season, and maybe be a nice finish to it. Be interesting to see who wins- especially since that will be the Coronet that is sitting when 12th Night rolls around, and 12th Night will be in Adiantum.

I think I'll go catch a nap. I wonder if they've started winding up that big rubber band yet?...

We're in for a Bumpy Ride!

Yeah, that's Harry on the Knight Bus, and I'm feeling more than a bit jostled myself. Gotta mind when the shrunken head says to hang on!...

I saw the new shrink today- they finally found a replacement for Anna. He reminds me so much of Ulfred I was having a hard time paying attention. Anyway, we're going to draw down some of the meds and see about getting a better handle on them. Which is what I was hoping to hear, frankly. So life may be a bit difficult while we're doing so- not like it's been easy of late...

Status is pretty well normal: I'm broke (mostly because I'm a dork), I'm feeling crummy (serious arthritis flare-up), I'm whiny (no thanks to you, Phil Gramm!), and lonely (because I haven't seen a Certain Someone since May)... A bowl of ice cream helps, but that brings other issues along with it . So I try not to indulge too much.

Pool felt really good this morning, but I was having a really hard time moving- so stiff that when someone asked if I was ok, I clenched my jaw and muttered "MMMMMBPHoilcanMMBMBPH..." (after the Tin Man, you know). Always nice to make someone else laugh.

I mailed off a package to Annie yesterday- I can hardly wait for her to get it, and see who's inside. :-)

Sigh.

The depression has welled up a bit again- the 800lb gorilla can't be ignored anymore. He'd been pretty quiet- enough that I could just work around him, but he's getting testy and threatening to break furniture... and I'm having a lot of trouble sleeping.

Lifeworks finally hired a replacement for Anna, and I have an appointment next week. Maybe tweaking the meds will help. However, I'm really sick of the meds and had been hoping to taper off on some of them, because they're messing with the rest of the body.

Sometimes life just sucks.

I finished the brown gown- turned out pretty nicely, and I plan to wear it to the Picnic in the Park event next weekend. In the meantime, I'm madly working on clothes to take to Tulsa, as I have not got any summer clothes ans it's likely to be hot and humid, unlike Oregon where it's likely to be 65 and dripping- unless it's one of the three day in the year that it's over 80 degrees...

Been collecting up stuff to send to Annie- kind of a belated birthday present. I was going to send her the toolbox, but it weighs a ton and I'm pretty sure that I can't afford the shipping. But I found some other stuff to send. Probably so that this coming week if I can find a box.

In the meantime, I think I'll have to invest in some bananas...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANNIE!

Oh my goodness- she's 24! How can that be possible? Seems like just yesterday she was sitting in a box, eating popsicles with her brother...

(Ok, the picture is of Zazu Pitts, but honest- looks just like Annie!)

I have a 24-year-old daughter.

I am ooooollldddd. :-P

Saturday Claire came over and we watched videos and sewed and I got the sari-embellished dress nearly done. Sunday we went to Goodwill after brunch and I found two lengths of very nice blue wool- one sort of a cadet blue, and the other Summits blue. (I'm thinking of maybe making a Christine de Pisan dress.) And then I slept through the afternoon.

Got a little more of the car unloaded- I have the serving dishes and some misc stuff left. Might get them emptied later today.

Got a call from Akiko yesterday- they finally hired a replacement for Anna Anderson, and I'm seeing him next week. Glad to have someone to monitor meds.

The fambily reunion is looming closer- and I am trying to arrange to see James' sister Barb while I'm in Tulsa. It sounds like Dad has us scheduled pretty tight, but we have time on the last day so I might get to see her then.

I am old. Next thing you know, these kids of mine will be getting married. Wait, that's already in De Planz! Aaaahhhh!!!