From The Mommybot

Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Found in Fertilizer

Society's Experiment:Look at All These Poisons in Your Blood!

Hospital Aquired Superbug Infections Soar in Newborns

Does Your Sunscreen Work?

Our Deputy Secretary of the USDA Doesn't Know what a Family Versus a Factory Farm Is

OCA's Position on the New House Food Safety Bill

Preservatives In Meat Linked to Dementia

Top 12 Food Additives You Should Remove From Your Diet

------------

On a happier note, I'm going to pick wild cherries and serviceberries on public land here, probably early Sunday.  I have a veteran's stand-down to attend tomorrow, to hopefully get some shoes and some medical tests.

--Moony

see more Lolcats and funny pictures

Can anyone suggest a food processor that's cheap but has a powerful enough motor to actually DO its job?  The Cuisinart hand blender that I got for Christmas SUCKS at making pesto because the motor isn't powerful enough to drive the blades in the food processor attachment.  I had to use my manual blender to grind some of it down, then throw it in a bowl and try and use the blender attachment which didn't work very well, either, but managed to do the job enough that I could just hand mix in the nutritional yeast, plus I had to cut up the garlic because the blender couldn't do THAT either.  I've only used it three times, twice for soup, at which its just okay.

I'm sure this isn't terribly coherent, but I was looking forward to making the pesto.  As it is, I left out the kale because I was too annoyed by just trying to blend the basil and garlic.

--Moony

Looks like yesterdays storm and transformer blows only mangled my computer's speakers.  It wasn't a complete blackout, as there was still a little bit of power, and it fried something in them but not my machine.  They're still useable if I don't mind white noise and/or a loud hum if I turn it up more than a quarter.

Seems, tho, that the oven of my creepy retarded upstairs neighbor's stove was a victim, tho, and the manager had to look at it.  I heard while they were looking at it (the door was open) that it was now working.  I might have to warn the manager that he used to break things in his apartment to get the attention of the previous manager's girlfriend, who was the maintenance person. 

Thunderstorms this afternoon, too.  I've been really sleepy, but since I started my period that's par for the course.

--Moony

I did yard work today,  Remember that bush that was overgrowing my sweetie potato?  Well, I got permission from my manager (who's only too happy to have people volunteer for such things because HUD isn't paying for a maintenance person) and hacked the bush down to half with some equipment borrowed from a neighbor up the street who likes to help my manager out.  Its no longer blocking most of the sunlight from my 'tato.  I also pulled most of the suckers off the vining bush on the other side, at my manager's request.  It doesn't look as good anymore, but it also isn't sending vines over the lawn.

Was good I did it in the morning, too, 'cause a nasty thunderstorm rolled through this afternoon, including hail.  It didn't damage my plants too badly if at all.  It nearly took out my computer, tho, when 5 transformers blew.

The borage has joined the plants on the back porch, because I just don't like how its doing out front.  It might need to be out of direct all day sunlight.  The spinach went into shock yesterday after the one was transplanted out of the pot, and they were both in various stages of bolting, so I cut them both down and put the leaves in my lettuce keeper in my fridge.  Even wilted they can be used in a pesto.  The stems and pending seeds I'm not sure what I'm going to do with just yet, so they're lying in the borage's pot.  I also cut three of the kale and the top half of all four basil plants to add to the pesto.  Funny plant communication thing - the basil were going 'Pick me!  Pick me! Pick me!' until I told them they were all being trimmed and thus contributing.  They were excited.  Plants are such little givers! :)

I'm tired and dirty, and don't know if I'll get to the pesto tonight.  I am making half whole wheat, half buckwheat bread in my maker.  Hope it turns out well.

--Moony

Not that there's anything wrong with spinach, I like spinach.

However when supposed local 'experts' at a Master Gardeners swap meet tell me I'm buying green beans, I expect them to be green beans!

One of my 'green bean' plants sent up a flower stalk and still had no vines, so.I finally decided to ask on GardenWeb if anyone actually knew what they were, since they obviously weren't turning into what I recognize as bean plants any time soon.
The second plant that was in there, the same kind of plant minus flower stalk, has been transplanted out of there into another, slightly larger pot.
I will be making pesto with at least one of them, and some of the kale, and the basil which are getting big.  And I DID get to eat the first snow pea of the season!

But not green beans. :/

--Moony

Well, now there's a third reason for me to not go to Pizza Hut anytime soon.  I don't want to be reminded of a giant yellow-green slug, or a pile of slimy pizza that ate himself to death, while noshing pepperoni.

The others being that I'm losing my taste for overcheesed pizza and the fact that there literally isn't one within a hundred miles of me.  Even in Canada.

--Moony

When you simply MUST burn your bridges by flaming all the idiots on the forums you're leaving!

Goodbye everyone, IS THIS A GOOD ENOUGH CUT FOR ALL YOU HATERS???? I THOUGHT THIS COMMUNITY WAS FULL OF LOVE BUT I SEE THEY ARE FULL OF HATERS AND PEOPLE WHO JUST COMMENT, JUST TO INSULT A FELLOW MEMBER. If I were a hacker, I swear to Goddess you people and your stupid forum would be down tonight and never come back. I hope all you fat cows die. I will never post here again.

Note: everything in italics IS A JOKE. :D

Tho it is no joke that I actually DID something similar several years ago, but more civil and directed at one forum owner mainly.

--Moony

Elder's Meditation of the Day - July 2
"If I destroy you, I destroy myself. If I honor you, I honor myself."
--Hunbatz Men, MAYAN

It is said, when we need love the most is when we deserve it the least.
Whenever I have secret thoughts about someone else, it will put bad
feelings inside myself. I will hurt myself. If I secretly hold a grudge
or resentment against my brother or sister, I will be a slave to that
person until I let them go. Let me remember to look at my brother in a
sacred manner. Today, let me think like a Warrior. Let my thoughts
toward my brothers and sisters be good thoughts. Let me remember that
You are in charge. If I get upset at another person today, let me
remember that the most important thing I can do is to first talk to You
because when I am right with You, it is impossible to be out of harmony
with my brothers and sisters.

/My Creator, take my hand and guide me through today. /

--Moony

Madeline finally got to go outside, then got to go on a walk because she had Serious Exploring Biznez to conduct.  Part of that included looking like she was going to use the lawn as a toilet, so I dragged her back to the apartment 'cause picking up cat poop on the lawn was not part of the deal.  Then we sat outside and chatted with the neighbors and frightened her scaredeycat dog just by being within 10 feet of him.

We went in when the mosquitos became too much.  The bats still haven't returned.  I fear that they've died off.

--Moony

That's what I keep telling Madeline - along with 'the sprinkler is going', and 'I have to clean this stuff out on the porch' but she's still yowling to be put out on her tether.  So she climbed to the highest point she could get to to watch all the action she wasn't getting in on - on top of my 'new' sewing machine.

I also needed to go to the secondhand consignment store, then the organic store for a couple things I forgot.  Took my wicker hamper and some art to sell - two of them mine (a giclee print of 'Wings of Love' and the original for my hippocampus from my one and only male portfolio), the rest ones I'd gotten at auctions.  I figure this will be the best month and certainly the best weekend for selling stuff there.  I'd have taken more of my inked drawings, but I didn't have mylar sleeves or anything else to protect them.  I also sold my white wicker bathroom cabinet thingy (just like the one seen in the 6th season of Buffy!) - or I will as soon as my manager brings me the $25 I'm charging for it.  I found a VHS copy of All the Marbles there, too - hee!  Cheesy fun 70's/early 80's films - win!

I might think about organizing a yard sale for my building for the weekend of my town's big shindig, since the art show that was in our common room isn't going to happen this year (the former manager's baby it was).  Shouldn't be too hard, I would think.

--Moony

I've been grumpy today, for no particular reason.  Well, aside from the notice I got that the DVD I ordered yesterday at 10 am that the eBay auction stated the seller had over 800 of right at that time...is on backorder.  If I don't get a message that its shipped in the next few days I'm going to demand my money back so I can buy one from someone honest enough to actually update their dutch auction properly.  Sure, its the 30th anniversary edition of The Wiz and a really bad time to be trying to buy anything associated with Michael Jackson...but I seriously doubt that 800+ other people suddenly ALL decided to buy from them AT THAT EXACT SECOND AFTER WAITING FOR THREE DAYS.  Grump.

In other news...

Finally got my storage bill paid, and got a PO Box address to send further payments to since catching the guy at his gas station has been hit or miss.  Met, more or less, a new neighbor and her grandkids, and had it indeed confirmed that my building manager is staying...and let her know I am glad of it because she's doing a good job. :)

--Moony

Today was Money Day, so I decided to take myself across the border to Nelson, BC.  There are a few things I can get more readily at their organic market like buckwheat flour and Lime Mate air freshener, and I just like it.  Had a very nice lunch at the Redfish Grill, and did some walking, and some shopping in the heat.  Picked up more frankincense oil finally, and popcorn toppings.

On the way back, I found out that I could bring stuff like milk, butter, and cheese across the border with no problem...and for some reason beef is now okay.  I just can't bring any meat from lambs or goats.  Ummm...yeah.  But its nice to know that next time I go up there I can bring a cooler and stock up on organic butter that's cheaper than down here.

My car didn't really do so well on the trip, tho.  It did alright, but I could tell it was struggling with shifting on the hilly roads, and it 'bumped' a few times.

And I'm thinking I'm going to have to postpone my dental visit again.  The Veterans Stand Down that will be the weekend after this one is more important - they're offering free shoes among other things (free lunch, too!) so maybe I can replace my sneakers.  And I might get a health screening.  A Lavender Fest is in the same area - I won't be able to afford anything, but it will be a nice little side trip.

--Moony

I Haz Peppers!

One is an inch long, another is just starting to pop out of the blossom, and there are a total of 3 other blossoms and 10 other buds-that-will-be-blossoms-then-peppers. :)  I should be eatin' 'em by the end of July!

Also, the marigold has finally put out a bud.  I hope it will be a glorious mane of flowers by August.

The kale is getting large - I'll have to harvest leaves in the next day or so.  But oddly its not crinkled like its parent plant.  The dill has gained three feet, and is budding.  I finally cut down one of the big honking plants that I can't identify in the in-ground bed, cut the spent blossoms off the peonies (which appears to be done blooming for the year already for some reason), and cut down one columbine so the thyme and rosemary can have some sun.  The thyme had huge, spindly branches out into the sun that I cut and dried as well.

Progress pictures will be taken some time this week. :)  Too bad I don't have a good enough camera to take pictures of the tiny pepper!

--Moony

I finally got the will up to listen to Thriller...only to find that the only copy of mine I *could* find is a copy of the CD...

...that's going kaput. :(

Now I'll have to replace it.

--Moony

I went to Spokane yesterday.  Ingested some BK on the way to my appointment.  Then a shake I won and then a Mt. Dew Game Fuel (red) on the way home.

Then I made some Betty Crocker brownies, and ate about 40% of them.  When I could have made them from scratch and thus healthier.  And I ate the rest today.

I have no wonder as to why I want to vomit now. :P :P :P

--Moony

Back in this entry, I posted what I had received.from the Cloud Foundation a couple weeks ago.  Shortly after receiving it, I decided to forward it to the several hosts of Coast to Coast.  Only one answered, George Knapp, who told me he was going to work up a story on it for the Las Vegas station he works for during the week, and shortly thereafter he contacted the Foundation.

Today, I got this in the Coast to Coast newsletter:

Sunday, June 28, 2009: Legendary oil and gas executive T. Boone Pickens will join George Knapp in the first hour to lay out his groundbreaking plan to stop America's dependence on foreign oil. His wife, Madeleine Pickens will join the show, along with horse advocate Jerry Reynoldson, to discuss their quest to save thirty-thousand wild horses by building a wild horse sanctuary.


Now millions of people across the world will hear about the BLM's most current plans, as its bound to come up. :)

I did also forward it to my Representative and one of my Senators to see what they say and where they stand...the Senator's email bounced, and the Rep hasn't replied at all. :P

--Zhora

Journalist Files Charges Against WHO and the UN for Bioterrorism and Intent to Commit Mass Murder

--Moony

Dangit, the bloody rain hasn't stopped AT ALL today...I wanted to go to my storage unit and cover everything with plastic and see if I can find my microshredder thingy that my parents gave me for Christmas but I couldn't for the life of me find last night when I needed to shred some nutmeg for a 'dutch baby' (good, but too much!).  I know I've used it once, just don't know where I put it afterward!  Argh!  I could drive my car, but its pointless to drive three blocks if I'm not bringing anything big or heavy back.  When I talked to my dad yesterday, he said that their side of the state had gone huge stretches of days without rain - quite unusual for the western side of Washington State.  Since we're having a much much wetter than usual month, I think we stole all the rain! ;)

I moved my peas to the back porch so they can dry out a little, tho the marigold seemed perfectly fine with the huge amount of rain...and the sweet potato will just have to take it.  Seems to have stopped growing for now, tho.  The Minicor carrots are loving it, they've grown into a huge bunch that I keep having to adjust the netting over now.  I don't see any carrots poking out just yet, tho.  The Purple Dragons aren't getting any because they're still wet from last month's multiple waterings (have to keep them that way when they're sprouting and their bucket has no hole) and I 'm keeping them under the porch roof, but I did give them a little rainwater just now from the bucket that catches water off the pepper.  They were kind of disappointed they weren't getting any.

--Moony

Industrial Farming is Giving Us Less Nutritious Food

Dead Baby Penguins Wash Up in Brazil

The Return of DDT

March of the Rich 'Eco' Tourists

--Moony