-Ma to you and your family, Maria. And procedure ma to you, typo.

I took Clio to the vet today because she's been chewing the hair off her feet. I was convinced - CONVINCED!- it was a stress response to Oz being a jerk to her, but no! she's actually sick. She's got an ear infection (she's also been scratching one ear a lot), and her blood result indicate a allergic response to something. So eardrops and antihistamines for now. If it persists, the vet want to look at maybe hormonal causes...thyroid or diabetes.

The high today was supposed to be 93. It was 98. It's 96 right now. Tomorrow's is 95. I'm wondering if we'll break 100.

My ac units have been running top speed all day. It's working, thank god, but pretty sure that this is as good as it gets.

After running around earlier, I took an hourlong nap to diffuse the headache that had developed. I don't think it was the heat (I was barely IN the heat and stayed well hydrated) but the awful air quality.

Picking away at the clutter. It's very cleaning-resistant. Thank God there's a MSCL marathon on Sundance. Angela's mom and dad just got audited, Grateful Dead tickets are in dispute, and Patty just said to Graham, "She adores you. And I have dibs on her silent contempt."

No amount of evil clutter can make this a bad afternoon when I'm spending it with the Chases.

But, more than anything, I just want to say how awed I am by how much you care for these girls. I read your post with a tear in my eyes, wishing someone like you had been in my life when I was that age. It is a gift that you care so much, and a testament to the kind of person you are.

Thank you so much, bonny. I have to admit, I'm feeling quite proprietary about these girls. They're MY girls. I love them and while I know I haven't given them my best or my all this year and I could have done better, I have enjoyed every single minute I've spent with them. I keep reminding myself that if they stick with it through high school, which a lot of them have said that they wanted to, I'll get them back in middle school.

But still, they will always be my girls, no matter who their leader is. And L is amazing and fantastic and will give those girls her absolute best and will be an amazing leader. I have no doubt. I'm just as upset about losing her as I am about the girls.

Uh, defending the US? I should be more precise--defending a US that refuses to completely stigmatize and/or punish homosexuality. At least, that's how I read their protest of soldiers' funerals.

But this was in Joplin, not at soldiers funerals.

The Phelps group are energy creatures. Don't try to make sense of it.

I know, I know.

I'm looking for the best mixture to get the funk out of my roller derby gear. I've tried a mixture of vinegar and water and let them air dry. I'm wondering if Nature's Miracle might work--and smell a bit better than the vinegar.

I've heard vodka and water would work as well.

I'm pretty sure taking my gear out of the bag every time and letting air out is probably worth the effort, tool.

Anyone else have any tricks I might try?

I'm looking for the best mixture to get the funk out of my roller derby gear.

For stuff you can wash and rinse, Arm and Hammer Washing Soda. It'll probably be with things like Borax in the laundry aisle.

For things like skates, I think stuffing in a cheesecloth or mesh bag full of activated charcoal would do a lot to suck up the stench.

I've been more productive this weekend than I'd planned. I've cleaned most of the things including my desktop computer, shopped for clothes, ironed my new dresses, sorted through some of what's in my closet to toss or donate to charity, gotten groceries, done laundry and the dishes, paid the credit card, made hotel reservations and started researching for the next set of hotel reservations, uploaded stuff I'd promised to friends, filed paperwork, answered some email, taken out the garbage, tossed some things from the refrigerator and freezer that needed to go, and made plans to see the new X-Men movie.

I think I'll kick back, eat a large amount of the curry I just made, and watch After the Thin Man.

Let's see. Living room, dining room, kitchen, guest room, guest bath, master bath, deck all done. Master bedroom half done. Laundry just about done, but not put away. Files being transferred from backup drive. People messaged on facebook. Closet still needs cleared for summer housesitter. Recylables, kennel, car, all tomorrow. Guests arriving in about 15 minutes. Yeah, I'm not making it. But I did pretty well. Hopefully tomorrow's car repairs won't take that long and I can finish the financials then. And then finish the house and the packing tomorrow.

but I do have my original ipod, which I think is original generation, or maybe Gen 2. I can't get itunes to update it, and the display doesn't really work, but it lives in my kitchen, on speakers, which is great for when I am cooking.

I have every iPod that didn't absolutely die still.

One, in the dock in my bathroom can only be accessed with the remote. It works because I don't have to worry about the steam damaging it. It's already basically a zombie. Can't update it. Click wheel sometimes clicks, never will do the spinny thing. But it still works. A little. Why would I just trash it?

Two, 'Trick, lives in my car because there's a cable and it runs through my stereo all out of sight. Sometimes 'Trick gets to travel if I forget to grab the home iPod before I leave.

Final is the home iPod. Mostly in the dock in the living room. Goes on walks. Travels. The gym if I am not doing a yoga class.

I'd still like a small one for walks and stuff. But not enough to buy or ask for it.

Yep. I sniff the stem end to find ones that actually smell like mango, then bring them home to ripen. Even so, I feel quite sure I'm missing out on some magical mango flavor.

I sniff all fruit, I think. If it doesn't smell like x, no way it'll taste like x. Unless they are something I can't think of a fragrance for, like avocados. But those have gentle squeeze tests. I still think I also just have better luck than most for TJ's produce. Living in Oregon doesn't hurt either.

uploaded stuff

I am currently downloading stuff from you. Funny.