Ah, the advantage of being in Hawaii and up in “the middle of the night” as this thread goes up.

With our two kids now “on the Mainland,” one at college [USC] and the other at her first job [NYC], it’s been a joy to have our new friends and their 5 & 8 year olds come over to swim in our pool. It’s almost like being grandparents [fortunately not that old yet!!!]: finding books, games, crafts, etc. that we did with our kids and wished we’d done more of.

My, we miss those “old days.” They do grow up [and away] so fast!!

Austin, TX is lovely today, but will get very hot. Come on down.

Jim Croce’s “Time in a Bottle” also fits my mood at the moment.

Coffee brewing….

Tanglewood live on the radio (WCRB) last evening, what more can a person want.

The zinnias have started to bloom so the yard is ablaze with color….oh and a Jenny Wren has moved into a house I built, she, and he(?) are singing up a storm

Tony Snow, former chief propagandist for the worst President in our history, has died. RIP

Tomorrow I’m off to Newport RI for a little vacation. The last few yrs we’ve gone to either Kennebunkport or Cape May for our summer getaway (or not, after my mother-in-law broke her arm and needed assisstance).
This will be my first time there and I am really looking forward to it. Of course, I should be packing right now but PUAC beckoned.

Good morning, Christy. Great Book Salon w/David Iglesias yesterday- thanks again for all FDL efforts in hosting it. Iglesias seemed like part & parcel of the FDL community from the get go in comments.

Looking forward to another great Salon w/RIchard Clarke today.

Morning everyone. Trying to decide between a healthy bowl of fiber-y cereal and skim milk or a slice of angel food cake and mixed berries this morning. *g* I should have the cereal, but the cake was really yummy last night for dessert with the berries…

Morning, Christy.

I’ll be in Austin on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, blueberries are in profusion on the Schawangunk Mtn. Picked about a quart yesterday, but didn’t have the patience to pick more.

Sounds as though you have already decided. Berries are especially good in the morning. Enjoy your visit with your nephew.

Solai – if you can sneak away for the day, try to get the ferry to Block Island. I spent two weeks every summer when I was a child there. It is beautiful..too many big expensive houses, but still a beautiful place. Go to Rodman’s Hollow if you can.

Thanks Marie — it was a great salon. He and I had a good back and forth in e-mail prior to the chat, so I knew he’d be a good discussion for all of us. There really are so many problems that it’s almost as though we need to just pick one and start from there. Any comprehensive plan couldn’t possibly hit them all at once. SIGH

Christy – throw some vanilla yoghurt on it and the guilt factor goes down. *g*. I’m off all grain products now, so cake is sort of out of the question – I have to admit, my arthritis is a lot better and I don’t have as much swelling in my feet and hands, so it seems worth it(heh, most of the time).

Blueberries will be coming in this week or next here and Famille Wollin-Wood will be out “in force” to pick, clean and freeze enough to supply us all with blueberries for the next twelve months(or less, depending on who gets to them first).

Good morning Christy. Thanks for that bit of Joni. Sometimes I forget about how much I really like her. Been buying her albums since I was younger than your nephew, and I’m older than dirt.

A gray cool morning in northern Iowa, which feels good after the heat and humidity of yesterday. We had some thunderstorms clear the air. The lilies have taken a beating, but they are still in full glorious bloom all over the garden.

Good morning and thanks Christy,
Joni Mitchell is always brings a smile to my face, used to lie around listening to her with my BFF forevah talking about way more than just boys.

Another great pleasure in life here is walking the dog, which I go do right now while the day is still cool here.

.

Tanglewood sounds wonderful — and a yard full of zinnias with a jenny wren, that’s joy, nomolos.

have a fun trip solai

woops, the DH is telling me I’ve got to scoot off to the farmers’ market to pick up our first shipment of locally raised chickens!! Woohoo. Back in a bit.

That’s right, it’s health food if you put yoghurt on it! I really like the way you think, Toby!

I’m sorry to hear about your personal grain embargo…

What made me happy this week is that I successfully dodged a bullet from the medical complex. 2 months ago my doctor, whom I see once a month for a hip injury and meds, said she detected a “nodule” on a thyroid. To which I replied “No. Not there. I don’t DO “nodules”". She pushed then for xrays, and when she told me how much that would cost, I told her “NO. Period. I don’t have insurance and won’t be a drain on my finances with that and I don’t even BELIEVE in “nodules”".

Well, this week I returned for the monthly and guess the hell what! The “nodule” was gone. She examined my throat and found NOTHING WRONG. big surprise. She was all celebrating, I was just rolling my eyes.

But I’m left to wonder about others, those who believe everything their told, how many patients did she see that day or any day who panic and run for the xray tech and medical bills and live in tense apprehension for 2 to 3 weeks, or whatever while the results come back, and they come back negative so the big sigh of relief, and the next few months or whatever struggling to pay for that joyous experience.

Had I been another person, I’d have a 3 to 5 hundred dollar bill I’d be hassling with now for nothing. I’m happy to have just said “NO.”. I suggest others be very careful of falling into anything the med professionals tell you. This would have been an outright rip off.
I knew damned well it was bogus. I’m sure for some it’s not, but this is about knowing your own body and listening to your higher self and common sense. If you’re seeing a doctor, you need to know it’s a racket and be wary.

Decided to start with a nectarine and a cuppa coffee and then figure out where to go from there…

I love old Joni Mitchel. LOVE her older stuff. Nothing wrong with the newer work, but wow.
There’s just never was anyone ever like Joni in the 60s n 70s.

Good Good Morning Christy and all other early pups.
Marie — isn’t it quite early for us Angelinos? :)
What a week! I’m working these days, but it’s a receptionist, temp thing and I’ve been lurking at the Lake pretty much all day, every day. Yes, that was a fabulous Salon yesterday. Highlight of my work day! I agree that even with one author, with one book being focused on, there are so many issues and questions. How to zero in on one aspect of the mess and discuss it? Funny how a few questions posed to Mr. Iglesias were, What are we gonna do? How do we fix this mess. I thought his answer was good. Too much for me and not enough time to spell it out here.
Go the the cake! Without a doubt. Even if it was double fudge chocolate I would got for it. Comfort breakfast, baby!

I don’t refer to docs (and lawyers and academics) as the “mafia of the intelligentsia” for no reason! The have the economic advantage of the knowledge gap, AND their customers are vulnerable.

Good for you for standing up for yourself.

Morning Christy,

Bless you for all you do.

Time alert and after thirty years past your wedding may you be blessed to see the cousins buying houses and doing shots at their weddings. It’s an amazing thing to watch this life flee by. Last weekend was blessed to see the six cousins and their chosen others for the fourth.
The yard’s calling ……

Well, here in the all-cancer, all-the-time household, we had an incredible week. David is still very ill from the last chemo cycle, so there’s that. But we switched oncologists, and have found one who listens to the very quiet David (I know, I know, how did we ever get together?! *g*), who has “heart,” who promised to work with us as a partner, AND (best part of all) who delivered the news that last week’s PET scan shows “dramatic, significant improvement” in beating back the beastie. There wasn’t a dry eye in the exam room.

So that, followed by yesterday’s wonderful conversation with David Iglesias, pretty much made my week. Booyah!

Good morning, (((((((barbara))))))).

((((((barbara & David))))))

Thanks. My doctor is nice, I’ve seen her for 4 years now. She knows me, or I thought she did. And she pulled that anyway. She’s in reality a glorified drug dealer, and I truly worry about others with all the medical lies, money to be made by scaring the beJesus out of folks.
Thanks, eCAHN.
hehe

Great news, barbara — how wonderful for you all. Having a good doctor who works with you can make all the difference. Truly. So glad you seem to have found a really good one.

glorified drug dealer

Describes many docs.

(((Barbera and David!!!)))

Too early!

(((Barbara and David)))

So happy for you, Barbara.

Did I ever tell y’all (I’m from south Minneapolis) that I love the lake and the big dogs and the pups who hang out here? I didn’t? Well, I love the lake and the big dogs and the pups who hang out here. Thanks!!!

I’m going to be interviewing Richard Berkowitz this morning, about the new edtion of his book Stayn’ Alive. About 20 years ago Richard, an S & M hustler and singer Michael Callen invented Safe Sex. Now the AIDS crisis is worse than ever and no one in the “Mainstream” press is paying even so much as the slightest bit of attention.

Here’s the lates from Noam Chomsky: It’s The Oil, Stupid!!!!

And Evelyn Keyes died.

Oh, good news Barbara and you and David. I’m glad you found a new doctor.
I’m glad you’re here — I wanted to comment on something you and I discussed a few weeks ago. I was telling you that all my children are not perfect angels and how I hadn’t seen my 20 year old so for some months. He had been totally out of touch with any of his family. He showed up a here two weeks ago, 4:30 in the am. Drunk off his butt. I can’t tell you how it felt to seem him looking like a total street urchin, skinny, dirty, scared hollow look in his eyes. Never saw him like that. Wow. He said he had a fight with his room mates and just needed His Momma. He’s been here the whole two weeks. Ask me how much he eats? He’s gained 8 pounds. We’re talking.

Mornin, Christy, pups.

Coffee in the works. The 20yo blender decided to die yesterday just at the start of the protein drink. Sure am glad I have a hand powered mixer. Not quite as smooth but waste not, want not. Hand squeezed oj this morning before coffee. Too lazy to make pancakes, French toast or waffles.

Being a history buff I was extremely interested in a discussion on Democracy Now! yesterday with author Douglas Blackmon about his book Slavery By Another Name. Don’t know if it fits in with Book Salon but I’m going to splurge and buy a copy. I was too late for Book Salon yesterday but certainly enjoyed reading the comments last night.

Berries in the morning. Yum. I remember someone saying here last week that frozen blueberries were great so they’re on my shopping list for later today. Blueberry pancakes, waffles, over French Vanilla ice cream. Wish cherries would grow here.

I hope David reads here sometimes. So many pulling for him here, for you both here.
Great you’ve found someone who will be a caring oncologist.

And that book salon yesterday. just WOW! That was awesome. How wonderful it is to have our lawyer friends in here to ask those questions. I really followed his story inparticularly, cause I live so close to NM and watch NM news (it’s a circus). But I really just care about him, and how he handled the situation was so stellar.
That was amazing, he was so gracious, and I’m so proud that whatever he came in here with, whatever he was thinking about Firedoglake and teh evil bloggers, got surely straightened out yesterday. It was just amazing and good for this site and for everyone. All the way around!

When I threw my back out last week the white coats recommended 3 different pills to get me better. Two days ago I went to my Sports therapist in Boston. I can now move around again and the pain is dissipating, no pills just exercises.

(((Barbara and David)))

Another bit of good news? Has Rove disappeared? I know he should be testifying but I’ll be happy if he just freeking disappears. No more Fox commentating, no more editorials, no more strategy meetings. But, maybe I’m not up on the latest. Has he fled the country? I’ll accept that for the time being.

It’s hazy and humid this morning in northeastern PA

In good news, I’m home on Sat. morning for the first time in awhile! Yayz!

And, my brother will be home Monday evening, after spending 5 months walking (and running) across the country on the northern route of The Longest Walk, to raise environmental awareness and promote understanding and respect of Native peoples and culture. They got into DC yesterday and — along with Harry Belafonte — delivered their message to Rep. John Conyers.

Today and Sunday, they’ll be on the Mall, with a powwow scheduled at the National Museum of the American Indian both days and concerts to follow.

He’s on a trip to Sweden — but has something scheduled with Bush next week, or so I hear. Neither he nor Luskin notified the HJC he’d be out of the country until after the fact. In my little jurisdiction, that would get you one hell of a rebuke if you failed to show and had no good reason for not notifying everyone ahead of time to make alternate arrangements. But the Beltway appears to operate in a rule free zone…SIGH

The few naturopath (right term?) MDs here are going a great business. Folks are getting tired of docs who no longer know how to diagnose and treat symptoms rather than the underlying disease. Better living through better chemistry my ass.

Ohmygosh! The universe works in strange ways, eh? Keep talking, keep talking. Okay, you already know that. I wish you well with this, demi. Estrangement with our kiddos is so painful! Got a big one going on myself right now. He’s adulted into an arch-conservative, which informs how he looks at life and judges lesser beings (read: Democrats, the poor, immigrants, environmentalists, etc.). He’s so smart and used to have a tender heart which now resembles jerky.

Hey. Great new image. Bush Republicans: The people with jerky where their hearts used to be.

And btw, read somewhere this morning that Obama is leading McBush by a few percentage points in Arizona. Woot!

I read that last week. That he’s “out of country” on a trip that was planned way before the subpoena. right.
I’m hoping it’s a good thing. You know. Like Rummy can’t go to France??
hehe
He’s too famous. Both of them. They’ll get got. It’s a matter of time.

Booyah and hurrah, Barbara and David. The beastie, the dragon, is ever present in the lives of every cancer survivor and family member, so good news is always welcome to contemplate.

Watching the loon parents introduce their fuzzy brown baby chick to we south-enders of the lake this morning. A delight!

Noting the passing of Tony Snow. He served his president ably. His president served him and those who have cancer with the kind of disdain for science and research and environmental regulations and healthcare that leaves me hoping there’s a special corner of hell waiting with a big W on the door….

fill your coffers with that, sport.

I heard Russell Means talking about this on DN yesterday. Maybe, just maybe, the Native Americans are gonna get the respect they deserve. And a better standard of living. What we’ve done to them is a disgrace.

Thankee, ma’am. I know you have struggled with the beastie, too.

But baby loons . . . ohmygosh, that’s about as tender and precious as life gets, eh?

I have a sneaking hunch that even hell won’t have W. So then what?

That’s awesome, PA_Lady! Thank you for sharing that. it’s wonderful news and GOOD on your brother.

I know that’s the official explanation but do you believe it? Any spidey-sense telling you he’s hiding?

Another fabulous cure is: ICE. Have had many sports related body glitches & ice is really a miracle cure.

Then there’s sleep.

And when all else fails, chicken soup.

The universe, she is one tricky girl, si? Actually, what I have to do is Listen. First, finding the right, few, words to get Him talking and then the patience to keep it going. That’s the deal. He’s seriously considering doing an internship with Amnesty International. He’s working on his novel. I got him to go to the dentist, twice. Nothing serious, just four years of not going. He’s an extremely intelligent and sensitive (anyone here have that serious affliction? Ha!) young man and he’s deeply troubled about our world, our politics and life in general.

Woke up, it was a Christy morning,
And the first thing that I heard
Was a song outside my window
Joni Mitchell wrote the words.

And the sun poured in like butterscotch
Laughing at my sage pretenses.
Oh won’t you stay, we’ll put on the day
And we’ll look through some picket fences.

Sitting here remembering when he was the ring bearer in our wedding, more than 15 years ago now, as a tiny little boy of two, wearing his little tuxedo, helping him tuck in his big boy white shirt right before he walked down the aisle…wearing his little sandals because he wouldn’t wear his dress shoes. And now looking at the more than six feet tall of him.

Isn’t it scary when they get big enough to tuck you under one arm?

Good morning, Christy. It’s weird but very good that I’m finally up early enough on a weekend to make the “pull up a chair” thread. And the book salon yesterday was fabulous! It’s been a good couple of days.

And there’s a fresh pot of coffee on the counter.

Back up & running?

Rove hasn’t disappeared. he’s hiding under the desk in William Kristol’s office at the NYT.

Phoenix Woman is upstairs with a new post…

So it wasn’t just me that had trouble getting to the lake this morning?

mornin’ christy and pups

chelsea morning, one of my favorite songs. still remember the first time i heard it. was shocked that someone expressed how i felt in such an exact manner……made me cry.

what have i been doing for fun? playing with camera and photoshop. just posted some lily art on my flickr page–click on my name, and click on images to see them, can’t really see them small……

just had another fun visit with friends and family…got camera tips and photoshop tips..’niece’ just graduated from mt. holyoke with honors, so, got to see her, hadn’t seen her since christmas……they’re on their way to hawaii right now for two weeks as a celebration, found a condo cheaper there than in north carolina.

musically, been hooked on two arcade fire songs….over and over…..

and the BEST FUN right now is LIGHTNING BUGS!!! my favorite thing to do is put on music and sit outside and watch the light show–only two bands haven’t ’gone with the beat’ so far, been doing this for years…….if i didn’t live where lightning bugs are i would take my vacation to sit with music on and watch the show…until you do it, you can’t imagine the magic of it..there are four or five kinds, and due to that they go with the music…….i have lots of them. magic.

Good Morning Christy and Firedogs -

(((siri))) (((barbara and david)))

Any Joni Mitchell will do anytime thanks! found this on youtube sometime back. Apparently there was a televised tribute to her several years ago – various artists performing her songs – kd lang, richard thompson, diana krall, . . . enjoy

Hey Firedogs – our selise has written an incredible diary please take a look and recommend

A little time to visit my favorite post of the week. (I especially love the recipe threads.) We are packing to head east (upstate NY) for our annual summer visit and are more than ready to get out of the SF fog which is back this morning. This is the first summer visit without my mom who passed away last fall after a long battle with Alzheimer’s. So this will be the first time in many years that we can be more spontaneous with my dad–and my boys (9 & 12) will like that we can pick up and go fishing whenever! I have been thinking of my mom a lot in anticipation of the trip and actually feel like the grief and sadness have gone and the missing her/thinking of her moments actually bring a sense of joy and connectedness to her. Anyway–we are listening to and watching a lot of Flight of the Conchords. Our FAVORITE show. Here is our favorite song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmHTXiNNO48

I just got this when I pulled up FDL:

http://software-traffic.com/go.php?id=2523

No, it wasn’t. I’ve only now been able to get in.

Things that made me happy this week? Not so much. Well, it is lovely to look out at the cloud-wreathed mountains, and see the grass starting to grow and the bushes flowering. And since I enjoy watching thunderstorms, the light-shows have been a wonder.

But otherwise, it’s been all bad news, all the time.

*claps* And we’re back!

SouthernDragon: It was Dennis Banks, but yes, I certainly hope so.

siri: I love to brag on him. LOL Poor guy’s been carrying the whole family with him on this trip. The rest of us would have loved to be there, but had that whole work-and-family thing going.

Sorry folks, my Joni Mitchell parody must have killed the server! =-/

Hi everyone!

This is what I listen to when I really need to laugh. It always works.

Smothers Brothers

No way, unless it gave the server too much of a good time :->

Good morning, Christy, and waving to everyone. Well, half the town is under precautionary evacuation here, but the firefighters are doing a terrific job. Have been reading from The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying by Sogyal Rinpoche. Not considered “fun” reading but then meditation intensives are a party to me.

John Adams isn’t available yet, so I’ve been catching clips on Youtube.

Good news: I heard the Medicare bill passed with Senator Kennedy casting the vote that broke the filibuster. The Dems aren’t completely useless. Give credit where credit is due. lol

I’ve got John Adams in my Netflix que. Can’t wait to see it.

Oops, you’re right. I should know better.

Site went into the usual Sat morn coma so I did a water change for my aquarium at work. Come back, and voila!

Belated Good Morning Afternoon Wonderful Dawgs.

Site unavailable all morn, and now we have thunder looming.

Was it something I said? heh. Seriously, whatever I said yestidie, please just file it if you don’t like it. I get rattled when the Lake’s roiled up by internal storming. If we don’t stick together and keep talking, no matter how anxious the times or how strongly we disagree, all is lost. The rest of the world surely has appeared to forget how to think and negogiate for the betterment of all.

Luvs u guys.

(((Barbara and David)))

(((Demi and sonny)))

(((Christy))). Would you please come bake at our house? All the scrumptions sounding creations that come outta your oven. I don’t know how you do it!?! And YES. I keep telling you guys at the Lake, grown-up “kids” are just as heart-warming, in their way, as the little sprites like Peanut; the interplay between the ages – priceless I’m sure.

From your lips to God’s ear…………….

I had tried to post this before the goof. Because it is an important conversation. This week, I have a friend with a just diagnosed thyroid nodule who has had the opposite, very bad report. Just saying, be careful and cautious. This person got checked and tested pretty quickly, but he is spending the weekend trying to plot treatment. Very bad and very sad news.

RevBev, I am so sorry to hear about your friend.

We are fortunate in this household to have insurance, and a good doc. When I had some problems not too long ago, he IMMEDIATELY ordered a blood test for thyroid function, just to make sure. I’m fine. The danger is real, especially in this unregulated, privatized world of ours.

How many people lack the luxury of insurance and a good doctor? I shudder to think. But I’ll keep backing the congresscritters and organizations that work for full coverage at an adequate level, for ALL.

BlueAmer purists may quibble, but I personally always add the name of Senator Sherrod Brown (D- OH) to the list of GOOD GUYS on health and welfare, as well as environmental issues. Apparently, he also kinda likes the 4th amendment just as it is was, fwiw.

p.s., sorry for late post, but several of those crazy non-global-warming storms finally spelled doom for our local electrical insulators, sigh.

(((Bermuda residents)))