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I was awakened at 6:45ish this morning by a loud scream and then a stream of profanity. I woke up, listened for a moment, and then grinned and went back to sleep.
It appears that Fred found the cup I left upside-down on the floor last night. When he picked it up, he found the big-ass spider I’d covered with it.
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From my comments:
I don’t get playboy. Did they print your letter exactly as you wrote it or did they pick and choose from what you wrote? I once wrote a letter to one of my favorite magazines and they cut and pasted my letter and made me look like a complete jackass. I hope that didn’t happen to you; although, if it did, i know you’d raise enough hell to make them think twice about doing that again!
They did some editing, but kept the spirit of the piece. Of course, the question is, will I really show my mother a letter I wrote to a national publication, wherein I used the words “plastic fuck dolls”? You can read what they published of the letter I sent, over at
OFB. It’s about halfway down the page.
robyn, i love that mostly pink quilt that the kitties are so often lounging on. is it homemade, or did you buy it somewhere. i truly feel like my life would be complete with a quilt like that.
That quilt is almost as old as I am. My mother made it when I was, oh, three or four, and used scraps of material from clothes she’d made me. She thinks it’s absolutely hideous – I think it was one of the first quilts she ever made – but I adore it. It’s the perfect weight, it’s very soft, and despite the many times I’ve run it through the washer and dryer it’s holding up very well!
Robyn, I’m going to Waikiki the second week of August, but just for 6 days. I know you have the swim suit situation fixed, but what about regular clothes? I don’t wear shorts in public (5’2″, 215 lbs), and I will also be there with family, some that haven’t seen me since 105 lbs, so I’m a little freaked out. Anyway, I went to Wal-mart and bought Just-My-Size stretch denim capri pants (no wide leg or flared for me) in 4 colors. I also hate hate hate to wear bras, especially in horrid humid weather, so bought spagetti-strapped tee shirts that have the built-in bra thingy. Then, I ordered 3/4 sleeve stretch button down the front shirts from Chadwick’s in great colors to wear over the tees. I already had one in white and because of the seams on the front and the back it looked so much better than the camp shirts I was going to wear. And then sandals without ankle straps. Not so good for hiking, but a short stubby girl needs all the leg length she can get. I have a bathing suit, but was wondering about the swim skirt Land’s End had in their catalogue. Did you happen to try it on? What did the spud pick out?
I got a video postcard from my mother, and in the message area, she said the following:
Tips: You won’t need jackets or sweaters, except on the plane. Shorts are best (even I wear them all the time). Jeans are too hot. Light weight “crop” pants or pedal pushers 2nd best. Shoes to wear in water, especially for snorkeling – walking shoes – sneakers are good but get hot – Teva’s have worked for me – sandals are okay for short distances. The wind blows a lot, so something to tie hair out of way.
With that in mind, I bought a couple of pairs of shorts that are comfortable and look okay. I’m going to bring the shorts, a couple of pairs of capri pants (capri pants and “pedal pushers” are the same thing, right?), and a variety of t-shirts to wear with them all. I got my ugly board shorts from Junonia to wear with a t-shirt on the beach, and I’m going to bring my water shoes for wearing in the water, and sneakers for the rest, because my feet won’t put up with anything else when I have to walk for more than ten feet. I don’t know what I’m going to use to tie my hair out of the way, since it’s too short for that. I may have to just put up with my hair blowing in my face!
The spud ended up getting the
Women’s Sport Tankini, with the shorts. She looks really cute in it, but I had already decided that I was going to get the board shorts from Junonia, so I didn’t think about anything from Land’s End for myself.
With all the books you give away on your giveaway page, are you a member of BookCrossings?
I am actually registered with BookCrossings, but I had actually forgotten about it! I think I’ll put up a note to remind myself to register the books I give away with BookCrossings before I send them out. It’d be neat to see where they end up.
(Regarding the pictures in
this entry)
Just wondering what that creepy looking yellowy goo stuff is crawling up the structure in the first underwater photo? It looks all slimy. Is it? And I was AMAZED that there were so many fish!! Are those the “bream”?
That creepy looking yellowy goo stuff is… slimy goo stuff, of course. I have no idea what it is, but it’s all over the place under the water. I do my best not to touch the stuff, because it’s icky. And yeah, those fish are the bream, and there are some carp in there as well, and probably some other kinds of fish I don’t know the names of. They all look the same to me – the only fish I definitely know are the catfish because of their “whiskers”. Ugh.
How’s The Crimson Petal and the White? It’s on my wish list, but I haven’t given in to temptation yet.
It’s DAMN LONG, is what it is! I’ve been reading for days and days, and I’m just now halfway through it. I’m enjoying it more than I expected I would, though there are some slow parts. Michael Faber’s really good at the details of what life in 19th-century London was like, and I’ve actually found myself holding my breath when he talks about the smells rising from the gutter (so I can’t smell those smells, you understand). At this point, I’d rate it 3 1/2 – 4
Poos.
Where did you get the collapsible cat carrier? I need to get one for my mom, well, not *for* her, but you know. Whatever. She has 2 cats and needs a carrier but doesn’t have a collapsible one.
I think we actually got it when we adopted either Tubby or Miz Poo, but I know that I’ve seen them at PetSmart. It’s definitely easier to get the cats into top-load carriers than the plastic end-load carrier that we have.
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We went to the quarry yesterday. There were a bunch of people set up on the piers at the close end of the quarry, but at the far end there was no one, so that’s where we went. We swam around for a while, watching the little fish watch us, so that Fred could try out his new snorkel. After half an hour or so we headed back to the pier and stayed in that general vicinity.
“Hey, watch me!” Fred said. “I’m going to swim down under the pier and touch the rope!” It’s very dark and creepy under the pier, so it’s like a test of his manhood to go under there.
I pushed off the pier so that I could watch him, he took a few deep breaths, and dove. He was not quite under the pier, when he suddenly froze, ran in place, and then swam back to the surface of the water as fast as he could. Since he is not a man prone to freak out about inconsequential things, I was pretty sure we were about to be eaten by something the size of a car, and I all but ran across the surface of the water to join him.
“Holy crap!” he gasped. “Did you see that fish?” I looked back down into the water, and a few moments later a big, fat two-foot-long carp drifted into view. He eyeballed us angrily for a few seconds, and then swam away.
The fish in that quarry are going to be the death of me, I swear. One of these days I’m going to look down and see a ten-foot carp glaring up at me, and I’m just going to keel over from a heart attack. Fred’s going to have to tow me back to the pier so that the bream and carp don’t nibble at my cold, dead toes.
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Hey Robyn, re your trip to Hawaii.. My friend that has gone before and is coming with me on my upcoming trip said to be sure to remember a hat.. so if you wear a hat, you might not have that hair blowing problem. Just a thought..
Headbands are pretty good for keeping hair out of your face.
Hawaii is beautiful. You are going to love it!!
I have one thing to say about Hawaii:
SUNSCREEN. The sun there is incredibly strong, because you’re so close to the equator. I got a tan wearing SPF 30. Also, waterproof sunscreen? Isn’t. I got the worst sunburn of my adult life after carefully applying the aforementioned SPF 30, taking a dip in the ocean, and then lying on the beach for a couple of hours.
SUNSCREEN. LOTS OF.
I agree with the sunscreen. I am a red head and had the worst burn of my life when I went to Hawaii. Oh and don’t take the lava rocks home with you (bad luck). 😛
Suncreen and a hat. Gotcha. 🙂
Soooo…you wrote:
(capri pants and “pedal pushers” are the same thing, right?)
Yep…but only age 45+ call capri pants “pedal pushers!” And yes, I’m probably even older than your mom.
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“It’s definitely easier to get the cats into top-load carriers than the plastic end-load carrier that we have.”
Whoo wee, ain’t THAT the truth!! Earlier today I tried to get one of my outside female cats into an end-load carrier, and have the SCARS to prove it! {GIRLFRIEND, DON’T EVEN GO THERE!}
She needed to be spayed, wormed, the works…so I then tried the top-load carrier. I DID succeed! One less breeding female (this cat was a stray before I had mercy on her) having more kittens that don’t have good homes (like the one you provide for your kitties.)
I’d also reccomend dark sunglasses.
I’ve never posted here before, so I’ll also say I love reading your site and enjoy it each day. 🙂
Happy Vacation, soon enough!
You are a better Mom than me. If I had a daughter I would of told her no way on that suit.
That bathing suit is cute but I am aghast that they made a tank top and pair of shorts and called it a swimming suit at that price! ACCCK!
Good to see that there are some 15 yr old girls that have more on than dental floss and some string though 😉
Hi Robyn – I am so jealous of your Hawaii trip! You’ll have to take LOTS of pictures so we can live vicariously through your adventure.
Re: the hair. When I was growing out my short haircut, I had the same issue with it being just long enough to get in my face, but not long enough to pull back. I solved it by buying some of those miniature claw clips that are about 1/2″ wide. I took 1/2″ sections of hair from the front of my head and twisted them back, securing each section with a clip about 3-4 inches from my hairline. There’s a picture of the type of clips I’m talking about here:
http://mp.hairboutique.com/product.asp?ProdID=101414&CtgID=327
Anyway, you may or may not like this look on you — depends on if you have a high forehead or not — but it certainly does help keep the hair out of your face!
C.
Robyn, we are NOT man eating fish….really! Would *I* lie to you……So, come! Come into the water…… 😉
(Just teasing from Debby, really! not from the fish….)
Robyn, you are braver than me! Just the thought of those fish in there with you creeps me out!
*shudder*
I think that scary looking yellow goo in the quarry is bacteria. I had a problem with that sort of goo coming out of the plumbing when I lived in AK.
I betcha Fred let out an underwater girlie scream when he saw the gigantic carp. ;o)
About the book…. That is one DAMN long book. I feel the same way you do- fortheloveofgawdwilliteverend!!!
The nice thing about Hawaii for me was no one knew me and thus I felt I could wear anything I darn well pleased! I loved it and would love to go back.. sigh…
Oh yeah, sunscreen… The day before we left I felt I had to bring back the obligatory killer tan and ended up with 2nd degree burns within a few hours. Such pain.. And skin damage. That was 12 years ago and I have never conciously tanned since. (Imagine the 5 hour flight trying not to sit…)
Have a blast and tell us all about it! Recently refound your blog and am glad I did 🙂
I think there’s some technical difference between capri pants, pedal pushers and clam diggers, but fuck me if I know it. And I’m so glad I’m not the only person scared of so-called “harmless” fish. We went snorkeling in Key West and he’s wandering off to check out the colonies of parrot fish, while I’m mentally coaching myself through the cloud of goby (go look up goby – you’ll see what a fishwimp I am.) Stupid water people.
whoops – forgot – if you turn an end-loading carrying up on end (the, er…non-opening end, obviously) scruff the cat and sort of stretch out their hind legs, they go right in. I know heavier cats are hard to scruff, but if you do it fast (the key!) it’s pretty easy. I use this method with my bratty 8 lb cats and my mom tried it with her 22 pounder and it worked great. Good luck!