Happy Pi Day!

I almost forgot, but thanks to a quick trip to the store by Mr. Mochi, the ground lamb that was supposed to be spaghetti sauce will be lamb pot pie instead.

What kind of pie are you having?

The good news: My doctor supplied me with a month's worth of free samples of my blood pressure meds, so I'm feeling much better.

The bad news: It's been less than a month and a half, and my state's new rethug governor has already cut our salaries, threatened our benefits, and set a schedule for reducing state spending on higher education per in-state student (i.e. the funding that makes institutions state schools, rather than private, which was already in 40th position out of 50 states). Now, we're being ordered to discriminate.

We have a bad habit of waiting till I'm actually out of pills before refilling. I took the last of my blood pressure meds Wednesday. Husband went to get refill on Thursday afternoon, only to get knocked back by the insurance company for no discernible reason. Called doctor to clear it up Friday. As of Saturday, insurance still refusing the prescription. In only 4 days, I've gone from tired but basically functional to zombie - I needed to rest after climbing one flight of stairs. I NEED MY DRUGS!

I'm canceling tomorrow's classes and hoping like hell this gets cleared up soon.

Lately, I only manage to drag myself down the stairs to eat dinner with the family a few times a week. Other nights, steve901 has the kids bring my dinner up to me. Tonight, the Bean brought my silverware carefully wrapped (on the diagonal) in a paper towel, "just like a restaurant!"

I have a cute Bean.

Dr. Snape has been a very busy little wizard. We're about to run out of potential on the physical therapy front, which did some good but not enough. I asked if this meant we were out of options. Answer (accompanied by "are you nuts?" grimace): "Of course not. We'll try this next," and a slip of paper with one word on it. "Look it up." I did. It looks very promising. Then steve901 reminded me that last time we discussed this, several months ago, the good doc didn't know how my condition is treated. Did he go on about all the great research he's done on my behalf? Did he toot his proverbial? Nah. He was gruff and semi-insulting and awesomely competent. It's very nice to have my own, personal Snape.

NSFW. Also not safe for children. And possibly insulting to people of faith - if you are one, please feel free to ignore. For the rest of us? Funny as.

( Read more... )

I am aware that a certain proportion of my flist (and you know who you are) is of the opinion that Colin Firth COULD NOT get any hotter. It seems that we are going to test that theory. In full detail. ;D

He (and you know who I mean) has termed it snowmageddon, and Snowmageddon it is. The kids are having a ball. Our back yard looks something like the Somme - hastily constructed forts and tunnels overlaying old, abandoned fortifications which were themselves built on the wreckage of previous defensive structures. The (not rusted, but imagine them that way) skeletal remains of the swing set hover over the landscape like ghosts of industrial civilizations past, their swings long since buried deep in the detritus of the "change". Do you remember the heyday of the "change"? When change was going to fix our world? When change was about hope and dreams and a better world? Before "change" became climaxic and climatic, and dumped a cubic, metric, geometric, geomancic, fuckload of the white lady, white mosquito, peruvian flake, devil's dandruff, colombian marching powder, snoooooooow on our streets, our houses, our children, our lives. Snowmageddon, my friends. Snowmageddon.

Anyone got a spare shovel?

My amusement for the day is this gem of a blog. All the best in protest signs, past and present, from the really stooopid to the funniest counter protests. Plus a few delicious pranks and mock protests, like this one:



I quite like this sign:

One of the odder side effects of my current meds is that I've completely lost my tolerance for spicy foods. Even a hint of chili is enough to put me off. steve901 has compensated by purchasing a variety of spicy sauces, which he adds to food at the table. The sauce selection has become a standard pre-dinner ritual. But, I must ask, is there a point at which such additions become either a) an insult to the cook's flavoring skills, or b) a sign of dulled taste buds?

Case in point, Sunday brunch. Today I made a family favorite: french toast. Always slightly different, but always a crowd pleaser. Today's version started with a slightly nutty flavored loaf from our favorite farmer's market baker, thinly sliced to sandwich fruity fillings. For the kids, mashed banana. For the grown-ups, a dense fig paste. Sandwiches were duly dipped in (free-range, organic, farmer's market) egg with a hint of vanilla and grilled. The Legumes chose peach syrup to top theirs off, I went with the traditional maple, and the Philistine splashed on Tabasco.

So, what do you think: A, B, or some previously undisclosed category C?