Wednesday, September 30, 2009

September 30, 2009

Where has September gone? It has flown past. Well, I have been asleep!!!

Up at ten. Judy sent me an email that Town Talk has produce. So I will make a run over there.
70 degrees today. Cold, cold, cold. I will need a jacket.

Made a run over to town Talk. The bananas were gone. I got cheese w/blueberries.

Then I took a three hour nap. Amazing.
After that PPQS. Lea sewed the border on the quilt. I worked on my hats for Senior Craft Fair.

Lady Chica's Tale
What happens at Pup's stays at Pup's.

Blitzen's Tale
What happens at Pup's stays at Pup's.

10 PM Home and tired out.

BOOK REVIEW
John Lescroart, *The Suspect*
Part legal thriller part PI. Lawyer is involved with PI. The usual cast of Dis Hardy characters. Publisher's Review disliked the gimmicky ending. As I finished the book I rather agreed with that review. Otherwise the book is exciting. A well known doctor is found drowned in her hot tub. The suspect is her husband, who writes outdoor books.

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

September 29, 2009

Baptist Center
We have served 18 units today, ranging from 1 person to 7 per unit. No more time. We are set up like a grocery store and it takes time for a person to shop WITH a volunteer.
Until this month we have usually served an average of 12. We are getting more white Anglos. (I was told that I am classist. I categorize people by class. I may be getting more middle class people.) That is my impression but I may be wrong.
We usually get homeless men and Latino families.

I came home, ate lunch and slept for three hours. It was a tough morning. a lot of new people. Food pantry serves by zip code and we only serve 76104.
Lots of people arguing about clothing. We give out 30 numbers and they line up at 7:30 to start at 9:00. It takes time for individuals to shop. People stand there and say I don't have shoes or pants or something.
The biggest difference between middle class and under class is an understanding of "rules". Underclass people "want" or "need".

So then we went to the dog park where my dogs ran tonight as well as a little black schnauzer. see Blitzen's tale. Ray was there and nobody else to talk to. So I listened. I find Ray boring but he does things like fix tags on my dogs' collars. And I do like him in a strange kind of way. He and I banter.

Blitzen's Tale
Tiger's Dad (on the big side) accused me of starting a riot. I just got those big old busters moving. There was a pack of eight or ten big dogs running on the other side of the fence. Several people have called me an instigator.

Lady Chica's Tale
We ran like the wind tonight. The big dog pack kept running into and over each other. it was wild. Wild I say. Chance and Buddy were there and happy to run.

7:35 PM Just turned off Ken Burns documentary. I find it boring. It does not meet my expectations.

BOOK REVIEW
Steig Larson, *The Girl Who Played with Fire*
Translated from the Swedish. It is like reading a Russian novel bc the names are strange. And place names are unknown. This book is not for the sensitive. It deals with the sex trade and there are explicit scenes of sex and torture.
YOU MUST READ THE GIRL WITH DRAGON TATTO before reading this. It is a continued story. The books center on a magazine "Millenium", kind of like Mother Jones I gather. Each novel is a journalist investigating some story. Lisa S is a super hacker and provides data. In this book the journalists are investigating the importation of prostitutes from Eastern Europe to sweden.


Hugs, Dr. Liz

Monday, September 28, 2009

September 28, 2009

I have 20 books from library and am reading a paperback scored from campus rec room.

Up at 11 AM. Judy is taking Ken to the dr this morning. Hence Wendy's is delayed. I am sleepy but full of energy. Sew, sew, sew. Caftans to finish, hats to sew.

Met Judy at dog park at 1 PM. I didn't look at my watch and 1.5 hours slipped by. I lecture and she listens. We have great fun. When I got home it was 3 PM. Suddenly it was 5 PM and I went to take a nap. Then it was 7 PM. So where has today gone?

Lady Chica's Tale
Nobody much at the dog park today. We met Szabo in the parking lot and I said hello. Then I just ran up and down the east fence. I was tired when we got home.

Blitzen's Tale
Nobody much at the dog park today. Mom was busy talking with Szabo's mom. Mom went off to the car and Iwas really upset she was going to leave us but she didn't. Szabo's mom says I am spoiled.

BOOK REVIEW
Beverly connor, *Dead Past*
Diane Fallon, forensic anthropologist. Dr. Fallon is the Curator of a Natural History Museum and has a crime lab in the attic. She lives in a small town where police do not have much of a budget. Down her street a house erupts. A meth lab in the basement explodes. The house had several student apts and a party was going on. All in all they found 33 bodies. The bodies are a mess. Eventually three plots turned up.
I love forensic anthropology novels. I guess Bev Connor gave up digging up Indians to write novels.


Hugs, Dr. Liz

Saturday, September 26, 2009

September 26, 2009

How did it get to be 11:30 AM. I guess I took my nap w/o getting up. As soon as I get dressed we are off to the dog park. Temp is 77 degrees. I made need a jacket at park. Chance and Buddy are never there in the morning.
I intend to spend the remainder of the day hiding things that Martha would insist I throw out. (She is coming to mop kitchen floor tomorrow.) After all, my house is piled with jumque that Marilyn's daughters insisted she throw out.

The sun is hot but I took my foldig chair and sat in the shade under the trees where a slight breeze was blowing. My dogs were full of energy but alas no big dogs to chase. Fortunately there were plenty of bikes going back and forth. Gateway Park is the end of the trinity bike trail. People park there, ride bikes back and forth.
I was planning to stow away my shorts for the winter but that is not a good idea yet.

Lady Chica's Tale
We tried to get some big dogs running but they were not interested. We chased bikes back and forth.

Blitzen's Tale
There was a big ol white buster I tried to talk into racing but he just trotted off. There weren't many dogs in the big dog side.

How can I have taken a nap when I slept in so late? Nevertheless, I took a nap. I am always glad to take dogs to park the first thing bc they sleep all aft.

It is now 10:30 Pm and time to go night night. My kitchen counter is clean and a lot of clutter put away. I guess I am ready for Martha.

BOOK REVIEW
Robert K. Tannenbaum, *Capture*
One of a series. Roger Karp is New York District Attorney. This is both a legal thriller and a police procedural. Accounts of a trial are interspersed with hunt for Islamic terrorists. (Real events seem to have overtaken this recently.) This is a page turner.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

Friday, September 25, 2009

september 25, 2009

I was half an hour late to tai chi. In other words I missed half of it. I didn't set the alarm. Then I stayed for sloppy joes for lunch at the Senior Center.
Made a library run. Ready for a nap.

Well, I didn't get to sleep. I have some hats to sew to be sold at Senior Craft Fair. Then off to the dog park. It was not too unpleasant. the dogs ran a little bit. Chance and P---- were there. (Cant remember the name of Chica's boy friend.)

Lady Chica's tale
I did some running with Chance and that other dog. I like to tease them. I run a little and then run off. Then I ate some funny orange stuff that fell on the concrete from the trees.


Blitzen's Tale
There was a cute little boston terrier there. She just got through being receptive and she still smelled good. I kept paying her attentions and they kept dragging me off. the Southern Baptists again!

BOOK REVIEW
Ellen Ruppel Shell, *Cheap*
Shell is a journalist, now prof at Boston Univ. This is non-fiction. The theme of the book is that we are a discount culture. She traces the history of discount stores from Woolworth. I had never thot of the Five and ten as discount. She continues the trail on until Walmart. The manufacturer no longer has control over what is produced. The retailer has enuf power to order what he expects to sell.
Tonight on PBS I was listening to CEO of a chain of luxury hotels. He defined luxury as one of a kind.
All in all I find this a depressing book. She praises Costco for their policies toward employees. Costco profits from membership fees.
Hugs, Dr. Liz

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Septembe 24, 2009

11 AM The dogs kept making a hullabaloo. I thot it was Saturday and couldn't figure out what the problem was. When I realized it was thursday I knew it was the lawn mowers. I had a lot of good sleep and I can walk this morning.
Snopes pooh poohs home remedies, but I find Vicks Vapo Rub a cure all for everything.

Now 4:48 PM Flu shot in the rec room at 5:30 PM.

Lady Chica's Tale
We went to dog park. I couldn't get a big dog to run. Just ran along the front fence.

Blitzen's Tale
That big buster on the other side wouldn't run. Lady Chica wasted her time barking at him. Mostly I smelled around and lay on Mom's table.

The same stray was wandering around the dog park. An unfixed boxer. I was thinking that it would be physically impossible to drop off Blitzen. he would just find out how to get home and there he would be, playing hide and seek. I wonder how it is that my friend found him standing in the street. Why didn't he go home?
Nadia was there. Ramadan is over. Kevin, do the Sufi celebrate Ramadan?

I have been sleepy all day, took anti-histamine last night.

Flu shot was over just like that. The assembly line was efficient. I loaned Marilyn a towel. All her clothes and towels are over at the new place. Her moving has not been organized. I got some plastic containers for left overs. I hid them from Martha. None are yogurt. Those went to Mildred.

I wonder if I can get a nap in before MI 5. Gave up a nap.

BOOK REVIEW
Stieg Larson, *The Girl with the Dragon Tatto*
Sort of a classic murder myster. In 1966 a young girl disappears. Her uncle thinks she has been murdered and in 2002 he hires an investigative reporter to find her murderer. In turn, Blomqvist hires a super hacker, the girl with the dragon tatto. Lisa Sandler, the girl with the dragon tatto, is somewhere along the range of autistic IMHO. (In My Humble Opinion). Nevertheless.....
I wrote that before a character in the book diagnosed her with Asberger's syndrome.

I wont spoil the ending, a surprise ending. Note to Sensitive Readers: Scenes of torture are described in explicit detail.


Hugs, Dr. Liz

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

September 23, 2009

PBS was wonderful tonight. First was Nova, talking about how genes are turned off. I was fascinated with that bc in the stuff I have been reading about evolution, the difference between us and mice, for example, are turned off genes. Some man at McGill in Canada is turning chickens into a dinosaur, going backwards.
Then a geneticist traced human beings back to Africa. San Bushman. Interesting side note: in No1 Ladies Detective Story, Precious adopts two children who are San Bushmen.
All humans alive today are descended from San Bushmen. The first place ancient man got to was Australia. Another group got to central Asia.

I was so fascinated I forgot all about my car and the possibility of it dying.

Wednesday morning
I love mornings when i can sleep in. I woke about 9, absolutely chilly, 63 degrees. My back was tensed up like a pretzel. Without a car my life would be so curtailed. I chose my condo in Arlington Oaks bc I could walk to kroger and the library. Alas, here I am in the boondocks. Nothing within walking distance. Maybe I could make Dollar General.

11 AM I am so relieved. Repair shop called, well, the repair man called. The problem is my fan belt and it will be replaced. I think he thot I was crazy when I said I was happy.


Blitzen's Tale
Mom has been all out of shape about the car. I have been out of shape, too, bc if the car is ruined it means no more going to the dog park.
We walked to the repair shop this aft. The smells. The smells. The smells.

Lady Chica's Tale
What happens at Pup's stays at Pup's.

PPQS tonight. Lea sewed the quilt blocks together. I cut out fleece for hats to sell at Senior Craft Fair. Boy am I tired tonight.

BOOK REVIEW
Malcolm Gladwell, *Blink*
I am only 20% through this book but I went to a web site and tried. The idea of the book is that we have an automatic response immediately before we have a thought. There is a web site where one can take a test. And I supported the hypothesis of the book. I clicked race with words that were good or bad. Automatically I have a strong preference for white people. 27% of the people taking the test made this score.
I had a hunch this would happen. I live in this culture. John thinks that as we age we revert back to old stereotypes.
If you would like to take the test go to:www.implicit.harvard.edu



Hugs, Dr. Liz

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

september 22, 2009

I incorporated the alarm in my dreams. I didn't want to get up. And then I had to face the rain driving to work. The pavement steams after the heat of the summer. (Martha and I have discussions about what causes this.) And my car is making some kind of noise.

10 am Baptist Center. The computer was down and I had to move to a closet. Our director is not here and and and..... Ten families in one hour. May Street Market (Food Pantry) is busy.
11 AM We have now served 20 families. End of the month.
Lots of new people. Anglos.

New kinds of people. More middle class. We are closing pantry having served 23 families.

I came home and napped for three hours. The cool air is so nice. My car was still acting up. So I took the dogs for a walk and plan to take car in to garage tomorrow.

Lady Chica's Tale
Taking a walk was not so bad. We haven't been running much these days. Mostly I am sleeping. Mom says it is so good to be cool.

Blitzen's Tale
I dont mind taking a walk once in a while. new smells all over the place. I just hate when Mom runs the vacuum cleaner. I run under the bed. That's where my den is. I hate the blender, too.

BOOK REVIEW
Dorothea Benton Frank, *Shem Creek*
A Low Country Tale. This is a sweet little story about a woman who moves back to the small town where she grew up. I enjoyed this.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

Monday, September 21, 2009

September 21, 2009

I woke at 10:15 and managed to get to Wendy's by 11. Judy and I discussed culture change. Judy says she thinks of these sessions as class. I invariably go into lecture mode. I mentioned that I said in Sunday School that I think Karl Marx was the last Old Testament Prophet. (He had been raised as a Jew.)
For the record, I consider Karl Marx the first social psychologist. As a social scientist that is different from the Communist Manifesto.
Marx was concerned with the "means of production". Well, what is underlying the vast cultural changes of our time is the change in means of production, starting with automation shortly after WWII. Marx would have new things to say about the world today.

Blitzen's Tale
Judy told Mom that my tales were getting boring. Maybe I should invent some monsters coming to the dog park. There are bobcats and coyotes prowling the woods. One Mom worries that a buzzard will swoop down and carry off her precious baby. Ed note: baby being a Yorkie. (Mom doesn't realize buzzards only eat carrion.)

The dogs "were" boring today. They didn't run anywhere. Mostly they sat under the table. Blitzen went over and pestered some people who were having a picnic lunch. He jumped on the table to join them and they gave up and walked off. Us regulars laughed.

Lady Chica's Tale
Well, I just didn't feel like running tonight. I did make a little pass with Chance. She hassort of given up on me. Judy says our tales are boring. Right.

We got home from the park just qs a thunderstorm hit.

BOOK REVIEW
William kent Krueger, *Heaven's Keep*
Cork O'Connor, sheriff of Aurora, Minnesota. Kreuger keeps killing off his main female characters. In this book Cork's wife, Jo, is killed in a plane crash in the mountains of Wyoming. Plane is not found. Later evidence convinces Cork that the crash was not an accident. So he sets forth to find the truth. Heaven's Keep is a mountain.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

Sunday, September 20, 2009

September 19, 2009

Blitzen got us up in the middle of the night. He seems to think that is our schedule. Then I incorporated the alarm clock into my dreams.
I am going to be late for SS but I am dressing to go.

We had a political debate in Sunday School over social justice. We are studying the prophets in the Hebrew Bible. What do they mean for today? Our teacher even mentioned health care.

Church was interesting. It was missionary Sunday. The text was about jesus saying that if you fed and clothed one of these you have fed and clothed me. So we who worked in Baptist Center were asked to stand up and the congregation recognized us as missionaries. I thoroly enjoyed it.

Lunch in fellowship hall with my buddies. Then home for a nap. Off to the dog park. Chance and Buddy were there but my dogs wouldn't run. Poor Chance tried climbing the fence to get over to join the grp who were chasing a bicycle. Buddy and Chance cried and barked for the whole hour.

Lady Chica's Tale
Chance and Buddy were there but I didn't feel like running in the sunshine. The western fence was in the shade. I scratched my nose and it bled.

Blitzen's Tale
Old Chance and Buddy were there wanting to run. I dont like to run in the sunshine. They were big cry babies.

7 PM Waiting for Mystery.

BOOK REVIEW
Clyde W. Ford, *Duece's Wild*
Deuce F is a hip hop musician who becomes a Sufi. John Shannon, code name Shango, is an investigator for Mayor's Office of Security who is assigned to check out Deuce F now with a Sufi name. Shannon thinks Deuce is benign. The following day deuce is shot outside a night club. Shannon's teen age son is devastated and begs his dad to find the shooter. So begins the adventure. Interesting info about Sufi which is a sub set of Islam. They are the whirling dervishes.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

Saturday, September 19, 2009

September 9, 2009

Saturday morning and all was quiet. So peaceful until Blitzen decided he needed a drink of water. He had to go past Chica who was also on the bed. And they have this hullaballo. They are forever making noise. They talk.
11 AM and off to the dog park when I finish breakfast.

No big dogs were running. A sea of mud ran along the fence on the other side (the big side). A small airdaile ran "with" my dogs along the fence. new phenomenon. I chatted with a former Youper. (What is a Youper? Resident of Upper Peninsula. Upper Peninsula where? Why, MI of course.) We swapped lies about the winters.

Lady Chica's tale
None of the big dogs would run near the fence. Too much mud. two little boys rolled over and over in the mud. Boys!!!!

Blitzen's tale
A little airdaile on our side of the fence kept running with us. We raced back and forth but none of those big busters would run. One of the big moms talked to me, trash talking back.

I took a nap. Could I have slept three hours. It is minutes before 7 PM. It rained again while I slept.

BOOK REVIEW
Alexander McCall Smith, *Tears of the Giraffe*
The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency. Second book in series. Percious is not yet married. Mr. JLB Matkone, her fiance, adopts two orphans. Precious searches for an American man who disappeared many years ago.



Hugs, Dr. Liz

Friday, September 18, 2009

September 18, 2009

2 AM I have been sitting up reading the story of the 2008 election, agonizing over each primary, agonizing whether Obama would win the nomination. In hindsight, McCain's election campaign was a guaranteed loser.

Friday. Up at 9:45 am. Chugalugged coffee and off to tai chi. We spent most of the hour playing with our canes. we are dangerous. Learning how to swing. Then I snacked at the Senior Center and stopped at Dollar General.
Now for a nice little nap.

Just read an article on over eating. Ha! Lack of sleep decreases hormones that control appetite. Ha! I should have lots and lots of those hormones. And I ate icecream over peach pie at the Senior Center.

I took a nap and we trundled over to the dog park. Weather was perfect until it began to rain. The dogs raced a fat old bull dog who couldn't keep up with them. Chance only arrived as we were leaving. I'll let Blitzen tell his tale and why we had to leave.
Hope it is not a pledge night on PBS.

Lady Chica's Tale
I love it when there is nobody else in the park. Then of course people kept coming. we raced this fat old bull dog for a long time. He couldn't keep up. Mom says Chance was there when we left.

Blitzen's Tale
I found the cutest little Yorkie. I wanted to adopt him into our pack and take him home but Mom couldn't see it. he had some Dad there, too, a big old buster.
[Ed. note. Blitzen played with the dog. Then humped him and humped him.]


BOOK REVIEW
Colin Dexter, *Last Bus to Woodstock*
The first Inspector Morse Mystery. 1975. Morse was younger then. I remember the prologue but nothing of the mystery. I was motivated to read the series again after seeing Inspector Lewis on Mystery.



Hugs, Dr. Liz

Thursday, September 17, 2009

September 17, 2009

I woke up and wow!!! it was 10:15 am. I had to dash to make Wendy's by eleven. Judy and I shifted schedule this week. Ken had surgery on his finger on Monday. Ken takes pain pills and sleeps but Judy is getting tired of having somebody underfoot.
drove over to Half Price books to spend my xmas gift card. Got Jane Haddam books.

A talking head on NPR says that one motivation for collecting something is that it makes a statement about us. So what statement does my tee shirt collection make about me? Each has a message or a picture. I read other's tee shirts but I get the idea that most people dont even read the tee they are wearing.
The colletion tht Marilyn has bequethed me are mostly "blouses" that are like tee shirts.

Took a nap. Dreamed that Judy B was walking around handing out bologna sandwiches. Now off to the dog park. Sun is shining. Rain has stopped.

Only Ray was there in the small dog park (with Charlie, Maggie and Heidi, all weiner dogs). Chance was there to race with Lady Chica. Chica and Chance celebrate their friendship by racing. Chance's Mom said she was so happy we came. She says Chance and Chica "rev each other up."
Came home and took a nap before MI 5. Happily the session ended and was not continued. I thot there was a point of drama when it would be continued.

Lady Chica's Tale
Chance was there tonight at the dog park and we ran and ran. I stopped and rested for a while. She is twice my size and has longer legs and she is younger. She looks like a pointer but she is mostly white.

Blitzen's Tale
Old Chance was there tonight and we had a good run. I dont have as much stamina as I did but I can still run.

BOOK REVIEW
Dan Balz and Haynes Johnson, *The Battle for America 2008*
The story of an extraordinary election.
How this book can be suspenseful I cannot imagine, but i am reading with bated breath. Who will win the Democratic primary? I am seeing another side of Obama, how he learns. He was defeated in the early debates but he learned. Gives me hope for the futurre.




Hugs, Dr. Liz

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

September 16, 2009

9 AM I thot we were sleeping in. I woke up highly energized. It is cool. Only 73 degrees. I have a long list of minor tasks to do. Change sheets, clear dining table (a week's work), clear kitchen counter (load dish washer, put clean dishes in cupboard), clear stove top. In between vacuum, mop kitchen. Then finish about six caftans cut out so that I can clear coffee table. Then on to more string quilts. (i call them string quilts bc I am using small strips of fabric).

I think it would be fun to make a list. I can spend time that way. Writing my dissertation I called it "sharpening pencils".

Good grief! Juno has popup voice ads. Well, I have changed sheets and put them in laundry. I am reading Haynes Johnson's book about 2008 election. He has a lot of polling data from 2007. Even I had not realized how much the country has changed. I think the Republicans are done for. They do not have a clue.
They made a big mistake opposing Sotomayor.

Sorted more clothes with Marilyn. A lot of these have to go to Baptist Center. I have no more room.


Lady Chica's Tale
What goes on at Pup's stays at Pup's. This is confidential. Uncle John gives us a treat when we arrive. Blitzen always buries his. I dug it up and ate it.

Blitzen's Tale
What goes on at Pup's stays at Pup's.

PPQS tonight. [Philosophical Paleontological Quilt Society]. I have all black and red blocks finished. We laid them out tonight. The quilt will be beautiful. Beautiful.
I will ask Lea to send me a pic and I will forward it. She is putting a pic on facebook for the recipient.

BOOK REVIEW
Dorothea Benton Frank *Sullivan's Island*
Stand alone novel. Sullivan's Island is off the coast of Charleston, SC. This is the story and the back story of a woman raised on Sullivan's Island and her present life in Charleston.


Hugs, Dr. Liz

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

September 15, 2009

Cool and pleasant all day. Up and out to Baptist Center. We closed at 10:30 am for a funeral. meanwhile people were lined up for groceries. I tend to get flustered. Officer Lee helps me keep it together.
Jim Thurmond had been a member of Broadway for fifty years. His service was lovely. Mrs. Thurmond gave the eulogy. Did a great job.
Afterwards we had a great spread in the Fellowship Center. I say with Bette H and Margie T.
I felt less guilty about skipping church when I heard that both Bette and Margie did not want to drive in Sunday's torrent.
Came home and had a brief nap (one hour) before I went for my massage. I am so much less tied up these days.
Then off to the dog park. nadia and Ray were there as were Kissy and her family and somebody else I know by sight. It was pleasant.

BOOK REVIEW
Clyde Ford, *Whiskey Gulf*
Charlie Noble series. Charlie is currently a PI, having resigned from Coast Guard Intelligence. I had no idea such a unit existed. Charlie thot Coast Guard only patroled coasts until he was sent to the Gulf after 9/11. I know that some Coast Guard sailed across to the rivers of Viet Nam.
Story takes place along the Canadian/American border near Vancouver Island. Terrorists from Behrain are over there. It all has to do with some new torpedoes.
A couple on a sail boat vanish in Whiskey Gulf. This is the area set aside for naval shooting range. Charlie is employed by a local yacht club of which the couple were members. Charlie is employed to find out what happened to the couple.


Hugs, Dr. Liz

Monday, September 14, 2009

September 14, 2009

9:30 AM At least it's not raining. Off to the dog park.

We were totally alone at the dog park. That has never happened beforre. Blitzen was reduced to chasing birds. I was chilly and had to dig out a sweater. Wow. After we got home it has begun to rain again. Flash floods predicted for today.

Lady Chica's Tale
Nothing to chase this morning. No other dog was there, big or small. It was a good day for chasing, too.
Mom left the front door open. I like to lie in front of the storm door, smelling under the bottom.

Blitzen's Tale
Absolutely nobody at the dog park, neither small nor big busters. Not much fun.

Went krogering to get some prunes. Came home and took a nap. Marilyn gave me some groceries. She buys stuff and then decides she doesn't want it.

Blitzen is a super good watch dog. He was barking and barking that something was wrong and I wanted to wring his neck. (it was not his I WANT bark). Finally I heard the alarm clock ringing. I had set the hour wrong. Blitz knows that the alarm clock energizes me.

Another day has finished. I have two caftan shirts finished and am sewing on buttons for a finishing touch. I have six or seven more cut out.

Persis: I have decided I will not buy another tee shirt. What? am I insane? Yes, I think I am obsessive.

BOOK REVIEW
John Lescroart, *The Hunt Club*
Lescroart introduces a whole new cast of characters, with Dis Hardy making two cameo appearances. Wyatt Hunt is a PI working sometimes for Hardy's law firm. The back story tells how he was a CPS worker and got fired. In this book, a federal judge and his young mistress are found shot to death in the judge's home office. Hunt works with his homicide dick friend, Juhle, to find the killer.





Hugs, Dr. Liz

Sunday, September 13, 2009

September 13, 2009

I want to go on record as highly recommending End of Life counseling.
I spent three months arguing with Libby. She did not want to go on hospice. It made no sense until she told me that she heard a story about somebody being on machines and when they pulled the plug the person was still alive. And it was hospice.
Well, I explained that hospice did not put people on machines.
When the hospital personnel came around asking about resusication (sp?) Libby was too highly medicated to understand what they were talking about.

All in all, life would be simpler if one made decisions when one was in one's right mind.

Sunday morning. I got up, ate breakfast and went back to bed. Skipping religious services. I sort of ache.

Lady Chica's Tale
We went walking in the rain and got all wet. That was fun.

Blitzen's Tale
Lots and lots of smells when it is wet. Wow.

It kept raining and raining and raining but the dogs had to go out. So forth we went bravely and the dogs loved it. (See above). We got all wet. I really didn't mind. I cant seem to dredge up any energy today.

Fui Fui Fui. PBS is having a fund drive and did not show Mystery (Lewis). Fui. Channel 13-2 is showing again Bill Moyer. He is interviewing a photojournalist from Afghanistan. I missed part of this on Friday.

BOOK REVIEW
John Erickson, *# 18 Hank the Cowdog, The Case of the Hooking Bull*
A neighboring bull keeps getting into Hank's pasture. Slim tries to lasso the bull and in the resulting melee, Hank bites the bull on the nose and saves Slim and is a hero.





Hugs, Dr. Liz

Saturday, September 12, 2009

September 12, 2009

Up at 9:30 but I spent an hour reading emails. Then off to dog park in the sprinkles. (Rain that is). after half an hour it began raining harder (I was sitting in the shelter) and we started home, fortunately, for the rain came down harder. Visibility on the highway was nil, steam rising. But we are home and dry.

What does OTH stand for in texting mode?

We were lucky this morning. It has been raining hard for two hours. I am about to take a nap. I have been reading and eating frozen yogurt out of the carton.

It has rained all day. I have been sewing on my caftan shirts. I finished the red and black log cabin square. I decided that part of the clutter around here is my unfinished shirts. I have been sewing the yokes by hand.

5 PM and I think I will take another nap.

BOOK REVIEW
Andrew Gross, *Don't Look Twice*
Police procedural. Ty Hauk is homicide detective in Greenwich, Conn. He witnesses a driveby shooting. And the plot thickens. This is the kind of book I like. We didn't enter the head of a cereal killer. Every killing is rational.


Hugs, Dr. Liz

Friday, September 11, 2009

September 11, 2009

This day has roared past. I arose just in time to dress and get to tai chi. Our Teacher, Bill, was tired out from his sessions this week. So we mostly sat and did pressure points.
In the kitchen eating snacks I was loud telling Dick that I am sick of Republicans. Dick is on the conspiracy right. he calls those of us supporting Obama "Kool Aid drinkers". I assume implying a death panel.

Immediately took dogs to dog park. There was a tiny 4 pound Chinese crested male who was humping all the other dogs. It was too funny. He was only able to reach their legs. I laughed and laughed.
On the way home I went Town Talking.
Came home and took a nap. Woke just in time for Brooks and Shields on News Hour. (PBS)

Big storm just now. 7 PM

BOOK REVIEW
Diane Mott Davidson, *The Main Corpse*
culinary mystery, Goldy's Catering. I found this book slow reading. I knew the plot after the first two or three chapters. Goldy caters a do at the mouth of a gold mine about to be re-opened. I knew it was a scam. And I knew the senior partner had not absconded with the money but had been murdered.


Hugs, Dr. Liz

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

September 9, 2009

Up and out to the dog park by 9 AM. Lawn mower was mowing just outside the fence and the dogs chased non stop. Blitzen goes beserk after running for a while. This must be how beagles sustain running for hours. After 45 minutes I decided to go home. Crossing the parking lot Blitz saw a bike. He weighs 28 pounds but he is so strong. I held him on two legs by his harness. he sqwaked and squirmed and bit the leash. I managed to get to the car.

Lady Chica's Tale
I have collapsed. We chased and chased and chased that old lawn mower running outside the fence. I finally got tired and was ready to come home but Blitzen would run till he dropped.

Blitzen's Tale
Leta was right that as far as I am concerned, humans are Southern Baptists. every time I have fun Mom stops me. I was having fun and Mom dragged me off to the car. I fought as best I could. I bit her shorts.

After lunch I went over to Marilyn's. We sorted clothes and I brought home three leaf bags full, all jeans and tops. I plan to give a lot to Baptist Center. I already have too many clothes. She is giving away a beautiful table and chair set to Mission Arlington. (You may remember that Marilyn is moving.)

Listened to President Obama's speech tonight. It was truly moving. Both David Brooks and Mark Shields agreed. (They are commentators on PBS Newshour.) My prediction is that the Democrats will pass a bill. I am on Medicare and I am happy, mostly.

Medicare Advantage (like Secure Horizons and Humana) offer free Silver sneakers. Nancy at Baptist Center felt it was immoral to sign up with Secure Horizons bc it charges govt 114%.

BOOK REVIEW
Ellen Ruppel Shell, *Cheap* The High Cost of Discount Culture
non fiction. I have only started to read this but I have heard an interview with the author on NPR. I must have *seen* an interview on PBS. The author says we respond to Sale signs. I am thinking of having purchased "10 for $10" at Krogers and I have a lifetime supply of Countrytime Lemonade.



Hugs, Dr. Liz

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

September 6, 2009

Last night Lady Chica played her little trick on me. She stood at the door wanting to go out. When I went to get the leash she dashed over and picked up a crumb. What a wily little girl.

Baptist Center. Readers ask if we have more business these days. Our church is in the inner city and our people were already on the bottom. Lots of people come from Mental Health Day Care, So our population just continues. We can only serve our zip code in the food pantry.

Came home and slept the afternoon away.

Lea is down with a virus. She's been to the dr and it is not the flu. We went to the dog park as the sun had gone down. Chance and Buddy were there to run with my dogs. There was a sort of aggressive Akita but my dogs handled themselves well. LC wanted to play with him.

Lady Chica's Tale
Chance and Buddy and a lot of other dogs were running. Chance was running so fast that Buddy got in her way and she went to jump over Buddy and landed on his back. Wow.

Blitzen's Tale
Did a lot of running with a pack of those big busters. There was a big old St Bernard who got in everybody's way. He did't run, just got in the way.

BOOK REVIEW
John Sanford, *Wicked Prey*
Luke Davenport police procedural. Story is set in August 2008 when the Republican convention was in town. A gang of cut throats is robbing people who are there with illegal campaign contributions.
Hugs, Dr. Liz

Sunday, September 6, 2009

September 5, 2009

Managed to get up and off to SS and church. Our Sunday School class is reading Marcus Borg, *Reading the Bible again for the First Time*. Our teacher is writing his dissertation at Bright Divinity School at TCU. He is writing on the New Testament.

Came home and took a nap. So wht's new? Then we went to dog park. A woman was chittering chattering away and I got no reading done. She is a dog trainer and another woman was consulting her. Lady Chica dug a little hole in the dirt and lay down in the shade.

Lady Chica's Tale
Mom already said I dug a little hole. Actually I enlarged the hole where Blitzen tried to get under the fence. I will be glad when it gets cooler.

Blitzen's Tale
Lots of little dogs there today. Tiny little dogs. Not many big busters there. Not much doing.

I am planning to watch Mystery on PBS. Inspector Lewis. Inspired by the Inspector Morse series. I liked the program last week.

BOOK REVIEW
T. Jefferson Parker, *The Renegades*
Charlie Hood police procedural. Hood is a deputy sheriff in LA Sheriff's Dept. He is on patrol one night when his partner is shot down in front of his eyes. He is then recruited by IA to find the killer. He starts digging into his partner's past to find that partner is not Mr. Wonderful who brings toys to kids at Xmas.


Hugs, Dr. Liz

Saturday, September 5, 2009

September 4, 2009

Up at eleven and off to the dog park. I came home exhausted. I took Lady Chica through the agility course. Then a little girl wanted to take Lady Chica thru the agility course. Of course LC would not stir without me. So we ran around the course. Then the little girl wanted to take Blitzen. He would not stir w/o me. So we ran around the course again. Blitzen knew exactly what to do, the old crumb bum. The little girl was faster than I am and could catch the leash as Blitzen came out of the tunnels.
Fortunately the little girl lost interest and ran off.

Lady Chica's Tale
I got quite a workout this morning. First Mom took me around that stupid agility course. Then this little girl wanted to teach me how to go thru the course. Of course I wouldn't stir unless Mom went with us.

Blitzen's Tale
This little girl wanted to teach me to run the agility course. I already knew how but I never let Mom know I knew how. The little girl was faster than a gecko and grabbed my leash and dragged me to the next thing.

Came home and took a nap. Now almost four. I guess I could get the sheets changed. I got a new comforter from Martha (new to me). Blitzen rips up comforters!!!! then Lady Chica pulls out the stuffing.

I took another nap. And the evening stretches before me. I laid in a supply of books for the weekend. Everything is so quiet. Oda Mae and Russ (next door neighbors) took off for two weeks in Ohio, their annual family reunion. Usually I can hear a murmur of the telly. And so it goes.

BOOK REVIEW
Robert Barnard, *Blood Brotherhood*
Classic mystery published in 1977. Barnard is still writing mysteries. This mystery is set in an Anglican monstery in the Yorkshire moors. The Community is hosting a symposium on the role of the Church in the modern world. The first night one of the community is found murdered in his own cell. The writing is witty.




Hugs, Dr. Liz

Friday, September 4, 2009

September 3, 2009

Wild storm in the night but I barely woke up. Up at 9 AM. Tai chi this morning. I sleep so well when it is cooler. 72 this morning.

Noon. half dead from tai chi. It is just the stretching. We do most of our tai chi sitting down. If I stretched every day ---

I think it is disgraceful that people here do not want their children to hear the prez of the USA. every liberal I know is distressed bc Obama is so centrist and here in Texas they think he is a socialist.

Blitzen to Uncle Mark:
I am not afraid of anything, not some old thunder.

At noon I watched YouTube for an hour, the movie where a man ate only McDonald's for a month. He gained 25 pounds. After that I took my usual nap. I am feeling somewhat disoriented. TO DO List: finish red & black quilt blocks, change sheets, tidy, clean house, and finally work on black and white quilt blocks. One step at a time.

Well I took one half step toward changing sheets. Got sheets out of shelves. Went to dog park where the dark clouds hung over everything. One man says he calls Lady Chica "Wolf" bc she runs the fence guarding us. Came home and turned on PBS so that I dont miss my programs. Last night MI-5 was continued next week.

Martha: There was a policeman sitting around the dog park. I think he was there bc of soft ball game.

Lady Chica's Tale
Chance and I did a lot of running tonight. No sun. At one point we had a pack of dogs on each side. That was fun.

Blitzen's Tale
I tried humping this little girl dog. A puppy was trying to mount her. Her mom just kept pulling me off and I got bored.

BOOK REVIEW
WEB Griffin, *Traffickers*
In the early seventies the author under a pseudonym wrote a series of police procedurals set in Philadelphia. In this book he has brot his cast of characters forward forty years without aging them.
Strangely enuf, it works. Matt Payne is a young homicide detective. A Texas Ranger comes to Philly pursuing El Gato, a drug trafficker who cuts off peoples' heads. They find a head, then the matching body. And of course take down the villain.



Hugs, Dr. Liz

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

September 2, 2009

Lollygagged around in bed until ten. Even the dogs did not get up. I think maybe the cool air.

I spent the day finishing a caftan shirt to give to Lea. She was so pleased. It looks so nice. I had not been able to see myself walking around.

PPQS. I worked on Puerto Villarta scrap book while Lea cut out quilt blocks for her grandson. We have a new candidate for a quilt. Need to finish up the red and black one.

Lady Chica's Tale
What happens at Pup's stays at Pup's.

Blitzen's Tale
What happens at Pup's stays at Pup's.



BOOK REVIEW
Margaret Moron, *Sand Sharks*
Deborah Knott series. Deborah is a judge. She goes to a Continuing Education for Judges seminar. While there, she sees a murdered judge hanging in a tree in the river. Then it is a police procedural to find the killer.

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

September 1, 2009

Baptist Center. I hit the snooze button four times.

Adult clothing opened after the summer. We only service 30 people and they were lined up by 6:30 AM. Only six families for food pantry. Don Lee was back doing security.

I came home and slept for four hours. I dreamed I was in Africa, packing to "come home". I was laying outfits. Saw I was missing some items. Remembered I probably left a suitcase somewhere. Went walking down dark scary corriders to find suitcase. Then I was still missing outfits. Found another suitcase. Then I found a suitcase full of clothes I had forgotten.

9 PM How can I be sleepy and tired all over again? We went to the dog park where it was cool. And the days are shorter. It was sort of dark by 8. They have lights at the park.

Did I say that our neighbor Marilyn will be moving to the new senior apartment complex down the street? She and mgr do not get along. That is a long story.

Lady Chica's Tale
It was cool at the park tonight. I did some running. Mom was gone all morning and slept all afternoon. I shall report her to PETA.

Blitzen's Tale
Not much to say tonight. We did some running at the park. I slept most of the day. There was some guy who kept running funny things back and forth. {Editor's Note: carpet cleaners cleaned end apartment}

BOOK REVIEW
Robert Parker, *School Days*
Spenser, PI. Spenser goes on and on and on.. Parker has taken two incidents out of the headlines and put them together. In this book two masked boys shot up a school killing seven people. Spenser is hired by one boy's grandmother to prove the boy innocent.


Hugs, Dr. Liz