Sunday, February 28, 2010

February 28, 2010

I saw a cartoon where a couple's bed is taken over by three large great danes. One little heeler/sheltie does it for me, lying on the covers so I freeze to death
4 AM she has gone to sleep on the couch. Probaby too warm on the bed.

I woke from a dream where I had a baby and was a refugee in the wilderness in some primitive Mid Eastern country. In the dream I had escaped from being held in a building.

11:30 AM Gottta get to dog park and back before Martha comes to pick me up to spend aft admiring her new kitchen. Sun is shining.

Pleasant at the dog park. Dozens of dogs. Woman told me that Buddy got into four fights yesterday.

Blitzkrieg's Tale
Lots and lots of dog at the park today. I am still tired from yesterday.

Lady Chica's Tale
Not much going on. Lots and lots of big dogs but nobody came over near the fence. I was glad to come home.

Martha picked me up at 2:30 and we just hung out. Jeff had bought champagne for us to toast the new kitchen. Gorgeous. I took a nap. We watched Olympic hockey game. Watched closing ceremony with sound off. music playing.

BOOK REVIEW
T. Jefferson Parker, *California Girl* (2004)
This was told in flash backs and I had a hard time getting into it. Four Beck brothers. had a rumble when they were in high school with the Vonn bros. Saw Janelle, age four.
Later Nick became sheriff's deputy and was in charge of homicide of Janelle, age 19,
Andy is a reporter. This was 1968. Thirty six years later, 2004, Andy uncovers the real murderer. No more said. Martha gets mad at me when I reveal the ending.

Saturday, February 27, 2010

February 27, 2010

What a day. I am exhausted. Got up about ten and messed around. at one I loaded dogs and set out for Lea's to attend Circle Theatre.
The car would not start.
My next parking buddy came over. He has a clone of my Saturn. He gave me a jump start.
So off I went.

Lea decided it would be safer to take her car. She was not sure she could drive, having had eyelid surgery this week. But we arrived safely. And home safely. The car started. I stopped by my local repairman on the way home. he tested the battery and it tests fine. So.

Circle Theatre was OPUS. It did not have much of a plot. It was an inside look at a string quartet. They fussed and argued. They fired one violist and hired a woman. Then the fired man came back and wanted to replace first violinist. And then the cellist got upset and smashed an antique violin.
It doesn't sound like much, but it was fun.

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

By the way, the other day someone asked why I didn't name my other dog Donder. No wonder that Blitzen gets upset.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

Thursday, February 25, 2010

February 25, 2010

Up at 9:30 but I feel a front coming in. Lea suggested it might be nerve damage. Meaning my nerves react to a coming front.
Sun is shining. I need to go to post office. The little satellite has weird hours.

Well, Brianna's xmas/bday present is off in the mail. Dropped off library book due today. Took dogs to small park nearby. New smells. New smells. New smells. I let LC off the leash and she ran circles around me. She loves to play chase.

Blitkrieg's Tale
Mom took us to a new park. All the new smells were so exciting. Mom let LC off the leash and she likes to play games. It is not fair that she got to run all over the park.
Well, at the big park we got to run a lot. Buddy and Chance were both there and lots of dogs ran on both sides.

Lady Xica's Tale
I had a great run. We went to a new park and Mom let me off the leash. It is such fun to tease Mom. I run up and then swerve off. She gets frustrated!!!!!
I am exhausted tonight. I ran and ran and ran and ran. Finally I was ready to go home. It started to rain.

I keep telling myself I need the sleep. I am healing.

BOOK REVIEW
Robert Crais, *The First Rule* (2010)
This is the first book I have read published in 2010. Elvis Cole and Joe Pike. The First Rule has to do with Serbian mafia --- your only family is the gang.
After leaving the Service, Joe Pike was a military contractor, i.e. mercenary. Now he is a PI in LA. One of his unit is killed in a home invasion along with family. Joe Pike takes care of his own altho it has been ten years since they served together in the military contract.
The killers are involved with Serbian mafia who are bringing in guns from Korea. Not recommended for sensitive readers.

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

February 24, 2010

Rent. I just thot of it.
Slept till 12:30 noon. I can feel myself healing. My sinus are so clear. Antibiotics are miracles.
PPQS tonight. LC is eagerly looking forward to helping John garden.
Lea had minor surgery on Monday. So we will spend a quiet evening.

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

Lea made dinner, best soup I have ever tasted. Dump cake. corn bread. No wonder she was tired. We came home early. It is taking longer to recover than she expected.

BOOK REVIEW
Laura Childs, *Tragic Magic* (2009)
chick pick. scrapbooking mystery. Carmela owns Memory Mine, a scrapbooking shop in N'orleans. Her friend, Ava, owns Juju Voodoo shop. They are hired to decorate a haunted house. The owner falls out of a window in flames. The house is scary, haunted.
I find this awfully mild. Carmela has a relationship with homicide dick.


Hugs, Dr. Liz

Monday, February 22, 2010

Sunday, February 21, 2010

February 21, 2010

Slept until 11 am. Gave up on religious services. As a side effect of anti-biotic I am outsourcing my innards. I did not think I could make it thru a service.
I will see dentist tomorrow and ask about Immodium. Flyer says not to take with anti-biotic. I looked on internet and immodium interacts with certain chemicals, including black pepper.
The weather is warm. I was out with only a tee shirt.
Helen's grandchildren were playing tag and my dogs were crazy. So we went out. The dogs would not run with kids. Blitzen is afraid to go away from me. Anyhow, kids and dogs got acquainted. After that, we came in and dogs ignored the kids outside.
Doing laundry at long last.

;The sun came out and we hurried to the dog park. Lots and lots of dogs there. Chance and Buddy were there. So Lady Chica did a lot of running. Blitzen does not run much. He goes over to the fence and stirs everything up.

Blitzkrieg's Tale
I love to get those ol busters stirred up. I stand at the fence and trash talk. I yell "Your mother's a bitch." And of course she is.

Lady Chica's Tale
I had fun today running with Chance and Buddy. That ol Buddy is a bully. He bit a dog who got in his way.

The temp dropped as we sat in the park. Some people just outside my window are letting loose a bunch of balloons.

BOOK REVIEW
John Sandford, *Mortal Prey* (2002)
I find this hard to read; it is like a Greek tragedy. Lucas Davenport, Minnesota BCA. The book is about Clara Rink, the female hitman. Clara fled to Mexico and was doing fine. Until an assasin killed her lover, wounded her and caused a miscarriage. Clara recovers and sets forth to eliminate a set of people. We know at the beginning that she will be killed at the end.

Saturday, February 20, 2010

February 20, 2010

Went with Lea for a fitting at Allie Coosh.

Thursday, February 18, 2010

February 19, 2010

At 3 am I made a pit stop and fell asleep on the potty. As I was falling off I woke enuf to go back to bed.

11:23 am I slept well. Muscles feel good. Dogs got me up, barking at some lawn machine. Sun is shining. Temp will get to sixty today, they say.

Went over and got a hair cut. About time, I say.
Came home and took a nap.

We got to the park early, about three. Sun shining, lots of dogs altho none we knew.

Blitzkrieg's Tale
I tried to get those big lugs to run the fence but no luck. I got really mad when mom was petting this puppy.

Lady Xica's Tale
I ran back and forth along the fence. Sometimes I got somebody to run with me. Tiger rane or twice. She is a fruitcake, loose in the head. But what can you expect of a catahoulie.

Another nap. Today has been devoted to sleep. I was dreaming and continued to finish my dream when I woke up, but I dont remember it. It was like something from Outlander.

BOOK REVIEW
Have not finished a book today. I spent too much time sleeping. Reading a book by Harold Coyle, but it is hard going. He has Druze Christians, Iranians, Americans and israelis. Each is getting ready for a confrontation.


Hugs, Dr. Liz

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

February 18, 2010

10:30 AM The dogs have been kicking up a fuss all morning. I sat down at my computer and looked out the window at two police cars. My first thought was that somebody had died. Often somebody dies in the night and the police have to break down the door. I never use the lock without a key.
So snoopy me, we harnessed up and went for our morning walk. The dogs were happy. The mgr was talking with the police, and I asked if somebody had died. "That's usually why the police come", I said. No, nobody had died. I moseyed on my way.
Some woman was sitting disconsolately by a pile of empty cartons. I had noticed the cartons yesterday, somebody moving in.
So much for that story. I will never know.

I tottered off to vote early in the primary. Now 2:15 PM. Now for a nap. PPQS tonight.

4:21. The dogs were willing to take a nap this afternoon. Tonight Lea and I are going to work on the green and yellow batik quilt.

Blitzkrieg's Tale
Lady Xica's Tale
What happens at Pup's stays at Pup's.

BOOK REVIEW
John Sandford, *Broken Prey*
Lucas Davenport, Minnesota BCA. The basic premise of this plot is far fetched, but the book is a good read. Lots of suspense as Lucas hunts another serial killer.


Hugs, Dr. Liz

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

February 16, 2010

I had not set alarm as I had thot but woke anyway. Yeah me. Off to Baptist Center. Sun is shining.

Baptist Center
We have had a heavy rush. Baptist Center was closed Thur,Fri last week.
Big Rush: 4 units,2 each
By 10 am we have done 7 units, one of t hem 6
By 10:50 we have done 12 units.
By 11:15 we have done 17 units,one of them 7 members.

I came home and tried to take a nap and the dogs kept pestering me. Then I had a massage. My massage therapist was telling me about a person she knows (now in jail) whose husband stole a prescription pad and has been writing his own prescriptions for hydroxocodein (??).

We finally made it to the dog park. Buddy was there and the dogs got some exercise.

Blitzkreig's Tale
I tried socializing some young pups, but Mom wont hear of it. And the pup's owner grabbed him. I wasn't going to hurt him.

Lady Chica's Tale
I take my meals in my den. I ate supper tonight and just flopped. Chasing Buddy.

BOOK REVIEW
John Sandford, *Naked Prey*
I really enjoyed this book. Perhaps bc there are layers of killers. One couple gets killed. Then another couple gets killed by partners of the first couple. Then the killer's killer gets killed.
Oh, yes, Luke Davenport, now of the Minnesota BCA.
Hugs, Dr. Liz

Monday, February 15, 2010

February 15, 2010

6 am Up for a pit stop. I was having a horrible dream I dont' remember.

Blitzkrieg's Tale
Mom forgot to let me write my tale yesterday. Just cuz I was asleep. Aunt Martha came over and we took a walk in the field. Most of that funny stuff is gone.
Second Tale
There was a cute little puppy, but Mom put me on a time out. He kept wanting to play. Not many dogs there today. I was bored.

Lady Chica's Tale
Aunt Martha walked us. she walks a lot better than Mom. Mom is such a slow poke. Mom tells her she needs more exercise.
Secnd Tale
None of the big ol busters would run today. Buddy arrived just when we were going home.

9:35 am Had a difficult time sleeping in with dogs clawing me from both sides. It seems like a month since last Monday.

I did 3 minutes on the treadmill, slow and level. Burned 2 calories. (50 calories = 1 point)

Met Judy at Wendy's. I was tired out.

After a nap we went to dog park. Dogs were bored. Buddy arrived as we were leaving.

BOOK REVIEW
Bill Crider, *Murder in Four Parts*
Sheriff Dan Rhodes is invited to join the Clearview Barbershop Choir. Before he can join, the director is found murdered in his florist shop. It looks as if he got into an argument with somebody and the killer smashed him with a pipe.
Crider's books are fun to read.



Hugs, Dr. Liz

Sunday, February 14, 2010

february 14, 2020

8:20 AM Up for a pit stop. Most of the snow is gone. Some remaining on roof tops. Many of the sidewalks are dry.

Up at 10:30 am I was thinking. Martha is remodeling her kitchen and I am envious of her new refrigerator and convection oven. The refrigerator has the freezer in a drawer at the bottom. So much more rational.
If I won the 46 million dollar lottery, what would I do? I like living here. I would buy the whole compound. I would get myself an automatic gate opener for staters. I would stay in this apartment while I remodeled another. I would knock out some walls to make one apt out of three.
I would put a skylight in the kitchen. Maybe two or three. I had a skylight in Houston and I loved it. Then I would get new appliances. I would get some new furniture.

I told Martha my fantasy. She laughed and said for 46 million we could build a house for her with a mother-in-law house behind it.


Then I would buy new pews for the church.
That done, I would set up a chair in sociology with my name. The Elizabeth Nall chair of sociology. I could do it at both SIU and Michigan State. Maybe I could call one of them my mother's name. Or Libby. That one could be at Uof T. They would be tax deductions.

So much for fantasy.

Martha came over to review dress for MOB. The top doesn't fit. We decided on what we want. She brot laundry bc her washer is not plugged in.
Then we walked dogs. Rather she walked and I tottered along behind. She also brot left overs. One was cherry sauce on chicken. Oh, my.

I proof read a paper for Lea. Now for a nap.

BOOK REVIEW
Harold Coyle, *They are Soldiers* (2004)
Coyle has changed his milieu to Middle East. In this volume a National Guard Unit is deployed to keep peace between Israel and Palestine. The captain is regular army. He learns the benefits of "community" for National Guard {they are soldiers}.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

Saturday, February 13, 2010

February 13, 2010

Friday night
Watched the opening of the Olympic Games. I switched to PBS to watch *new Tricks* and *Waking the Dead*. Switched back in time to see the torch lit.
As usual, I did not really understand the ending of Waking the Dead.

At 9:30 Lady Xica demanded breakfast. I couldn't get back to sleep and the dogs were restless. So we went off to the dog park. The park was one big puddle overlaid with snow. There were leftover snowmen melting. It was warm enuf for me to be wearing only a sweat shirt not a jacket.
LC came home all muddy. So we had to take a shower.

Blitzkrieg's Tale
The park was weird. There was a lot of water and all of that funny stuff. I had a good time chasing dogs and monitoring a fight. Mom plans to get me a black and white striped referee shirt.

Lady Chica's tale
I came home all muddy and we had a shower. I mostly just stayed at the front fence monitoring the cars.

At two I slept until 4:30. I ate a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, my first. Did not care for it. Will not repeat. At some point I went to sleep again until 7 PM. I am so tired from walking thru the snow.

BOOK REVIEW
Bill Crider, *Of all Sad Words* (2008)
Sheriff Dan Rhodes has revised the poem:
Of all sad words of tongue and pen
The saddest of these are:
It seemed like a good thing. [Reminds me of what Dan in Sunday School class was saying.)
Rhodes ran a Citizens Sheriff's Academy and now he has vigilantes helping his investigations. A trailer house blew up, they found a body in the woods and then a still. It seems that drinking moonshine has become a fad. But everything ends happily and the citizens help set up the web page.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

Friday, February 12, 2010

February 12, 2010

Dont be jammin on your brakes,
so saith the spokesman for Texas DOT.

Thursday
6 PM Walked dogs. Sidewalks are covered almost to ankles. What a mess.
10 PM DFW has recorded 9.4 inches, setting a new record. Temp is 32 in Fort Worth.
We took a bedtime walk. The scene was beautiful, snow falling softly. I was homesick for Michigan -- briefly.

Friday
5 AM Snow has ceased falling.
Contrary to expectations, temp did not fall and ice did not form. Snow is slowly melting. Temp at 11 am is 33 degrees. At this rate it will take a week to clear roads. This means another nightmare dog walk. Got out my Michigan boots.
At 5 am LC and I heard a boom and we were scared. Then I realized
that snow was falling. I the drifts were falling. Now I have heard another one.


Martha said that we made the national news with eleven inches of snow. All time record in the DFW area. I chatted with Martha as she drove up from Laredo.
Walking the dogs was much better this morning wearing boots. The boots gave me more traction. The dogs couldn't run in the field bc the snow was too deep. We visited with a man making a snowman. Blitzen circled it three times wondering what it was and then peed on it. The little boy (about 3) threw a snow ball at Blitzen.

Blitzkrieg's Tale
That funny stuff is all over. We couldn't even run in the field because it is so deep. We went over to talk to this man who was doing something. I couldn't figure out what that thing was. I looked it over carefully and then marked it. That kid threw the stuff at me.

Lady Chica's Tale
Personally I would just as soon stay home. That stuff has no smell and it is hard to walk in. Blitzen is so something or other. He has to look at everything. If I cant herd it, what good is it? Herd it or eat it, I say.

After talking with Martha for an hour, we took a nap. I got up and put on my outdoor clothes. I think the dogs expectd to go to the park, but alas. The parking lot is impassble. This morning our gate was only half open. The apt next door kept their gate open.
A tree split down the middle in our compound. Texas trees are not used to this much snow.

Martha: I walked back and forth to mail box. None of the sidewalks are clear. And there are puddles of water all over.

Comment: Other dogs rolled in the snow and enjoyed it. I think my dogs are too small. The snow is just too deep for them.

BOOK REVIEW:
John Sandford, *NIght Prey* (1994)
I was bored with this book. The search for the killer was boring.
Lucas Davenport, assistant chief of Police in Minneapolis. An investigator from the state bureau insists that a serial killer is stalking the state. He kills women in different jurisdictions. When the second murder finally occurs in Minneapolis, Lucas gets involved.
The killer is stalking a woman while he kills others. Not enuf suspense.
Lucas proposes to Weather.

Thursday, February 11, 2010

February 11, 2010

Up for a pit stop at 6:30 AM. SNOW I looked out the window and the bushes are covered with snow. Snow is coming down in tiny flakes.


Slept till eleven. Slept the clock around. We must have an inch of snow. I dont remember ever seeing so much snow in Texas. The weather man did not expect this much so soon.

Walking the dogs was a nightmare. My footing was treacherous and Blitzen was pulling. IN the field there is three or four inches of snow. I often let the dogs run, leashed together but Blitzen was too oriented toward the cars going past. The sound must have been different. I made it home. I made it home.

Blitzkreig's Tale
We went outside and everything was different. There was this funny stuff all over the ground. I wanted to run and run but Mom is an old slowpoke. Mom is such an old slowpoke. Josh used to come over and play but we never see him any more.

Lady Xica's Tale
Yes, everything was different. Weird stuff. No smell. It was cold on my feet. Blitz wanted to run but I wanted to go home. When we got home, Blitz and I had fun playing and chasing.


4 PM Weather station at DFW has 6.2 inches of snow. The record of all time is 8 inches. David Finfrock (our weatherman) thinks we may break the record. Temp is above freezing. Snow will stop in the night and slush will freeze. Schools are closed.

I am going to send this off at 5 PM before we have a power outage. Snow is weighing down lines.

I did not read a book today. I have been sewing.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

February 10, 2010

Up at 10 am. Took the dogs out. Thn we had to rush home and take a shower when Lady Xica got in the way of Blitzen's marksmanship.

I am depressed this morning. All my neighbors are in the hospital. (That is an exaggeration. Helen is in the hospital. Oda Mae and Russ are staying w/their son while Russ gets radiation treatments. I dont know where ----- is. Cant remember her name. She is in the first stages of Alzheimer's.)
I cant find my Xmas camera. I know it is hiding under a piece of fabric somewhere.

I keep trying to think of good things. Lea is overnighting our batik quilt to Colorado to the silent auction. An org called Power of Seven is raising money for breast cancer research. That recent book I read about silent dying had a lot of good stuff about cancer. Our quilt was mentioned on the radio. Lea bid on it her self.

The above paragraph is how I think, thots all jumbled together.

Noon. I was ready to kill Blitzen. He went beserk about the leaf blower going by and pulled the cover off my coffee table. But under the piles of junque was my camera. I feel so much better.

Blitzkrieg's Tale
Lady Xica's Tale
What happens at Pup's stays at Pup's.

PPQS:
Lea and I began working on the green batik quilt.
Storm warning from 3 am to Friday 6 am. I intend to stay in the house tomorrow.

BOOK REVIEW
Faye Kellerman, *Blindman's Bluff* (2009)
I have read this before but enjoyed it enuf to read over again.
Peter Decker, LA police procedural. Blind man is a translator for the court. He is a peripheral character in a homicide investigation.
A wealthy man and his wife as well as security guards are killed on a remote ranch. The younger son is injured. Decker believes that the gunmen are hired killers, and he thinks that one of the surviving family members had hired them.
Hugs, Dr. Liz

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

February 9, 2010

Baptist Center: Food Pantry
1- single man
2-single man
3-single man who lives at Bunkhaus
4-family of 3
5-single man
6-family of 2
7-single man
8-family of 6, Hispanic
9-single man

Total of 9 units.

I came home and took a nap. Up and off to the dog park. Buddy was there and Lady Xica did a lot of running.

Blitzkrieg's Tale
There was a cute little King Charles Spaniel girl, but Mom put me on time out. Mom is such a spoil sport. I keep saying.

Lady Xica's Tale
I did a lot of running with Buddy. I like to tease him. I start running and then I run off. There were a bunch of little dogs getting underfoot. They were all muddy.
When we got home, Mom sat around looking at that thing that sometimes makes funny noises.

Watched a documentary on bombing raids over Germany during WWII. As I watched, I was remembering the bombing survey taken after the war.
Then I watched a new series, NCIS Los Angeles.

BOOK REVIEW
A male reader has read *Outlander* and is bored. He was expecting soft porn. I guess that is a woman's book. It was classified as a "romance". Got an award as best romance of the year. I guess it is.




Hugs, Dr. Liz

Monday, February 8, 2010

February 8, 2010

Woke up in drenching rain. Off to Wendy's to meet with Judy. We commiserated over politics. Then the rain let up. So we dashed off to the dog park as fast as we could go. The little dog park was one big puddle. Actually there were little walkways in between puddles. The dogs chased birds.

Blitzkrieg's Tale
Big puddles of water all over the little dog park. We chased birds, huge flocks of black birds. No other dogs were there. None.

Lady Xica's Tale
I had a lot of fun chasing birds. Lots of birds. No other dogs to scare them off. I dont know where all the other dogs were. It wasn't raining.

BOOK REVIEW
John Sandford, *Mind Prey* (1995)
Not recommended for sensitive readers. Luke Davenport police procedural. In this book he gets engaged with Weather.
A woman and her two daughters are kidnapped and kept in a cellar. Lucas found them in five days but those days are horrible.

Sunday, February 7, 2010

February 7, 2010

I woke up from my dream and kept on dreaming. What is that called, Carol?
Iwas attending a big AlAnon convention. It was chaos. Everybody was discussing and arguing at the top of their lungs.
I was supposed to make a joint presentation with another woman I had never met and she never showed up.

I managed to get to Sunday School. We were discussing the storyof the tower of Babel. What do you remember of your childhod teachings? How do you see it now. We had a spirited discussion.
Church and lunch at the round table.

After a nap we took off for the dog park. What a miserable day. We managed to make it between drizzles. Everybody else was home watching The Game. My goodness, NPR--- yes, NPR announced the score at the end of the first quarter.


Blitzkrieg's Tale
Nobody at the park. Mom says they were all home watching the game, whatever that means. I wound up playing with my sister. Grr.

Lady Chica's tale
Not much doing at the park. Mom says I have learned to play half fetch. She throws the doll's head and I chase it. Then she has to chase me to grab it. Blitz and I were pulling on the doll, and I got the head and Blitz got the body.

BOOK REVIEW
Keith McCarthy, *The Silent Sleep of the Dying* (2004)
This novel reads like a text book. McCarthy is a histopathologist (whatever that is) and his hero is a consulting pathologist. John Eisenmenger is called on to investigate a strange episode. A woman died of cancer and her body was mistakenly cremated. It turns out the autopsy was faked. The woman died of a multitude of cancers. She worked for a pharmaceutical company. And the plot takes off from there.
There are interesting descriptions.


Hugs, Dr. Liz

Saturday, February 6, 2010

February 6, 2010

Up at 9:30 AM. Sun is shining. I am determined to do some quilt piecing today.

What I managed to do is start piecing another quilt.
Dog park was not comfortable. Cloudy and windy. None of the regulars were there on the little dog side. Buddy and Chance were there. Lady Xica and Buddy and Chance ran for the whole hour. Idiots kept standing beside the fence blocking the runway.

Blitzkrieg's Tale
Old Buddy and chance kept running and running. People kept standing in the way. Didn't seem to know what was going on. Lots of dogs ran on either side.

Lady Xica's Tale
I really felt energetic today. I ran and ran and ran and ran. Mom was complaining that I got all muddy but Buddy sat down in a mud puddle. One dog jumped over Chance.

We all came home and took a nap. I am subsisting on soup. I have gained back all I lost. I make a soup of canned green beans and tomatoes. 16 points today (Weight Watcher points)

BOOK REVIEW
John sandford, *Heat Lightning* (2008)
Virgil Flowers, police procedural. Virgil works for Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension under the supervision of Lucas Davenport. Two murders, each man propped up under a veteran's memorial in a small town with a lemon between his teeth. Then another. Then another. Virgil hears that Vietnamese put a lemon in the mouth of people they executed. The victims were in a veteran's support group.
So we think there is a Vietnam connection.


Hugs, Dr. Liz

Friday, February 5, 2010

February 5, 2010

Thrusday night. I survived MI-5. I keep thinking they are going to kill Adam off. Then I couldn't get to sleep. Too much adrenalin.

Tai chi this morning. Twelve students there. I was shocked that one of the students had no bra and a low cut neckline.
Noon. Now for a nap.

It was a perfect day at the dog park. Ray was there with Charlie and Maggie. None of the big dogs came near the fence. Buddy was there bc I heard his mom calling him.

Blitzkrieg's Tale
I haven't eaten anything today. My tummy doesn't feel good. I just wandered around the park.

Lady Chica's Tale
None of the big busters came near the fence. I watched the front fence, keeping an eye on that cop car parked there. He was up to no good.

We came home and took a nap. Then we watched our television programs on PBS.

BOOK REVIEW
John Sandford, *Phantom Prey* (2008)
Lucas Davenport, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, police procedural. By this book. Lucas has a toddler son. Kidd is married, too, but we dont know to whom.
The usual serial killer. This plot has an unusual twist, shocking, that you learn at the middle of the book. You know who the killer is but Lucas doesn't.
Weather pressures Lucas to help a friend find her missing daughter.



Hugs, Dr. Liz

Thursday, February 4, 2010

February 4, 2010

I had a dream that was like a novel. The time seemed to be just before the Civil War, like about 1860. I was on a church mission trip to the south. (Actually I think this might have been illegal.) My fiance, resembling Jamie Fraser, was with a management training group for a mining company using slave labor. (i have been reading about Spaniards use of slavesin Peru.) He came to the conclusion that he could not work with slave labor. So he was quitting.

I was perturbed about slavery. So I planned to go home. My parents drove down toget me. (A lot of anachronisms in this dream.) Eva R was in the mission grp and plannedto go home with me. Then she went to visit Mia who had just immigrated from Germany. Eva came back the morning we were to leae completely amnesic about our plans. Mia had invited her to stay as a house guest and Mia was wealthy and the house was luxurious. On and on and the dream ended.


Two responses to yesterday's journall. Jack LaLayne is still alive and will, doing jumping jacks.

I went to the bank and I went to Joanne's to buy scrapbooks. I came home tired. Decided it was now or never to take dogs to park. Few dogs there of course. Cloudy but not rainy. We were almost ready to come home when Chance and Buddy arrived.

Blitzkrieg's Tale
Mostly I sat around on the table. Grass was wet. No dogs to chase.
Lady Xica's Tale
I spent the time parking cars. Not many to park. by the time Buddy and Chance came I was tired out and ready to come home. Mom was complaining how muddy we were.

Took a nap. Waiting for MI-5. Hi, David

BOOK REVIEW
Niall Ferguson, *The Ascent of Money* (2009)
Exciting new perspective on how the world works. We did a power study in the Valley in 1959. Power studies were all the rage. The one man with the most power was the banker bc he controlled credit.
Ferguson wrote the forward to the paperback edition after the crash of 2008. He defines all the abstruse terms like derivatives.
Ferguson is writing the history of money. The first items are promissory notes in ancient Sumer. still clay tablets exist.
It certainly gives a distinct flavor to history.


Hugs, Dr. Liz

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

February 3, 2010

Up at 11 AM. I went to sleep at midnight. So I had eleven hours of sleep. I had dreams where I was a spectator, like watching a movie.
My leg muscles are sore bc I was trying to hop yesterday. At Baptist Center, Nancy was talking about reading somewhere about doing jumping jacks. So I tried --- and failed. It takes strong leg muscles to jump.
Iwonder if Jack Lelayne is still alive and doing jumping jacks.

I am still sleepy -- noon -- altho Ihave not taken anti histamines. PPQS tonight. We go over to Pup's.

Word of the Day
Maginot Line. Before 1940, France built a system of defenses between it and Germany, called the Maginot Line. Impregnable.
In 1940 Rommel with his tanks, copying old Nathan Bedford Forrest (get there fustest with the mostest) swung through Belgium in a blitzkrieg (note:blitzkrieg), bypassing the Maginot Line and conquering France.

A friend of mine (native German) said that it is clear that my ancestors were Prussian. I never think of Germans as conquering warriors. They conquered the Romans and conquered France. The only reason the US won the war is that a lot of Germans settled in the U.S. Germans and irish. Ferocious barbarians. (Just call them Texans).

Took another nap. This seems to be physical need, not depression escape. It takes a long time to recover from hopping. Lucas Davenport said that when he played hockey in college, he was fine the next day. In his forties, it takes two or three days to recover. I wonder what it will be like when he is in his 80's.
I am determined to do a jumping jack.

Blitzkrieg's Tale
Lady Xica's Tale
What happens at Pup's stays at Pup's.

The dogs had a good time. They came home and played and chased each other around the house.

Lea quilted the border of the batik quilt while I finished the scrapbook for the Puerto Vllarta vacation.

BOOK REVIEW
Jan Burke, *Hocus* (1997)
Burke's novels always contain some ancient crime surfacing to cause trouble. Irene Kelly is a newspaper reporter married to a homicide dick, Frank Harrison. In this book Frank is kidnapped by a group called *Hocus*. Hocus means hoax. First they infiltrate a bank computer and turn off requirement for fees. Then the library, erasing fines. Tricks.

Frank arrests two members and then Frank is kidnapped by the group. Held hostage. A complex plot unwinds.

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

February 2, 2010

4:30 AM Up for pit stop, waking from a wild dream. In that most recent John Sanford, Kidd was crawling around the Texas prairie outside Crawford.

My Master's Thesis was the first disaster study ever. The only literature available was the air force survey of bombing in WWII. I did interviewing in Flint following the tornado in 1953. I studied the response of formal orgs: Red Cross, Salvation Army, Michigan State Police. In that tornado several blocks of houses were just vanished. Vanished. I saw a refrigerator in a tree.
I was fascinated that the neighbors were in shock. I mean shock. The inhabitants of the houses were dead.

Baptist Center. I was steadily working all morning. 15 units got groceries

Dog park was sort of uneventful today. Medium cold. I did not wear enuf. My hands got cold. Blitzen did not get in trouble. Lady Xica got a lot of exercise.

Blitzkrieg's Tale
Dog park was sort of boring today. The big busters kept getting in fights but they were always on the other side of the fence.

Lady Xica's Tale
I did a lot of running this evening. Everything seemed sort of quiet. Neither Buddy nor Chance came by this evening.

Quiet evening at home reading.

BOOK REVIEW
Malcolm Palmer, *Silent Treatment* (1995)
I have renewed this book twice and I cant get interested. It may be that I have read this book before in the long long ago. I said before that reading Palmer's novels convinces one that one does not want to go to a hospital.
This novel is about doctors and a hospital and an HMO.


Hugs, Dr. Liz

Monday, February 1, 2010

February 1, 2010

Alarm rings at 9, waking me from a pleasant dream and I woke up happy. I used to have a program which put the current temp in the tray on the bottom of my screen, next to time. Diane Reem on NPR is discussing toyota recall. Couldn't care less.
Temp is 32, wind chill 30.

Judy and I discussed finishing unfinished products. This was started by describing my quilt blocks.

Came home and took a nap. At four we set forth for the dog park. Blitzen and LC were bored for a while and started playing with each other. Then came Chance and Lady Chica started running. Finally came Buddy who got into a fight with another dog. I think Buddy attackedthe other dog for getting in his way when Buddy was running.

Blitzkrieg's Tale
Chica and I had a lot of fun hassling each other. She wanted me to chase her but I dont have the strength anymore. That Chance is really young with a lot of energy. Buddy is an agressive ol boy.

Lady Xica's Tale
I had a lot of fun today. Nobody was there at first. So Blitz and I hassled each other. Finally Chance came and we did a lot of running. Then ol Buddy turned up. I really dont like Buddy. He is a bully.

BOOK REVIEW
John Sandford, *The Devil's Code* (2000)
A Kidd Novel. Kidd is an artist and a hacker. This novel is all about NSA, spy satellites and encryption of data. Kidd's colleague, Jack Morrison, is shot by a security guard, ostensibly trying to steal encryption codes. Kidd investigates.
In the course of investigation, Kidd flies to Dallas where he says about Dallas traffic, "a pod of Texans headedup the freeway in what seemed to be a rest of Chaos Theory."

Sandford wrote two Kidd novels before he invented Lucas Davenport. Somehow Kidd does not generate such postive reaction. I surmise that Kidd is too far out.




Hugs, Dr. Liz