Thread Drift

[snapdragen]

ewww, I may never ride Muni again.

Unfortunately it's not triathletes peeing on the Muni.........

[kelownagirl]

Sticking my nose in here this evening with a frog/toad question, of all things, for Nanci. I am now the proud momma of a little tree frog, and a big toad. I have had a 10 gallon terrarium that is nice and wet and growing well all fall. The other day, a little boy in my class gave me the toad and he wants me to keep it in the terrarium. I know we can find/buy crickets etc to feed him (her?) and there is definitely water in the terrarium. It would be kept in the classroom which is a coolish room temp. Would it be fair / safe to keep the critter in my room? What do they do in winter? I read a little online and want to make sure we do the right thing but my kiddos are so enthusiastic about having something more exciting than snails in the terrarium. So - have you cared for frogs/toads Nanci?

Here's a picture of him. He's partly hidden and it's a closeup but you can see the kind of environment he's in.

[kelownagirl]

trying again with picture

[salsabike]

Before I met Mr. Salsa, I spent seven years with a guy who turned out to be your basic liar, cheater, etc. I ended that relationship just before I met Mr. Salsa, fall of ‘85. Was looking forward to a year or so of being totally alone before even thinking about any guy seriously, when I met Mr. Salsa and the sparks flew, much against our wills. On Christmas Eve the seven-year guy stopped by and gave me a present (he never could let his exes go—liked to hang on to everyone). Three hours later, Mr. Salsa stopped by and gave me a present. After he left, I cried out of sheer confusion, and then I got mad and said, “OK. I don’t know what either of YOU guys are doing, but I AM GOING TO GO TO JAPAN THIS SUMMER, SO HAHA.” ---a place I’d always wanted to go. I did, too. Went by myself, traveled around for five weeks, climbed Mt. Fuji alone, had many adventures. The day after I came down the mountain I went back to Kyoto and spent the day buying friends and relatives presents at the Kyoto Handicraft Center. That’s where I saw the wedding kimono. Didn’t have much money in those days, so I obsessed over the kimono for several hours before I finally gave in and bought it. It’s lived on the wall of wherever I’ve lived ever since.

I did use the wedding kimono for some professionally done, "sensuous" photos I sent to Mr. Salsa the following summer (he was tugboating in Alaska for six months at a time). We both fondly remember those pictures. But the wedding kimono is so huge and heavy, it never seemed like a fun wedding dress idea. When we did get married in ’91, I had had to quit ballet (fibromyalgia) and had gained a lot of weight (medication for said fibromyalgia). I knew I would either have to get very brave and buy something very colorful, or I would revert to the urge to cut a hole in a dark-colored sheet and just stick my head through it. So I bought a tropical print, sequined and beaded sort of thing from Nordstroms to get married in.

After I became a weaver and took some color classes in the late 90s, I got brave enough to mess with wall colors. We painted one wall in the living room the dark blue that you saw in the pic, and that’s where the kimono lived until this house remodel started. It will once again get a blue wall in the ochre living room, when everything’s done, as long as they’ll let me out of debtor’s prison long enough to hang it up, of course.

That photo of Rousillon—we are actually thinking of painting the entryway that green color of the shutters, with ochre trim; then you would walk from there into the ochre living room with the blue wall.

Nanci, Addy sounds as entertaining as I expected. But poor hungry girl. And good for Choco to have done his shed and eaten.

What is the #1 snake you want?

[Nanci]

I really really want that female Nelsons Milksnake aberrant pattern. I check every few days to see if she's there. I had saved $33 toward her, but now I apparently am going to have to finance the IM Florida trip, somehow- don't ask me how, so. But she _is_ expensive, so maybe no one else can afford her either.

I call Addy "Puff Adder" sometimes. She's just contantly quietly hissing. Bad Choco was out running around last night even after his meal of _two_ the night before! But I stuck to the 48 hour rule and didn't take him out, because I had Addy to play with. Even Maize came out.

The toads are funny- I put a dish of water in the desert tort viv. They go into their "burrows" at 6PM and don't come out till late morning. The toads came out as soon as it got dark, and took turns sitting in the water like X in her hot tub! They were so cute!

KG- the toad viv looks great. Is the tiny tree frog in there too? I would worry about the toad eating him. I think that is a very suitable setup, and the toad will probably stay awake for the winter if you keep him warm and fed. If it's too cool in your room, he'll just hibernate, and you'll see him in the spring. Toads are very hardy/durable for gentle handling.

I haven't figured out who won Kona of the women.

Today I serve lunch for the OTHER Century, Horse Farm Hundred. Should be fun!

[Lise]

Salsa--wonderful story! Thanks for sharing it.

Nanci--Michellie Jones won Kona. She was a "short-distance" specialist--internationals and sprints. She won the silver in the first Olympic triathlon in Sydney. Then she took up IMs. She's won most of the IMs she's entered! Last year she took second in Kona, this year she won IMAZ, and now Kona. Her husband and twin sister were at the race for her--appearantly the husband cries not only at the end, but at the beginning of her races, too! Well, so would I.

I wrote back to ex-BF. My email was brief, friendly, and included the words, "I'm dating a wonderful guy". Ended with "take care". Punto, fin. (period. it's over.)

Off to go cheer at the marathon! I wish I had any idea what Limewave looked like, although I'm sure she'll be long past my cheering posts when I get there. Darryn's planning to finish in 6-6.5 hours. It's a long time to be out there in the chilly rain. I'm glad I did it last year.

[Pax]

Lise - How do you do it when the mom should NOT be having a kid?? My co-worker is set to have her 3rd child, she smoked and used "recreational pharmaceuticals" throughout the pregnancy, the sperm donor is in prison for beating her BUT they're going to work it out and he's really a good man, and people just don't understand that she loves him... Sorry for the rant but when I think of all the fine people who would do anything to have a child and just can't, and then look at this lump of human misery it just ticks me off!

[DebW]

Lise - How do you do it when the mom should NOT be having a kid?? ... Sorry for the rant but when I think of all the fine people who would do anything to have a child and just can't, and then look at this lump of human misery it just ticks me off!

I'll add to Queen's rant. How can all these politicians (like the governor of Massachusetts) go around extolling the virtues of heterosexual parenting and claiming that gay marriage is bad for kids? Don't they realize that only straight people have unintended pregnancies under bad circumstances? When gay couples go to the trouble and expense of having children, it's because they want them and love them. Sorry to go off on this topic, but I have two wonderful newphews with two mothers who are some of the best parents I have ever seen. And I got to see the 2 1/2 month old smile on Friday evening and help give them both their baths.

[mimitabby]

Don't they realize that only straight people have unintended pregnancies under bad circumstances? When gay couples go to the trouble and expense of having children, it's because they want them and love them. Sorry to go off on this topic, but I have two wonderful newphews with two mothers who are some of the best parents I have ever seen. And I got to see the 2 1/2 month old smile on Friday evening and help give them both their baths.

Wow, that's a great point!

It's almost 7am and it's still dark here.

I guess I'll go eat breakfast, been up since 530 and i'm hungry. I am going to manage to fit in a little bike ride i think. o darn. Hubby has my helmet in his car!!

I am going to the bike shop to pick something up for another secret friend.

[Trek420]

Queen, aren't you in the social services folks who should know better industry? And this scum works there too? Who let her in? this must drive you batty.

Reminds me somewhat of my ex's sister, her nogoodnic husband was in jail more than out, only getting out long enough to father another kid....then right back in jail on drug charges. And ..... she would take her kids out of school to go visit him. Excuse me? Kids should not miss school unless this is considered part of their education ("kids stay in school and graduate or you'll end up like Dad here").

Postscript though not in touch with my ex I know that at least the oldest two did just that, graduated high school and now at least getting some college. Heh, maybe it worked.

And in the best interest of the children our team (How'd I forgot to have kids? ) can't have children?

DebW is right, pretty much no unplanned pregnancy on our team, these kids are planned and wanted.

The other thing that bugs me no end is every time I see some new fertility technology in the news. Just because you're infertile you still would make fine parents I'm sure.

If you just can't have kids ..... please adopt!!!

There are so many kids in foster care need a good home. Hats off to any adoptive parents out there.

I've been involved in the corporate grand pooh bah employee charitable giving campaigns a few years running and last year we were going around doing presentations in some of the offices. We had a speaker from the Black Adoption Agency (which kept their orriginal name but doesn't just do adoption and not just Black kids, they advocate for all kids in foster care system).

So we're at this garage of AT&T techs, these big tough guys (and a couple of gals) with their tool belts looking bored while the speaker's talking about the need for adoption. Till one of the techs says:
"sure, give me two"
"huh?"
"give me two kids, any two"

He wasn't kidding, there wasn't a dry eye in the house Other techs there decided on the spot to volunteer to take kids to games, do the big brother/big sister thing.

If I do nothing else at work .... ever, I've done that. Helped to put those two kids together with a good Mom & Dad. Though kind of laughing imagining the conversation when he got home "you're getting us WHAT?!! Couldn't you just increase your pre-tax charitable deduction?". But I hear it went well.

Queen, how're the other two kids doing? How old are they? Are the grandparents involved?