Well, January is nearing an end. It’s been an eventful month filled with dozens of things to blog about, and yet… no blogging has occurred.

So here is a summary of all the things I considered blogging about but didn’t.

1. My son, Brandon, and his family became “location independent” and moved to Costa Rica this month. It’s been fun reading about their adventures on Brandon’s blog. And my 6 1/2 year old granddaughter just started her own blog this week – EmilyInTheJungle.com.

2. Crazy Sarah Palin’s *shocking* (sarcasm) announcement that she’ll be a political commentator on Fox News. I burst out laughing when I heard her say how proud she is to be with the network that is ‘fair and balanced.’ Actually, hearing anyone refer to Fox that way makes me laugh. The not funny thing about this is how many Americans will actually tune in an listen to this idiot. WHY????

3. The earthquake in Haiti. Make a donation to the humanitarian organization of your choice.

I gave to Save The Children.

4. Pat Roberston’s idiotic comments about Haiti – Kristin handled this one quite nicely.

5. I still love living in the northwest.

In the middle of January I was outside doing gardening. Primrose in bloom, daffodils and tulips several inches tall, and buds forming on many of my spring and summer plants.

6. Both Project Runway and Psych are back!

7. The Supreme Court’s radical decision to throw out 100 years of precedent and allow corporations to spend as much as they want on political ads really made me mad. Go ahead, hand America’s elections over to the drug companies, insurance companies, big banks and other wealthy corporations. Certainly they’ll have the public’s best interests at heart. Morons. Something else to thank GWBush for.

8. Ashley introduced me to my latest addiction – iPhone app Words With Friends. If you have an iPhone and like to play scrabble, look me up and let’s play. My game name is allihays.

9. My trusty old 1996 Camry had a melt down. Heater broke, then engine light came on… running very hot. Thought I’d have to replace her. But happily found a good mechanic who replaced her broken radiator and thermostat without trying to sell me on a single unneeded repair.

10. Obama’s State of the Union address. He inspired me again. You can watch it here.

So, how has your January been?

Today the sun is at it’s lowest pint on the horizon, giving us the shortest day of the year. The word “Solstice” is derived from the Latin phrase for “sun stands still.”
Tomorrow the days will begin getting longer… Are you settling in to enjoy winter? It does have it’s own, special beauty.

Are you doing anything to celebrate or mark the arrival and passing of the solstice? Perhaps you can celebrate by enjoying this video – a Winter Solstice Meditation.

I love the stillness of winter. It doesn’t last long – and it is often colder than I’d like, but there is something quite remarkable and centering about a quiet, still winter night – especially with snowfall. I’m especially enjoying the twinkling lights on my tree and the glow of candles each night.

You?

Really???!!

Yes, CBS really is advertising the suggestion that men should get their women PAP SMEARS for Christmas.

Wow. Nothing says “I love you” like an uncomfortable cervix scrape.

If your woman needs a pap smear then buy her one, for heavens sake – but NOT FOR CHRISTMAS! This has to be the most unromantic gift idea ever.

Watch CBS Videos Online

Happy holidays!

I know you were expecting Halloween pics – and they are coming. But today is Clean Out Your Fridge Day (really!) and I just couldn’t pass up posting about it.

According to the folks at Practically Edible, this weird idea for a holiday was started in 1995 by the Whirlpool company.

Here is the evidence of my participation.

Although I have only been home about 1 week during the past month, and my fridge has not been fully stocked since I returned, I was still able to find and clear out some icky stuff.

• A lone egg in a carton with an expiration date in August
• A tub of grated Parmesan cheese that expired in 2008 (hidden behind the one that is still considered fresh).
• A moldy lemon in a baggie.
• A pint of LONG overdue buttermilk, which I had intended to use for moss cultivation and never got around to it.
• A nearly empty container of poppy seed dressing I had made a couple of months ago which was showing signs of life.

So a bit of nastiness, but all in all not too bad. I’ve seen (and had) worse.  At least all my veggies were still fresh.

So go clean out your fridge – or at least open the door and inspect it.  Then come tell us about the most disgusting thing you find.

We’re waiting!

This is the view outside my current home – a hotel room at Extended Stay Deluxe.

The reason I’m living in a hotel room is because my bathroom looks like this:

Since it’s my only bathroom, and both the toilet and sink are torn out, my insurance company has put me up in a hotel room since Sunday night. I’m not loving it.

Learned today they’ve located one leak, but have one more condo (top floor) to check and make sure there are no other sources. I’ll be here another week at least….

On the bright side, it will be great to have a mold and moisture free bathroom that smells fresh instead of mildewy. And I’m taking this opportunity to have tile and a new vanity installed when they put it all back together.

All I can say is thank heaven for home owners insurance! Have you ever had to use your HO insurance?

Today I made a most unpleasant discovery. When I opened my cupboard to select my morning tea, I was greeting by about 50 tiny fruit flies. This is a total shock, as I don’t keep any fresh fruit or veggies in the cupboard.

I hate fruit flies.

After a little detective work, I discovered that a little plastic single serve bowl of Dole sliced pineapple had torn open and the flies had made a lovely home. They must have just started hatching last night while I slept. Evil, bad fruit flies.

I’ve been chasing them around the house, sucking them up into my vacuum all day!

Of course this isn’t nearly as bad as the infestation in my home many years ago when a forgotten bag of potatoes had rotted in the basement………… yuck!

Every night I take a little stroll through my little garden, listening to the crickets, frogs and bubbling fountain. Keeping an eye out for slime trails so I can dispose of the giant slugs that invade my plants, and curse the obnoxiously bright “safety light” on the back of the building that illuminates the rock wall and my garden with an unnatural peach colored glow. Safety, schmafety. It’s nearly as bright as day in the areas where it shines. I hate light pollution – and it seems to follow me wherever I go. I like night to feel like night!

“Darkness is as essential to our biological welfare, to our internal clockwork, as light itself.” -Verlyn Klinkenborg, “Our Vanishing Night,” National Geographic magazine, November 2008

The horrible light was off for the first year and a half I lived here – and then, all of a sudden there it was. No amount of objecting or begging moved the property manager to turn it off.. Since then I’ve been plotting ways I could destroy it, but it’s simply been out of my reach. if I had access to a 15 foot ladder I’d have climbed up and pulled out the bulb long ago. I’ve also been petitioning the condo manager to turn it off…. going so far as to get signatures from other residents in my building that they wouldn’t object to it being dark out there.

Well. as I opened the door to take my nightly stroll this evening I was greeting by the most wonderful sight. DARKNESS. It’s so dark that I can barely see anything but the stars! I’m so happy I could cry.

Next week I’m going to hang up my orange twinkle lights on my patio – which I haven’t used for almost two years (useless with that bright light shining). So drop by and sit out on my patio with me at night… it’s going to be great!

And keep your fingers crossed that the darkness is permanent!

How do you feel about the lighting in your area?

I’ve been wondering what amusement, what mischief, what possible thrilling prize awaits the little black ants who wander aimlessly around my bathroom floor?   

Yes, they’ve even ventured into the mysterious folds of my pants, lying in a crumpled pile on the floor as I shower.

Where do they come from?  Why are they here?  What do they want??????

It feels like it’s been a long time since I posted and, for some reason, the thought of doing to has been a bit overwhelming.  To break myself back in, here are some random thoughts that have occupied my mind since I last posted.

Was thrilled with the $5 delphinium bouquet I picked up at the local farmers market Friday.

Yes, $5.00

I think I’ll drop by every Friday and pick up a fresh bouquet of flowers.

I get grumpy when I’m too warm.  Anything over 80 degrees is too warm.

I’m glad I have access to a pool when it gets over 80 degrees.  I love swimming – or at least exercising in swimming pools.  And preferably the water won’t be ice cold next time!

Unlike most people in Seattle, I was happy when the heat wave passed and cooler days returned.  I spent much of yesterday planting in my garden (a garden post coming soon).

Hummingbirds make me happy. Don’t have a pic of them, but here’s where they comes to dine every day.  Last night one came by while I was sitting on the patio, and he hovered down at eye level and looked straight at me for several seconds.   I love him.

On the other hand, snails, slugs, spiders and  mosquitoes – still not a fan.

Also not a fan of the California Supreme Court’s decision to uphold mean-spirited Prop 8.    Also still not a fan of Sarah Palin and Dick Cheney.

Still happy that Obama won the election and am pleased with how he is engaging internationally.

I’m eagerly awaiting the release of Harry Potter & The Half Blood Prince movie!

I think I’ll go see the new Star Trek film this afternoon. Have you seen it?

While I’m gone, please share a few of your random thoughts.

I’ve met several of Ashley’s friendly neighbors while staying here. I’ve talked gardening with Linda and her partner Sara from next door. Another dropped by with her kids, bearing cookies, to introduce herself. Was delighted to learn they have a girl Kennedy’s age.

One neighber, in particular, is very nice and helpful, but a bit odd… an older German man named Werner who Kennedy asked one day “why do you talk and talk?”

He DOES talk and talk…. and talk…. and talk…. The other day my mom stopped by to visit and he kept her verbally captive for quite some time. He tried to convince her he’d met her the day before (it was me he’d met… )

 When I came out of the house she said, “No, I’m HER mother… you met HER.”

It was sprinkling and I gleefully cried out – “Oh, it’s raining just for me – I miss Seattle.”

He looked at me and said, “It’s good we’re all different – good to have different kinds of people.”

I assumed (and I imagine you will too) that he was going to launch into a verbal essay about how some people like warmth and sun, and some like rain and cooler temps, etc…. but no. No, that’s not what he said.

Instead, what came out of his mouth was this….

“Yes, some people are big (as he held his hands out kind of wide… and I can only assume he was referring to me), some are smaller (as he moved his hands in a little closer… referring to my mother???) and some are even smaller still…. I like them all. It’s good to be different.”

My mom and I exchanged perplexed looks and I couldn’t decide whether to burst out laughing or punch him in the mouth.  I opted for standing there dumbfounded,followed by a quick escape to the back yard.