BC didn’t really have an offense though, so not a surprising result.
2.
Cat Lady
Tom Rush looks so old. James Taylor looks like my grandfather did as I remember him as a little girl. These folkie icons from my New England teenagerhood are passing, but they sure will leave some awesome work behind.
Spent the weekend in coastal Maine, and the passing of summer was definitely noted. Here we go into the darkness!
3.
debbie
We used to play that song before every road trip. It brings back great memories. Thanks!
Then you do not even want to look at a recent picture of Gordon Lightfoot.
Wish I could find a YouTube clip of Tom Rush doing “Wind on the Water.” That’s my favorite song by him. Probably should break down and buy the CD of Merrimack County.
Hmm . . . MP3 available at Amazon.
5.
Gus
Anyone got some good mushroom recipes? A neighbor let me grab a couple hen of the woods from her yard.
6.
DougJ is the business and economics editor for Balloon Juice.
I think I heard this song in a Flomax commercial during the Jets game.
7.
Yutsano
@Gus: How big are they? Depending on the size of the cluster you could go for a nice maitake risotto. If there aren’t quite enough to do that you could mix in some criminis or buttons and do a duxelle which is a great accompaniment for roasts. Or you can possibly get away with this, although you may have to adjust for the particular flavor. And I’m jealous as all get out. :)
@Cat Lady: The four seasons in Maine: Winter, June, July, and August.
(Only a slight exaggeration. The Portland ME NWS station has recorded at least a trace of snow in every month except June, July, and August. Portland had 2″ of snow on 10/10/79…)
WP has eaten two of my comments. Fuck it. I’m gonna go take the garbage out.
15.
SteveinSC
By the way since this is an open thread, did I mention fond fucking farewell to that flaming asshole Rahm Emanuel? Thanks for nothing you arrogant cretin.
16.
PurpleGirl
@You Don’t Say: I dropped by your blog and I like the idea. But where do you click to open a comment box? I carefully looked over the page and couldn’t see where to comment. (I could also be blind…)
In response to This Week’s roundtable on Islam (“Islam – Should America be shitting its pants?”), I’ve re-upped that thing I did in August re: Muslim statements categorically rejecting terrorism.
Braves nail the wild card outright with help from the Giants. We live to play another day.
20.
stuckinred
@Phyllis: Nothing easy about this season! Bobby said it was the hardest working team he’s ever had.
21.
PurpleGirl
NYC is cooling down although I saw a number of people this afternoon who didn’t have jackets or sweaters (including me). Problem with NYC is that you really don’t see trees/leaves turning colors.
A friend had a car and I loved our trips north, to Rhinebeck and beyond to see the colors changing. I’ll admit that I’m biased, I love the Hudson Valley and think its mountains are so beautiful. We usually drove on the Taconic for the scenery.
@PurpleGirl: Thanks for going. The comments link is at the bottom of every post, in teeny tiny type. I can’t figure out how to bump up the font on it, if anyone knows how, let me know.
Also, a friend commented but it hasn’t shown up yet. May not be working properly any how. I’ll have to work on that.
23.
Cacti
Another baseball season in the books and no playoffs for the Cardinals, coupled with no playoff wins since 2006.
It’s time for Tony La Russa to go.
24.
gbear
Feels like both fall and spring in St. Paul. We’ve got beautiful fall colors in the trees (right in time for the Twin Cities Marathon today), and we’ve got flooding that put a good chunk of Harriet Island under water (from the 10″ of rain that southern MN got last week). It was a good weekend to be walking around looking at the variety that nature provides.
25.
stuckinred
Sposed to be in the 40’s in Georgia tonight. The kudzu is in full retreat, the skeeters are slowing and the fire ants are heading deeper.
26.
Comrade Kevin
I’m wondering how much longer Mike Singletary will last with the 49ers.
27.
Cacti
I wish it would feel like fall here in Arizona.
It’s been unseasonably hot, even for here. 104 and 100 yesterday and today. Average October high is 88.
28.
stuckinred
@Comrade Kevin: They have the Colts next Sunday night, not good.
29.
That's Master of Accountancy to You, Pal (JMN)
Eddie is home. The goof is hiding under the bed, but he’s home. The hospital managed to get another soft collar on, and they apparently glued it to him, because he hasn’t managed to get it off yet. I’ve heard him trying, though, scraping it (and his head and neck) on the supports for the box spring. They also have a bandage on him, and it’s hard to describe quite how much he hates it. I worry that he may do more harm to the healing process by shaking his leg all the time to try to get it off (he’s not going to manage until he gets himself out of the collar).
I took a nap this afternoon, and he came out and joined me. In between the stage where he hides all the time and the stage where he doesn’t hide very much at all is a stage where he hides whenever I’m moving around in the front of the house, but will come to me if I settle in somewhere, like the bed or the couch. I resolutely refuse to take advantage of this by trying to dope him or anything, as I don’t want him to decide that it’s not safe to come out.
I’m pretty sure that Ringling is very happy to have him back, but she doesn’t display emotion about much of anything, so it’s hard to be sure.
30.
Maude
@You Don’t Say:
I’ll keep checking it. I have it bookmarked. I am glad you started it.
@efgoldman:
Yup. You hear it when people speak to children too.
I don’t know why they do it, I just wish they’d knock it off.
Take care as you go through this and I hope your mom is comfortable.
31.
geg6
Well, my sister got through her surgery just fine. Turns out her shoulder was broken in 3 places and required numerous pins and screws. The hip had a long crack, not a complete break, which the orthopedic surgeon said was a good thing. Some plates and screws were put on that. Lastly, a broken finger. She says that, at the moment, the finger hurts the worst, but I’m guessing the morphine is doing most of its work on the two surgical sites. They said that they usually have people with such hip injuries/surgeries walking, at least very gingerly, by the day after surgery and they planned to give it a shot after I left. But they had not yet figured out how she’ll manage that with the broken shoulder. Can’t use a walker, can’t use crutches, and can’t have a person propping up her left side, all because of the shoulder. I think this is going to be a rough recovery. Oh, and my BIL has graciously decided against killing the dog. ;-)
I am now settled down for the evening and anxiously awaiting the premiere of “The Next Iron Chef.”
I am now settled down for the evening and anxiously awaiting the premiere of “The Next Iron Chef.”
Oh damn. I totally forgot about that. Even though last season’s winner I hated intensely (Vulcans don’t make good Iron Chefs, and he was stony as ice) I had hope they’d dig out another interesting personality to flesh things out. Although I miss Mario.
34.
Maude
@That’s Master of Accountancy to You, Pal (JMN):
Oh, Eddie sounds like a wonderful cat. I laughed out loud when you told about the sound of the collar on the box spring. The good thing is he is active and not lying on the floor as if in a coma.
The toe places will heal. It will feel like forever, to you, not Eddie. He must be so glad to be home.
35.
mcd410x
Ladies and gentlemen, your 2010 A.L. East champs, the Tampa Bay Rays. Take a bow.
Very few caregivers people know how to deal with the end of life. The doctors who treated my father before he died were very young and uncomfortable with honesty. We suck as a culture with dealing with death and dying and treat it as a failure, and consequently old people needlessly suffer every indignity imaginable. Once the medical industrial complex takes over, like in childbirth, it’s very hard to get off that path. Me and my siblings had to keep saying no to things they wanted to do to prolong my father’s life, but once we said no, an angel in the form of a male nurse appeared to keep him comfortable and clean while we kept the night long vigil until he died, and he kept us informed of everything he was doing and what to expect. He let us rest and then carefully woke us when it was getting to be that time. I will forever be grateful to him, and wish the same for you.
39.
MikeJ
@mcd410x: I will boo them until they bring back the devil. Fuckin pussies, getting pushed around by god botherers to change the name of a goddamned fish.
Well, but…a wheelchair will certainly give her mobility. But the idea is that they want her to WALK. So I’ll be interested to see what they come up with as a solution.
41.
Yutsano
@MikeJ: Apparently you’re not alone there. They seem to have quite a bit of difficulty filling their stadium even as playoff contenders. Now that’s embarrassing. If I didn’t know they did it just for money I’d love it if they’d intentionally lose out just to fuck them all over.
@geg6: They may have to jury-rig something similar to what they have babies walk in right before they’re steady enough to strike out on their own. It would be ungainly but it would get her up and moving at least.
42.
tim serbo
@efgoldman: i noticed the same tendency in some staff during my mother’s last few months, when i was commuting every weekend to the assisted living warehouse facility. then again, i also noticed it in some relatives, speaking about my mom in a very distant third person. and she was right there. my best guess is that it’s good old fear of mortality at work. death is such a scary topic that some people try to wish it away with baby talk.
43.
stuckinred
@geg6: I encourage everyone involved to take it slow. I broke my back in a wreck in 1975, harrington rods on the spine, 9 months in a full plaster body cast and another 6 in a brace. There was a lot of stuuf we had to figure out and we did. Stay positive and think about how much worse it could be.
Cook mushrooms in butter with a little pepper for about 4 minutes, add a splash of medium/dry sherry, allow to sizzle pleasantly for about 30 seconds.
45.
MikeJ
@Yutsano: The biggest problem with TB this year is they’re the Democratic party of the MLB. Sure, they’re spineless and wimped out and changed their name, but look at who they’re playing. The Bush tainted Texas Rangers? The Fucking Yankees?
I suppose I have nothing in particular against the Twins, although “Target Field” still chafes after their political donations.
46.
stuckinred
@Cat Lady: I agree, my dad was in a coma and the family all gathered. I got with the nurse away from everyone and said, “give it to me straight, is there any chance he’s coming back”. She said no and we made the decision to disconnect. We knew that’s what he wanted and we did it. The bitch is being an old dude and not having kids that will be able to do that for me.
47.
tkogrumpy
I’ve spent the last 1,567 weekends in mid coast Maine, and this is one of the nicest. Balmy I say. And James Taylor looks like a young man to me.
The thing which has gotten to me throughout this process is the infantilization of the very old. …
__
She has no control whatever over what’s left of her life. The only thing she can do is press the call button. She can’t even walk to the bathroom anymore; she is dependent on others for everything from the bedpan to meals to medications to washing and dressing…. she might as well be 15 months old…
__
I’m 65 myself, and somewhere down the road its probably going to happen to me, too.
__
I’m hoping that by the time my (almost 30) daughter gets there, geriatric care will have advanced some more.
I’ll be 55 in six weeks, and I’m hoping the Japanese “robo-carers” are available when I get to that place on my path. I read people talking about how “cruel” it is to “leave old people to the machines”, but the nightmare for me is having to depend on other people to change my sheets and spoon my food. Much rather have a iGranny handling those details, especially if it can also keep me attached to whatever the intertoobz are 20 or 30 years from now (by which time, I’ll probably be the target market for Farmville Mk. LXXXXVII). My role model grandmother, the Dragon Lady, managed to efficiently starve herself to death when her mind started going (she actually died of heart failure, just before they put in the feeding tube she was ‘resisting’), but I’m not sure I have her courage & focus, and besides it would greatly distress my Spousal Unit, who will probably outlast me.
Oh, and my positive thoughts for the best possible outcome for your mother, and her children & grandchildren.
52.
PurpleGirl
geg6: Good to hear your sister came through the surgery. Will think good thoughts for her recovery and getting the problems solved so she can walk as soon as possible.
@efgoldman: I’m sorry about your mother. I hope she’s comfortable and treated with the respect she deserves.
I’ve always thought people think of the elderly as another species, as if the person is not an 18-year old 70 years later. People can’t fathom that this is the same person that was 6 years old, then 30, then 54 and now 93.
54.
That's Master of Accountancy to You, Pal (JMN)
The lesson of the Sunday night game: do not freelance the Star Spangled Banner. That works if you’re Marvin Gaye. If you’re asked to sing the anthem, check your driver’s license. If that’s not the name on it, sing it as written.
Also, too, Exacto knives are pointy motherfuckers. I just jabbed myself cleaning the flash off of miniatures. Fortunately, I was going away from myself and just got my finger, not my throat.
Delighted to see a mystery blog around these parts. I’m more cozies than cops, although I’m pretty sick of the cats-cooking-scrapbooking-quilting series (I say I’m sick of them, mostly one look is enough to put me right off). I guess I can’t comment on your blog from a BlackBerry, at least not my initial comment, but I will have some suggestions and favourites to discuss, and look forward to learning more about what you’re reading.
@SiubhanDuinne: Hey, hey! It’s my probably-my-relative-at-this-rate!
How’s it?
59.
That's Master of Accountancy to You, Pal (JMN)
@morzer: Some of the Rackham Confrontation figs, from before they switched to pre-painted plastics. I don’t play any of the miniatures games; I just collect and paint the miniatures.
More accurately, for the last 6-8 months, I buy minis and prep them. I haven’t actually picked up a brush in a long time. I have three cases full of figs that are prepped and primed and ready to go whenever the bug bites me. I also have about five grocery bags full of minis that are still in the packaging.
Any rumors that you’ve heard to the effect that my collection is entirely made up of miniatures of underclothed women are absolutely not true. Some of them are fully clothed. (Plus, I also buy some undead figs, and the occasional male fig that’s interesting.) It’s my attempt to act out adolescence.
60.
DougJ is the business and economics editor for Balloon Juice.
What a non-sequitor. If you have to brag about the shape of the container, the beer is probably indistinguishable from eight other mass-produced beers.
My favorite moment along that line was a Bud Light commercial talking about a blind taste test they ran for regular Miller Lite drinkers. They bragged that 50% of Miller drinkers preferred Bud Light. They argued that this proved that Bud was better. My conjecture was that no one could tell them apart, and were picking randomly.
I spent some happy times years ago preparing Napoleonic armies and hordes of elves and dwarves to conquer worlds undreamed. My fingers certainly know the sting of a mis-handled blade.
65.
gbear
There’s a pretty good interview clip of Bernie Sanders on clueless lame-ass Bob Schieffer’s show today.
@MikeJ: God botherers? Hahaha. They’ve won the AL East two of the three years since the change. (Also, green is less than good as a pro jersey color — bad, really).
@Yutsano: The unemployment rate here is 12.6 percent. U6 is close to 20 percent. That’s one out of every five people unemployed or working part-time because that’s all they can find. Thanks for the comment, though.
Also, too. Subtlety is such a lost art. Alas.
67.
burnspbesq
Tom Rush’s stuff was (and still is) a blast to play. Everything I know about open D tuning I learned because a girl I had the hots for in college loved “No Regrets.”
And he was (and is) a great selector of other people’s songs. My first exposure to Jackson Browne, Bruce Cockburn, and Murray McLachlan was via Tom Rush covers.
68.
geg6
Thanks for all the good thoughts for my sister. I do hope they can figure out a way to get her walking quickly. They talked a lot about how quickly complications set in when people with these injuries don’t get mobile rather quickly, the most feared, apparently, being pneumonia. With her Crohn’s and the fact that she weighs about 85 pounds soaking wet, that could get very bad very quickly.
As for end of life issues, I thank my lucky stars that we got very lucky with my mom once hospice had said she could no longer stay at home. We found a great facility that treated her with great respect and care. It even turned out that one of her nurses was a former student of both myself and my younger sister. Totally lucky happenstance that we found this place and we only picked it because after calling three other places with great reputations, this one actually had an opening. Most people are not so lucky. She died, peacefully and well-cared for to the end, with her hospice worker and the former student nurse more devastated than we were. We had already come to terms and were mostly relieved that she was no longer suffering. Death sucks in this country and we are incredibly grateful that we avoided the worst elements of it.
69.
That's Master of Accountancy to You, Pal (JMN)
@morzer: Along those lines, I have a question that maybe someone can (and will) answer. I’ve got painted figs, and I’d like to take pictures of them. I have a Polaroid i1035 (10.0 megapixels), but all of the pictures I try to take of them are really fuzzy. Is there a reasonably priced AND NOT COMPLICATED TO USE camera that can successfully take pictures of something about an inch tall with lots of details?
I’d use it to take pictures of the cats, too. (Hopefully that will produce more action.)
70.
That's Master of Accountancy to You, Pal (JMN)
@mcd410x: Your unemployment can’t be as bad as Detroit’s, and the Tigers drew 5,500 more fans per game than Tampa, for a team that finished exactly .500 and 13 games out of first.
Then again, Detroit is a fabulous sports town, at least if you don’t move your arena halfway to Flint. For fuck’s sake, the Lions still manage to sell 50,000 tickets a game.
@geg6: Oy, I just scrolled up to catch up, and wow. Good, good luck. I hope Iron Chef helps to take your mind of things for a bit!
72.
That's Master of Accountancy to You, Pal (JMN)
@morzer: I look at all of the Warhammer material, and I’ll I can think is, “Too much violence, not enough sex.” Even Slaanesh, the Chaos God of Pleasure, Passion, and Decadence, seems to want to take over the world by brute force.
You feel that we require a more Morecockian perspective?
75.
Dennis SGMM
Don’t know about feeling like Fall here in the foothills of the San Gabriel mountains. Monday, it was 111°. It cooled down to the low hundreds during the week and then on Friday we had thunderstorms complete with pouring-down rain and marble-sized hail.
If you like the music of Tom Rush, there’s a compilation CD available at Amazon for a whole eight bucks. I would have paid the eight bucks just to get a copy of his incomparable “Panama Limited.” The rest was just gravy.
@Cat Lady:
Old. I turned 62 this year. Finding a job has become nearly impossible and I had to opt for early Social Security aand a reduced pension from an old employer just to end being on short rations.
My lovely wife found a quote from Satchel Paige that turned things around completely for me; “How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you are?”
I’m way younger now than I was in the Spring.
79.
Face
Nine sacks of Jay Cutler. Oh, did I mention the game isn’t even at half yet?
Is there a reasonably priced AND NOT COMPLICATED TO USE camera that can successfully take pictures of something about an inch tall with lots of details?
Using the “Macro” setting, the i1035 should be able to take pictures from four inches away from the subject. Put the camera on a tripod, put your figure on a piece of white poster board (Fold the poster board and prop it up to make the background as well, and make sure that it’s very, very, well lit (Outdoors is good). Finally, use the camera’s timer to trip the shutter so that the camera is dead still when the shutter is tripped.
82.
That's Master of Accountancy to You, Pal (JMN)
And I just took nice gouge out of my thigh, though with a mini rather than the knife. I hope Eddie is experiencing some schadenfreude
@morzer: I’d hope Smith threatened to put in the backup if he got sacked again, so instead look for Cutler to throw about 23 more passes into the stands instead.
85.
That's Master of Accountancy to You, Pal (JMN)
@Face: Cutler has taken his last sack of the game. He’s out with a concussion. Though I wouldn’t blame him for faking one.
It’s not like the Giant’s offense is doing much better.
@Cat Lady:
You may be right about this being a cultural thing. In my dad’s last 2-3 years he lived in a small home run by a couple of Vietnamese ladies. They specialized in Alzheimer care and had 5 patients in this house along with at least one other house I knew of. They were the most loving care givers I have every met and that’s saying something. They came to his funeral and were truly heartbroken that he passed. I never saw or heard any of the staff treat anyone any less than an adult, never talked down to them or past them. The men and women of the staff were all to the best of my knowledge, Vietnamese. I don’t know if it was the culture of the staff or just how these 2 ladies roll but I found it interesting that these people all came from one culture and all acted the same with very hard to handle people. Alzheimer care is unbelievably hard. You know there is a personality inside but what happens between the brain and the world is anyone’s guess.
90.
tim serbo
@burnspbesq: word. Tom’s version of These Days is one of the best.
91.
Anya
@General Stuck: Beautiful pictures. Nice way to end the night.
@Dennis SGMM: “How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you are?”
Thanks! I think I might be able to use that. Probably fall about 20-25 years ago. Old enough to know better, not old enough to stop yet.
94.
SiubhanDuinne
I have to chuckle. Both MMFA and Newshounds are reporting that Glenn Beck’s “Restoring America” tour pulled 700 people (many of them conservative media) into an arena that holds 8,000.
Heh.
95.
debbie
@ efgoldman:
Not that hospice or end of life is ever a good thing, but there is a way to be positive about it. If you’re interested:
A family friend, 90 years old, has been blogging about her experience with facing mortality and going into hospice. I am amazed at her self-awareness and unrelenting positivity. Her daughter also has a blog at Woman’s Day, where she shares her experience –- I suppose honest but bittersweet would be the best description.
97 comments and not one person has pointed out that “The Urge for Going” was written by the great Joni Mitchell. A more gracious Tom Rush might have mentioned it himself. Are we all so old we’ve forgotten how influential Joni’s work was back in the 70s?
97.
Rugosa
@efgoldman:
Nine years ago, I sat with my sweetheart as he died of cancer. He had decided to have only liquids and pain meds and he died after 3 weeks. What I wanted to say is that the medical staff only sees the person in the bed, and has no idea of who they were for the rest of their long lives. I finally put a 10-year-old picture of him over his bed, and labeled it “The Real David Harper.” Several nurses commented on it, and it was an unexpected comfort to me too.
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BGinCHI
Notre Dame got their second win. A nation mourns.
BC didn’t really have an offense though, so not a surprising result.
Cat Lady
Tom Rush looks so old. James Taylor looks like my grandfather did as I remember him as a little girl. These folkie icons from my New England teenagerhood are passing, but they sure will leave some awesome work behind.
Spent the weekend in coastal Maine, and the passing of summer was definitely noted. Here we go into the darkness!
debbie
We used to play that song before every road trip. It brings back great memories. Thanks!
Steeplejack
@Cat Lady:
Then you do not even want to look at a recent picture of Gordon Lightfoot.
Wish I could find a YouTube clip of Tom Rush doing “Wind on the Water.” That’s my favorite song by him. Probably should break down and buy the CD of Merrimack County.
Hmm . . . MP3 available at Amazon.
Gus
Anyone got some good mushroom recipes? A neighbor let me grab a couple hen of the woods from her yard.
DougJ is the business and economics editor for Balloon Juice.
I think I heard this song in a Flomax commercial during the Jets game.
Yutsano
@Gus: How big are they? Depending on the size of the cluster you could go for a nice maitake risotto. If there aren’t quite enough to do that you could mix in some criminis or buttons and do a duxelle which is a great accompaniment for roasts. Or you can possibly get away with this, although you may have to adjust for the particular flavor. And I’m jealous as all get out. :)
You Don't Say
I started a blog. I’m not much of a promoter but figure no one will ever visit if I don’t tell people.
If you don’t read/watch mysteries don’t bother to go. If you do, you still may not find it interesting but give it a try. ;-)
TIA.
Gus
@Yutsano: About 2 lbs worth.
stuckinred
Not emotional enough for you? Try Child’s Song.
Davis X. Machina
@Cat Lady: The four seasons in Maine: Winter, June, July, and August.
(Only a slight exaggeration. The Portland ME NWS station has recorded at least a trace of snow in every month except June, July, and August. Portland had 2″ of snow on 10/10/79…)
Garrigus Carraig
Looks like Team Entropy Just. Got. Poseyed!
Cat Lady
@Steeplejack:
Holy shit.
I feel young!
Yutsano
WP has eaten two of my comments. Fuck it. I’m gonna go take the garbage out.
SteveinSC
By the way since this is an open thread, did I mention fond fucking farewell to that flaming asshole Rahm Emanuel? Thanks for nothing you arrogant cretin.
PurpleGirl
@You Don’t Say: I dropped by your blog and I like the idea. But where do you click to open a comment box? I carefully looked over the page and couldn’t see where to comment. (I could also be blind…)
Emily L. Hauser/ellaesther
Open Thread? Open Thread.
In response to This Week’s roundtable on Islam (“Islam – Should America be shitting its pants?”), I’ve re-upped that thing I did in August re: Muslim statements categorically rejecting terrorism.
For your edification: http://emilylhauserinmyhead.wordpress.com/2010/10/03/re-up-muslim-response-to-extremism/
Oh, and hey, what’s this? I reviewed a book in the Dallas Morning News this morning! Since Dallas is the only place my by-line appears anymore, I like to give them love – here’s my review of the genuinely excellent Let the Swords Encircle Me: Iran- Behind the Headlines, by the Christian Science Monitor’s Scott Peterson http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/ent/books/stories/DN-bk_swords_1003gd.ART.State.Edition1.333bc9d.html
(Really, really worth the read. It’s a terrific book).
Maude
@PurpleGirl:
I didn’t see it either.
Phyllis
Braves nail the wild card outright with help from the Giants. We live to play another day.
stuckinred
@Phyllis: Nothing easy about this season! Bobby said it was the hardest working team he’s ever had.
PurpleGirl
NYC is cooling down although I saw a number of people this afternoon who didn’t have jackets or sweaters (including me). Problem with NYC is that you really don’t see trees/leaves turning colors.
A friend had a car and I loved our trips north, to Rhinebeck and beyond to see the colors changing. I’ll admit that I’m biased, I love the Hudson Valley and think its mountains are so beautiful. We usually drove on the Taconic for the scenery.
You Don't Say
@PurpleGirl: Thanks for going. The comments link is at the bottom of every post, in teeny tiny type. I can’t figure out how to bump up the font on it, if anyone knows how, let me know.
Also, a friend commented but it hasn’t shown up yet. May not be working properly any how. I’ll have to work on that.
Cacti
Another baseball season in the books and no playoffs for the Cardinals, coupled with no playoff wins since 2006.
It’s time for Tony La Russa to go.
gbear
Feels like both fall and spring in St. Paul. We’ve got beautiful fall colors in the trees (right in time for the Twin Cities Marathon today), and we’ve got flooding that put a good chunk of Harriet Island under water (from the 10″ of rain that southern MN got last week). It was a good weekend to be walking around looking at the variety that nature provides.
stuckinred
Sposed to be in the 40’s in Georgia tonight. The kudzu is in full retreat, the skeeters are slowing and the fire ants are heading deeper.
Comrade Kevin
I’m wondering how much longer Mike Singletary will last with the 49ers.
Cacti
I wish it would feel like fall here in Arizona.
It’s been unseasonably hot, even for here. 104 and 100 yesterday and today. Average October high is 88.
stuckinred
@Comrade Kevin: They have the Colts next Sunday night, not good.
That's Master of Accountancy to You, Pal (JMN)
Eddie is home. The goof is hiding under the bed, but he’s home. The hospital managed to get another soft collar on, and they apparently glued it to him, because he hasn’t managed to get it off yet. I’ve heard him trying, though, scraping it (and his head and neck) on the supports for the box spring. They also have a bandage on him, and it’s hard to describe quite how much he hates it. I worry that he may do more harm to the healing process by shaking his leg all the time to try to get it off (he’s not going to manage until he gets himself out of the collar).
I took a nap this afternoon, and he came out and joined me. In between the stage where he hides all the time and the stage where he doesn’t hide very much at all is a stage where he hides whenever I’m moving around in the front of the house, but will come to me if I settle in somewhere, like the bed or the couch. I resolutely refuse to take advantage of this by trying to dope him or anything, as I don’t want him to decide that it’s not safe to come out.
I’m pretty sure that Ringling is very happy to have him back, but she doesn’t display emotion about much of anything, so it’s hard to be sure.
Maude
@You Don’t Say:
I’ll keep checking it. I have it bookmarked. I am glad you started it.
@efgoldman:
Yup. You hear it when people speak to children too.
I don’t know why they do it, I just wish they’d knock it off.
Take care as you go through this and I hope your mom is comfortable.
geg6
Well, my sister got through her surgery just fine. Turns out her shoulder was broken in 3 places and required numerous pins and screws. The hip had a long crack, not a complete break, which the orthopedic surgeon said was a good thing. Some plates and screws were put on that. Lastly, a broken finger. She says that, at the moment, the finger hurts the worst, but I’m guessing the morphine is doing most of its work on the two surgical sites. They said that they usually have people with such hip injuries/surgeries walking, at least very gingerly, by the day after surgery and they planned to give it a shot after I left. But they had not yet figured out how she’ll manage that with the broken shoulder. Can’t use a walker, can’t use crutches, and can’t have a person propping up her left side, all because of the shoulder. I think this is going to be a rough recovery. Oh, and my BIL has graciously decided against killing the dog. ;-)
I am now settled down for the evening and anxiously awaiting the premiere of “The Next Iron Chef.”
stuckinred
@geg6: Wheelchair?
Yutsano
@geg6:
Oh damn. I totally forgot about that. Even though last season’s winner I hated intensely (Vulcans don’t make good Iron Chefs, and he was stony as ice) I had hope they’d dig out another interesting personality to flesh things out. Although I miss Mario.
Maude
@That’s Master of Accountancy to You, Pal (JMN):
Oh, Eddie sounds like a wonderful cat. I laughed out loud when you told about the sound of the collar on the box spring. The good thing is he is active and not lying on the floor as if in a coma.
The toe places will heal. It will feel like forever, to you, not Eddie. He must be so glad to be home.
mcd410x
Ladies and gentlemen, your 2010 A.L. East champs, the Tampa Bay Rays. Take a bow.
You Don't Say
@Maude: Thanks. I appreciate it. I may have fixed the commenting problem, but am still working on making the comments link more visible.
Steeplejack
@Cat Lady:
Told you not to look. But I’m amazed how well his music holds up, especially the early stuff.
Cat Lady
@efgoldman:
Very few
caregiverspeople know how to deal with the end of life. The doctors who treated my father before he died were very young and uncomfortable with honesty. We suck as a culture with dealing with death and dying and treat it as a failure, and consequently old people needlessly suffer every indignity imaginable. Once the medical industrial complex takes over, like in childbirth, it’s very hard to get off that path. Me and my siblings had to keep saying no to things they wanted to do to prolong my father’s life, but once we said no, an angel in the form of a male nurse appeared to keep him comfortable and clean while we kept the night long vigil until he died, and he kept us informed of everything he was doing and what to expect. He let us rest and then carefully woke us when it was getting to be that time. I will forever be grateful to him, and wish the same for you.MikeJ
@mcd410x: I will boo them until they bring back the devil. Fuckin pussies, getting pushed around by god botherers to change the name of a goddamned fish.
geg6
@stuckinred:
Well, but…a wheelchair will certainly give her mobility. But the idea is that they want her to WALK. So I’ll be interested to see what they come up with as a solution.
Yutsano
@MikeJ: Apparently you’re not alone there. They seem to have quite a bit of difficulty filling their stadium even as playoff contenders. Now that’s embarrassing. If I didn’t know they did it just for money I’d love it if they’d intentionally lose out just to fuck them all over.
@geg6: They may have to jury-rig something similar to what they have babies walk in right before they’re steady enough to strike out on their own. It would be ungainly but it would get her up and moving at least.
tim serbo
@efgoldman: i noticed the same tendency in some staff during my mother’s last few months, when i was commuting every weekend to the assisted living
warehousefacility. then again, i also noticed it in some relatives, speaking about my mom in a very distant third person. and she was right there. my best guess is that it’s good old fear of mortality at work. death is such a scary topic that some people try to wish it away with baby talk.stuckinred
@geg6: I encourage everyone involved to take it slow. I broke my back in a wreck in 1975, harrington rods on the spine, 9 months in a full plaster body cast and another 6 in a brace. There was a lot of stuuf we had to figure out and we did. Stay positive and think about how much worse it could be.
morzer
@Gus:
Cook mushrooms in butter with a little pepper for about 4 minutes, add a splash of medium/dry sherry, allow to sizzle pleasantly for about 30 seconds.
MikeJ
@Yutsano: The biggest problem with TB this year is they’re the Democratic party of the MLB. Sure, they’re spineless and wimped out and changed their name, but look at who they’re playing. The Bush tainted Texas Rangers? The Fucking Yankees?
I suppose I have nothing in particular against the Twins, although “Target Field” still chafes after their political donations.
stuckinred
@Cat Lady: I agree, my dad was in a coma and the family all gathered. I got with the nurse away from everyone and said, “give it to me straight, is there any chance he’s coming back”. She said no and we made the decision to disconnect. We knew that’s what he wanted and we did it. The bitch is being an old dude and not having kids that will be able to do that for me.
tkogrumpy
I’ve spent the last 1,567 weekends in mid coast Maine, and this is one of the nicest. Balmy I say. And James Taylor looks like a young man to me.
morzer
@tkogrumpy:
I’d say “You lucky bastard”, but I am sure that would be unfair to your parents. So, “You lucky non-bastard” it is!
tim serbo
sorry, tried to delete the duplicate, honest.
Warren Terra
Via yglesias, there’s an awesome Donald Duck/Glenn Beck mashup video.
Anne Laurie
@efgoldman:
__
I’ll be 55 in six weeks, and I’m hoping the Japanese “robo-carers” are available when I get to that place on my path. I read people talking about how “cruel” it is to “leave old people to the machines”, but the nightmare for me is having to depend on other people to change my sheets and spoon my food. Much rather have a iGranny handling those details, especially if it can also keep me attached to whatever the intertoobz are 20 or 30 years from now (by which time, I’ll probably be the target market for Farmville Mk. LXXXXVII). My role model grandmother, the Dragon Lady, managed to efficiently starve herself to death when her mind started going (she actually died of heart failure, just before they put in the feeding tube she was ‘resisting’), but I’m not sure I have her courage & focus, and besides it would greatly distress my Spousal Unit, who will probably outlast me.
Oh, and my positive thoughts for the best possible outcome for your mother, and her children & grandchildren.
PurpleGirl
geg6: Good to hear your sister came through the surgery. Will think good thoughts for her recovery and getting the problems solved so she can walk as soon as possible.
You Don't Say
@efgoldman: I’m sorry about your mother. I hope she’s comfortable and treated with the respect she deserves.
I’ve always thought people think of the elderly as another species, as if the person is not an 18-year old 70 years later. People can’t fathom that this is the same person that was 6 years old, then 30, then 54 and now 93.
That's Master of Accountancy to You, Pal (JMN)
The lesson of the Sunday night game: do not freelance the Star Spangled Banner. That works if you’re Marvin Gaye. If you’re asked to sing the anthem, check your driver’s license. If that’s not the name on it, sing it as written.
Also, too, Exacto knives are pointy motherfuckers. I just jabbed myself cleaning the flash off of miniatures. Fortunately, I was going away from myself and just got my finger, not my throat.
morzer
@That’s Master of Accountancy to You, Pal (JMN):
What miniatures were you de-flashing?
SiubhanDuinne
@You Don’t Say #8:
Delighted to see a mystery blog around these parts. I’m more cozies than cops, although I’m pretty sick of the cats-cooking-scrapbooking-quilting series (I say I’m sick of them, mostly one look is enough to put me right off). I guess I can’t comment on your blog from a BlackBerry, at least not my initial comment, but I will have some suggestions and favourites to discuss, and look forward to learning more about what you’re reading.
Emily L. Hauser/ellaesther
Hey can anyone link me to the thread Doug J put up a week or so ago (two weeks, maybe) where he solicited links to everyone’s blogs?
I kept meaning to go through it and never had the time, and now I can’t even remember what it was called.
Emily L. Hauser/ellaesther
@SiubhanDuinne: Hey, hey! It’s my probably-my-relative-at-this-rate!
How’s it?
That's Master of Accountancy to You, Pal (JMN)
@morzer: Some of the Rackham Confrontation figs, from before they switched to pre-painted plastics. I don’t play any of the miniatures games; I just collect and paint the miniatures.
More accurately, for the last 6-8 months, I buy minis and prep them. I haven’t actually picked up a brush in a long time. I have three cases full of figs that are prepped and primed and ready to go whenever the bug bites me. I also have about five grocery bags full of minis that are still in the packaging.
Any rumors that you’ve heard to the effect that my collection is entirely made up of miniatures of underclothed women are absolutely not true. Some of them are fully clothed. (Plus, I also buy some undead figs, and the occasional male fig that’s interesting.) It’s my attempt to act out adolescence.
DougJ is the business and economics editor for Balloon Juice.
@Emily L. Hauser/ellaesther:
Here you go.
You Don't Say
@SiubhanDuinne: Oh, good! Please comment when you can. I am always looking for recommendations.
Emily L. Hauser/ellaesther
@DougJ is the business and economics editor for Balloon Juice.: Ooh, this is a fast moving service!
Thank you!
That's Master of Accountancy to You, Pal (JMN)
“It’s got grooves.”
What a non-sequitor. If you have to brag about the shape of the container, the beer is probably indistinguishable from eight other mass-produced beers.
My favorite moment along that line was a Bud Light commercial talking about a blind taste test they ran for regular Miller Lite drinkers. They bragged that 50% of Miller drinkers preferred Bud Light. They argued that this proved that Bud was better. My conjecture was that no one could tell them apart, and were picking randomly.
morzer
@That’s Master of Accountancy to You, Pal (JMN):
I spent some happy times years ago preparing Napoleonic armies and hordes of elves and dwarves to conquer worlds undreamed. My fingers certainly know the sting of a mis-handled blade.
gbear
There’s a pretty good interview clip of Bernie Sanders on clueless lame-ass Bob Schieffer’s show today.
Republicans ‘do not want America to succeed’
mcd410x
@MikeJ: God botherers? Hahaha. They’ve won the AL East two of the three years since the change. (Also, green is less than good as a pro jersey color — bad, really).
@Yutsano: The unemployment rate here is 12.6 percent. U6 is close to 20 percent. That’s one out of every five people unemployed or working part-time because that’s all they can find. Thanks for the comment, though.
Also, too. Subtlety is such a lost art. Alas.
burnspbesq
Tom Rush’s stuff was (and still is) a blast to play. Everything I know about open D tuning I learned because a girl I had the hots for in college loved “No Regrets.”
And he was (and is) a great selector of other people’s songs. My first exposure to Jackson Browne, Bruce Cockburn, and Murray McLachlan was via Tom Rush covers.
geg6
Thanks for all the good thoughts for my sister. I do hope they can figure out a way to get her walking quickly. They talked a lot about how quickly complications set in when people with these injuries don’t get mobile rather quickly, the most feared, apparently, being pneumonia. With her Crohn’s and the fact that she weighs about 85 pounds soaking wet, that could get very bad very quickly.
As for end of life issues, I thank my lucky stars that we got very lucky with my mom once hospice had said she could no longer stay at home. We found a great facility that treated her with great respect and care. It even turned out that one of her nurses was a former student of both myself and my younger sister. Totally lucky happenstance that we found this place and we only picked it because after calling three other places with great reputations, this one actually had an opening. Most people are not so lucky. She died, peacefully and well-cared for to the end, with her hospice worker and the former student nurse more devastated than we were. We had already come to terms and were mostly relieved that she was no longer suffering. Death sucks in this country and we are incredibly grateful that we avoided the worst elements of it.
That's Master of Accountancy to You, Pal (JMN)
@morzer: Along those lines, I have a question that maybe someone can (and will) answer. I’ve got painted figs, and I’d like to take pictures of them. I have a Polaroid i1035 (10.0 megapixels), but all of the pictures I try to take of them are really fuzzy. Is there a reasonably priced AND NOT COMPLICATED TO USE camera that can successfully take pictures of something about an inch tall with lots of details?
I’d use it to take pictures of the cats, too. (Hopefully that will produce more action.)
That's Master of Accountancy to You, Pal (JMN)
@mcd410x: Your unemployment can’t be as bad as Detroit’s, and the Tigers drew 5,500 more fans per game than Tampa, for a team that finished exactly .500 and 13 games out of first.
Then again, Detroit is a fabulous sports town, at least if you don’t move your arena halfway to Flint. For fuck’s sake, the Lions still manage to sell 50,000 tickets a game.
Emily L. Hauser/ellaesther
@geg6: Oy, I just scrolled up to catch up, and wow. Good, good luck. I hope Iron Chef helps to take your mind of things for a bit!
That's Master of Accountancy to You, Pal (JMN)
@morzer: I look at all of the Warhammer material, and I’ll I can think is, “Too much violence, not enough sex.” Even Slaanesh, the Chaos God of Pleasure, Passion, and Decadence, seems to want to take over the world by brute force.
General Stuck
For those who have been following Libby, the cutest pup on earth, Here are some fresh pics, all grown up
morzer
@That’s Master of Accountancy to You, Pal (JMN):
You feel that we require a more Morecockian perspective?
Dennis SGMM
Don’t know about feeling like Fall here in the foothills of the San Gabriel mountains. Monday, it was 111°. It cooled down to the low hundreds during the week and then on Friday we had thunderstorms complete with pouring-down rain and marble-sized hail.
If you like the music of Tom Rush, there’s a compilation CD available at Amazon for a whole eight bucks. I would have paid the eight bucks just to get a copy of his incomparable “Panama Limited.” The rest was just gravy.
That's Master of Accountancy to You, Pal (JMN)
@morzer: Maybe Moorcock. Maybe Penthouse.
Edit: Hah hah! I get the joke. Never mind.
Cat Lady
@General Stuck:
Cutest. Thing. Ever.
Want!
Dennis SGMM
@Cat Lady:
Old. I turned 62 this year. Finding a job has become nearly impossible and I had to opt for early Social Security aand a reduced pension from an old employer just to end being on short rations.
My lovely wife found a quote from Satchel Paige that turned things around completely for me; “How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you are?”
I’m way younger now than I was in the Spring.
Face
Nine sacks of Jay Cutler. Oh, did I mention the game isn’t even at half yet?
morzer
@Face:
That’s the NFL record for most sacks in a half. Most in a game is 12. Bets on Cutler taking at least 15 sacks tonight?
Dennis SGMM
@That’s Master of Accountancy to You, Pal (JMN):
Using the “Macro” setting, the i1035 should be able to take pictures from four inches away from the subject. Put the camera on a tripod, put your figure on a piece of white poster board (Fold the poster board and prop it up to make the background as well, and make sure that it’s very, very, well lit (Outdoors is good). Finally, use the camera’s timer to trip the shutter so that the camera is dead still when the shutter is tripped.
That's Master of Accountancy to You, Pal (JMN)
And I just took nice gouge out of my thigh, though with a mini rather than the knife. I hope Eddie is experiencing some schadenfreude
General Stuck
Hummingbirds are about gone for the year. One of the last pics this season, taken early this morn.
Face
@morzer: I’d hope Smith threatened to put in the backup if he got sacked again, so instead look for Cutler to throw about 23 more passes into the stands instead.
That's Master of Accountancy to You, Pal (JMN)
@Face: Cutler has taken his last sack of the game. He’s out with a concussion. Though I wouldn’t blame him for faking one.
It’s not like the Giant’s offense is doing much better.
morzer
@That’s Master of Accountancy to You, Pal (JMN):
What happens if the luckless Collins get concussed? Does Lovie have to suit up and mount the white horse?
That's Master of Accountancy to You, Pal (JMN)
@morzer: Wildcat offense.
tkogrumpy
@Dennis SGMM: Excellent advice.
Ruckus
@Cat Lady:
You may be right about this being a cultural thing. In my dad’s last 2-3 years he lived in a small home run by a couple of Vietnamese ladies. They specialized in Alzheimer care and had 5 patients in this house along with at least one other house I knew of. They were the most loving care givers I have every met and that’s saying something. They came to his funeral and were truly heartbroken that he passed. I never saw or heard any of the staff treat anyone any less than an adult, never talked down to them or past them. The men and women of the staff were all to the best of my knowledge, Vietnamese. I don’t know if it was the culture of the staff or just how these 2 ladies roll but I found it interesting that these people all came from one culture and all acted the same with very hard to handle people. Alzheimer care is unbelievably hard. You know there is a personality inside but what happens between the brain and the world is anyone’s guess.
tim serbo
@burnspbesq: word. Tom’s version of These Days is one of the best.
Anya
@General Stuck: Beautiful pictures. Nice way to end the night.
General Stuck
@Anya:
Gracias Senorita
Ruckus
@Dennis SGMM:
“How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you are?”
Thanks! I think I might be able to use that. Probably fall about 20-25 years ago. Old enough to know better, not old enough to stop yet.
SiubhanDuinne
I have to chuckle. Both MMFA and Newshounds are reporting that Glenn Beck’s “Restoring America” tour pulled 700 people (many of them conservative media) into an arena that holds 8,000.
Heh.
debbie
@ efgoldman:
Not that hospice or end of life is ever a good thing, but there is a way to be positive about it. If you’re interested:
A family friend, 90 years old, has been blogging about her experience with facing mortality and going into hospice. I am amazed at her self-awareness and unrelenting positivity. Her daughter also has a blog at Woman’s Day, where she shares her experience –- I suppose honest but bittersweet would be the best description.
Also, they were part of a BBC America film, which you can see here:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/world_news_america/8999217.stm
David Orr
97 comments and not one person has pointed out that “The Urge for Going” was written by the great Joni Mitchell. A more gracious Tom Rush might have mentioned it himself. Are we all so old we’ve forgotten how influential Joni’s work was back in the 70s?
Rugosa
@efgoldman:
Nine years ago, I sat with my sweetheart as he died of cancer. He had decided to have only liquids and pain meds and he died after 3 weeks. What I wanted to say is that the medical staff only sees the person in the bed, and has no idea of who they were for the rest of their long lives. I finally put a 10-year-old picture of him over his bed, and labeled it “The Real David Harper.” Several nurses commented on it, and it was an unexpected comfort to me too.