Homer'sWorld

End of Archaeology Project Party- taking place Saturday night.

What kind of cake should I take?

1). Coconut
2). Chocolate
3). Yellow
4). Carrot

What kind of frosting?

A). Chocolate
B). Crispy coconut
C). Maple buttercream
D). Lemon curd

Please vote in the comment section!

Forrest calls me from a supermarket in Tennessee. "Where do they keep that malted stuff?" he asks and I tell him that it should be next to the chocolate syrup, but it isn't. He is disappointed, the milkshake won't taste like the one I made last week.

Henny-Penny is looking in the back door, wanting her afternoon snack. As I grab a handful of laying mash I realize a praying mantis is perched on the door, within beak distance. I distract her and then carefully lift the insect off the door. It sits in my hand for a minute as I take a few pictures.
























Praying mantis.

Then it gets placed on a nearby flowering plant, safely out of reach of H-P's beak. She is running around crazy by now, almost time for her to jump up on the washing machine and sit on her towel for the night.




















Henny-Penny.

Puff, Joey, and Snowball watch me from the backdoor, wanting to come out. Puff meows loudly, like that would do any good. I sit on the old, weathered chair and take a picture. I spent the morning out in the yard, raking and weeding and tomorrow more of the same. Getting the place organized for upcoming visits by my mom and Forrest's mom, and a trip to the nursery to buy plants for my pots.
























September portrait.

My neighbor cut his lemon tree down, angry because someone else on the block had complained about the mess in front of his house. I had watered the tree many times, trying to keep it alive, but for what purpose. Now I will buy my own lemon tree to plant on my side of the fence.

Through careful eating and hard physical labor I am now down to 190 lbs, from 216 on June 1st. My body has changed so that if I eat junky food I feel gross afterwards. One negative aspect is the loss of padding, which I can feel when I sleep. My right arm goes to sleep if I lie on it (so don't lie on it!).

I would like to be 185, which is what I weighed in 2003 (I think). I can now wear all of my old clothes (wish I hadn't given so many to charity). Maybe next summer Brett can help me pick out a fancy swimsuit (not that I tend to wear them much).

This post brought to you by the No Snacks, No Shame Diet Plan and the magic of parenthesis.

Dear "DS,"

Fuck off.

Sincerely, me.

I spent the weekend in an anti-histamine haze. My eyes and nose red and swollen.
























I look/feel like hell.

The highlight was a little gathering at Sandy/Mark/Zane's house, where a nice birthday cake was awaiting me, as were many of my closest friends.

























Sandy cuts the cake.

The low point was being stood up by someone who I am sure had many relevant reasons for doing so, none of which were spoken to me or related in an email, so I will not know them. Nor do I care to learn them at this point. Two strikes and you are out.

Driving down to the mission site in a few moments. Pollen awaits me and my nose tickles just thinking about it.

So I had a nice 46th birthday yesterday, even though I had to work 11.75 hours and my allergies were so awful at times I could barely see anything. After working at the Mission site, where the rock-hard dirt was rock hard and I have to watch that I don't whine about it too much, I put gas in the van and got home, showered, opened the presents I bought myself (Martha Stewart's Cupcake cookbook, a retro toaster, and a Smokey the Bear retro metal sign- sighs of schizoprenia!), Forrest drove me the Amrutha and Mark, Sandy, Zane, and Jeffrey arrived and we had great Indian food, albeit terrible service from the owner, who seems charming but disorganized.

Afterwards, we stopped briefly at the M/S/Z estate and then came home, where Forrest wanted to watch a National Geographic-type special about early civilizations in which I learned that people smeared white mud on their faces and lived soap opera-esque lives. I went to sleep feeling that 46 was no different than 45, and perhaps that was alright, although some things have got to change.

Thank you to everyone who left nice birthday wishes, I appreciated each one.

46.

Jeffrey called me and convinced me to go to Reddington Pass. I needed to do something anyways, and he said the water was still running. We hiked up the trail, I wished I hadn't worn my red sneakers because they have no tread and I kept slipping on the slick rocks. Finally we reached a spot where I could dip my bare feet into the water.
























Reddington.

There was hardly anybody in the canyon. I sat next to the pool and watched a water bug swim around, and then a tadpole. A bunch of ants discovered my bag and they got a couple of pecan sandies to carry off. A small garter snake visited a few times, eventually becoming bold enough to swim around in front of me.



















Garter snake.

It was a nice way to spend a couple of hours, away from my house, not thinking about the things I have been thinking about.
























Enough hair to do funny things with it.

Afterwards I went over to Steve's house and he fed me vegetarian chili and corn bread and offered advice, some of which I should listen to.

I should never mention being single on my blog because I end up getting snarky comments that hurt my feelings. In particular, "DS" is more than welcome to stop reading my blog.

So Brian and Mason came down from Phoenix to take me out to an early birthday lunch. I made chocolate mayonnaise cupcakes and invented a frosting recipe (package of cream cheese, about 1/3 cup dark cocoa powder, and 2 cups powdered sugar).



















They were very good.

We went to The Grill and I had the spinach ravioli in herb sauce and tater tots. It was very naughty and good. Afterwards we went to the Presidio Park.




















Mason and Brian wait their turn to confess to the priest.

It is always fun to pose in front of the mural.
























Mason likes animals.

We went up to the top of Sentinel Peak and looked around, then back to the house where we sat around and talked for a few hours. After they left my house seemed quiet.

Later on I went to Sandy/Mark/Zane's house and played a party game with Forrest, Travis, and Wenona. I impressed a couple of the guys with my whistling skills. Although I am not musically inclined, for some reason I can whistle in tune.

Later I came home and read snarky comments on my blog and went to bed puzzling over why total strangers feel the need to say mean things, but then I am not innocent in that regard since I have said mean things about Maggie Gallagher and other religious fanatics, but never had the pleasure of chatting with her in person or sharing delicious cupcakes, which I am sure they would like as much as the other people who have had them.

10 years ago yesterday I moved into my house on Palomas Avenue. This is the longest I have ever lived in one place.



















La Casa de Homero.

I paid $85,500 for it, at that time that seemed like a lot of money. In the years since I have made the following improvements:

- new roof on the house and guesthouse
- new electricity for the upper part of the house
- remodeled the kitchen and both bathrooms
- new metal fence for the backyard
- new plumbing and gasline for the guesthouse

Vince landscaped much of the backyard for me. A tree that I got at my housewarming party (on the left side of the picture) towers over the house.

Mama Cat was wandering around the backyard when I moved in. She moved into the house in March 1999 and promptly gave birth to five kittens, including Puff and Joey. There were other kittens who showed up and were given away. The bf left in September 2002, that was a fucking awful time in my life. And this January Henny-Penny and Snowball showed up in the backyard.

So my house feels like a home. I wish I could find a nice guy to share it with me.

I just can't be bothered to watch the news anymore. The fucking Republicans and fundamentalists having their fucking tantrums and the news media so chicken shit that they can't state the obvious- that these people are fucked-up in the head and sore losers and just plain lying scum.

So I don't bother, what's the point?

I drove north through the horrible traffic in Phoenix to Bradley's cute place in Clarkdale. Friday night we went to a Thai restaurant and spent some time talking.

The next morning we had cupcakes for breakfast.





















Callie wants a taste, but can't have any.

I made chocolate mayonnaise cupcakes with raspberry-cream cheese filling and chocolate cream cheese frosting. A fresh raspberry was perched on top. I think they were very good.

Afterward we drove to a mesa, with storm clouds gathering in the distance.





















Thunderstorms approaching.

It was fun talking to Bradley as we wandered around. After that Bradley drove cross-country and I will admit to being a bit afraid of some of the bumpy and eroded roads. But we survived.





















The backroads scenery.

It was raining in Sedona, so no good pictures of the beautiful scenery. We went to Gumption Fest and saw an amazing Spanish (or Argentinian?) guitarist play. He had a beautiful voice. That night we had supper in Jerome, and the moon rising as we walked back to the car.






















Moon rising in Jerome.

I drove back to Tucson, a little sad to leave the beautiful weather and scenery and friend behind. But I know I'll be seeing them again sometime soon.



























Along the road back south.

What have I been up to?

- out digging at the sewer plant. This week's finds included a red stone pipe, a spear point, some corn cobs, and a blob of pink pigment- all about 3,000-3,200 years old.
- taught Forrest how to make real whipped cream. He served it with Jello lemon pudding, which John and I enjoyed. Next, I am going to teach him to make home made puddin'.
- visited with Sandy and Mark
- tonight I am making chocolate cupcakes with raspberry filling and dark chocolate frosting.
- tomorrow I am heading up north to Cottonwood to visit with Bradley.