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Seedling's Ticker

...spam junk mail that asks for a return receipt when you 'read' it. So you have to keep hitting cancel, in the midst of trying to pull the three real email messages out of your junk folder before deleting all.

I was expecting there to be a 'design for each other' or 'design for each other's mom/sister/aunt' challenge at some point--but usually it's earlier in the season than this. I'm glad that they added a new twist to it this time.

( analysis )

This week's prediction for final three: Korto, Jerell, and (oh, please, let it be) Leanne.

So, anyone else want to go see The Duchess just to look at the costuming?

If you're on my friends list, I want to know 36 things about you. I don't care if we never talk, or if we already know everything about each other. Short and sweet is fine ... you're on my list, so i want to know you better!

Comment here and repost a blank one on your own journal.

01) Are you currently in a serious relationship?
02) What was your dream growing up?
03) What talent do you wish you had?
04) If I bought you a drink what would it be?
05) Favorite vegetable?
06) What was the last book you read?
07) What zodiac sign are you?
08) Any Tattoos and/or Piercings? Explain where.
09) Worst Habit?
10) If you saw me walking down the street would you offer me a ride?
11) What is your favorite sport?
12) Do you have a Pessimistic or Optimistic attitude?
13) What would you do if you were stuck in an elevator with me?
14) Worst thing to ever happen to you?
15) Tell me one weird fact about you.
16) Do you have any pets?
17) What if I showed up at your house unexpectedly?
18) What was your first impression of me?
19) Do you think clowns are cute or scary?
20) If you could change one thing about how you look, what would it be?
21) Would you be my crime partner or my conscience?
22) What color eyes do you have?
23) Ever been arrested?
24) Bottle or can soda?
25) If you won $10,000 today, what would you do with it?
27) What's your favorite place to hang out at?
28) Do you believe in ghosts?
29) Favorite thing to do in your spare time?
30) Do you swear a lot?
31) Biggest pet peeve?
32) In one word, how would you describe yourself?
33) Do you believe/appreciate romance?
34) Favourite and least favourite food?
35) Do you believe in God?
36) Will you repost this so I can fill it out and do the same for you?

I think comic artist Richard Thompson may have been spying on my kids at play...

That sure sounds like Sunshine Girl and Junior Jedi.

Of the three Advanced Review Copies of books I currently have, I abandoned the two I was slogging through when the third, Can I Play Chess on Shabbas?, by Joe Bobker, arrived. Of the August review books I signed up for the lottery for, this was the one I most wanted to get, and I was very excited to discover I'd been selected for one of the 15 available copies. It did not disappoint.

( review here )

I was pleased to discover that this is Bobker's sixth book, which means there are five more of his books to find and devour.

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In other book news, since Junior Jedi is currently studying the Pacific Islands and is soon to move on to Australia and New Zealand, we were searching the library catalog for books to assist him/us in learning more about the area. During the search, I discovered that our library system had a copy of a modern translation/adaptation of Capt. James Cook's logs from his expedition to the area. I thought it would be interesting for me to read, albeit a bit above JJ's level, so I put a hold on it (there was only one copy and it was at another branch).

Today I picked it up. Knowing the culling practices of our library system, I'm surprised this book was still on the shelves. The previous person to me to check out the book had checked it out in December 2007. Prior to that, it hadn't been checked out since 1985! Twenty-two years (and at least two computer systems) on the shelf without being checked out. I wonder if that's a record. In the fiction section, a book has to have been checked out at least 2 times in the preceding 24 months to remain on shelf when they're doing a cull. Children's non-fiction gets culled whenever there's an updated version of the book--I get a lot of good books about the states for 50¢ apiece from that practice. I suppose Cook's logs haven't changed an iota in the last 200 years, let alone the last 25 though.

Casualties of spills so far today:

Half a carton of milk (spilled while trying to pour)

One single serving container of applesauce (had milk spilled into it)

Half a (brand-new) cardboard cylinder of cornmeal (bottom absorbed a lot of liquid, I poured the top half into a new container)

Half a container of Trader Joe's Chocolate Cat Cookies for People (fell off the top of the freezer door, where someone had balanced it)

Part of the back cover of Junior Jedi's math workbook (got glued to the table by milk)

I hope the afternoon goes better than the morning did.

"Whatever Became of Hubert?" -- Tom Lehrer
"This is the Time" -- Billy Joel
"Say You Love Me" -- Fleetwood Mac
"These Dreams" -- Heart
"The Big Money" -- Rush
"Cherish" -- Kool and the Gang
"Go Your Own Way" -- Fleetwood Mac
"Your Personal Penguin" -- Davy Jones (on Sandra Boynton's Blue Moo album)
"The Thing" -- Phil Harris
"All This Time" -- Sting

"So what do we do if we get bitten by something deadly, then?" I asked.

He blinked at me as if I were stupid.

"Well, what do you think you do?" he said. "You die, of course. That's what deadly means."

Last Chance to See, Here Be Chickens

You have to have a makeover challenge...

( this was the one for season 5 )

Prediction for the final three: Unless Korto crashes and burns, Korto, Suede, and either Jerell or Leanne. I think Kenley has used up all her rope.

The stew went over well, so I thought I'd better write the recipe down. It's low fat and low sodium, too!

Middle Eastern Stewed Chicken and Carrots with Fruit

1.5 lbs skinless, boneless chicken breasts (or thighs) cut into 1 inch cubes
5 cardamom pods
4 in. cinnamon stick
1 bay leaf
2 T olive or canola oil
1/2 t turmeric
1 T dried minced onion (I'm sure you could use fresh onion, but I was out)
1 cup baby carrots
2 cups apple or apple-blend juice (100% juice, not juice drink)
2 cups water
2 apples, peeled and cut into 1 inch dice
3 oz. mixed dried fruit (raisins, craisins, dried cherries, what have you)

Heat the oil in your stew pot, and then add the cardamom, cinnamon and bay leaf. Saute until the cardamom starts to brown, then toss in the chicken. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the chicken is opaque on the edges, then add the turmeric and stir to coat. Put in the minced onion and baby carrots, then pour in the juice and water. Bring to a boil, and then cover and turn the pan down to a simmer for 40 minutes. You may need to add more water. After 40 minutes add the apples and dried fruit, stir, and turn the heat down to low. Simmer for 5-10 more minutes, pull out the bay leaf and cinnamon stick, then serve.

This would most certainly go great over couscous or rice. We happened to have it with baked potatoes, because we had some potatoes that needed to be cooked before they sprouted, and I had already put them in the oven before I started thinking about what to do with the chicken.

( details )

For more Wordless Wednesdays, click here.

If you have a lot of broken and/or blunt crayons that your children refuse to use any more, box them up and send them here. They will melt them and make them into things. Keeps them out of the landfill at least. Apparently you really can recycle everything.

...this is the poem in the birthday card he makes for his dad.

Dad, 'cuz it's your birthday,
I made up a silly rhyme.

I put it in this card for you;
It took me much time.

You're the Number One Dad!
I hope you're glad!

Because if you aren't,
I'm not making you a better card!

The poem was written on scraps of orange paper taped onto a black paper card, which was then decorated with white chalk fireworks.

"Thus Quacked Zarathustra" -- from Sandra Boynton's Dog Train
"More Precious than Silver" (instrumental) -- unknown artists
"Englishman in New York" -- Sting
"Do You Believe in Love" -- Huey Lewis & the News
"I Will Bless the Lord" (instrumental) -- unknown artists
"Psalm 25 (To You, O Lord)" -- Echelon
"Dreams" -- Fleetwood Mac
"Fakin' It" -- Simon & Garfunkel
"Black Velvet Band" -- The Irish Rovers
"Trumpet Tune and Air" (handbell arrangement) -- arr. Michele Sharik, peformed by Michele Sharik and James Meredith

I'm really glad that (for the first two episodes at least) they are designing in real spaces this year. It got very boring last season when they were using the stage set rooms every. single. week. Apartments last week, bunkers this week, I wonder what they'll do next?

BTW, that episode title is the awfullest pun!

( look here for more )

Things that are going to annoy me this season -- Kelly Wurstler's weird judging day hair/hat combos, and Todd Oldham's awful, almost greasy-looking, hairstyle.

Hey! A new-ish way to do an old-ish challenge!

Old-ish challenge: create an avant-garde look based on topic x
New-ish twist: topic x=zodiacal signs
Even more new-ish: with one of the auf-ed designers as your partner

...and then there were the 'no further immunity given' and 'two of you will be eliminated' twists.

( details behind the cut )

Until next week...

For more Wordless Wednesdays, click here.

A tender moment...



...Akaji and Araki now wash each other's faces.

So far, as of noon Saturday, we've had one, hour-long power outage. The power is back on now, so we quickly grabbed sandwich ingredients out of the fridge and ate lunch.

More later. We're totally out of bread now, though.

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6:30 p.m.

Now that the rain has passed us, we're getting the wind. The power has stayed on since 11:45 or so, but if it's going to go back off again, now is probably the time.

I'm guestimating we got at least four inches of rain, but since it was spread out over 19 hours, it did not flood the yard.

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Sunday a.m.

One small limb fell, along with several largish sticks. The yard is pretty squishy. Other item of note--my potato plant, which was growing in our compost area, is gone! (I don't think that had anything to do with the storm, I just noticed it.)

Power stayed on all night.