Monday Stuff on the Way to Other Stuff: Tucson, Yuma...and Flu

One of the West's great rock and gem shows happens in Tucson, AZ in late January and early February. The city is full of everything from standard conferences under white tents, to people vending out of their hotel rooms...to hippies selling stuff by the roadwide. It's an amazing, confusing, wonderful experience. 
    Unfortunately, they were passing out something else this time, along with the Ethiopian opals and crystals -- some of the most horrendous flu I've ever experienced.

Daughter #2, along with Son #1, likes to make an annual trip to find inventory for her Etsy business, Phenomenal Gems.  The Brick and I go along when we can...we love spending time with them, and our own rock collection is growing. This year, we tacked on a few extra days to meet Son #1's grandma in Yuma. 

After a day in Yuma (and a chance to visit the Territorial Prison Museum, which was fascinating), I started to feel strange. By suppertime, I was running a high fever and literally could not keep my eyes open. Whatever generous soul shared the flu with me, gave it to the Brick, as well. (Or maybe I shared it. I hope not.)
     We spent the next few days sleeping -- and slept pretty much all the way home, as well. (Daughter #2 and Son #1 didn't get their little 'present,' and have remained unscathed, thank God. They drove us home.)
    We made it just in time -- after days of  dryness here, a big snowstorm moved in the day after we staggered home.
     For nearly a week now, we've had fevers more than we haven't. Coughing fits. Weakness. (My fingers have been shaking some, just typing this.) Congestion, and all the other accessories that have gone with this nasty stuff. I've been living on milk, tea, juice, toast and a little soup. Just not hungry. Not thinking clearly, either. Whoever is strongest at the time, lets the dog out, picks up the paper (or milk), heats the soup and makes the coffee. (Most of the time, sadly, that's meant the Brick.)
    The rest is helping some. And the fever doesn't seem to spike as high as it did. I am hopeful that life will get better. (And hopefully Son #1's grandma will not think I'm a lazy slug!)
    Monday Stuff is a little sparse this week, as a result. It will improve next time.

an earlier snowstorm....with darling Abby, who we still miss

Emily Bode -- doing her part to commemorate quilt history by cutting up antique textiles. Many, I'm guessing, were perfectly good before she changed them into jackets and such. (Which would argue that she has not preserved them at all -- but destroyed them.) If she's just using damaged textiles that would otherwise be thrown away, well... but those garments, by their size, suggest that's not true.
    I've got more to say on this subject...coming up this week, folks.

Unethical, just plain cheap -- or both?  A classic from yours  truly.

Tom Brady's message after the Patriots lost the Superbowl -- incredibly kind and gracious.

Opening ceremony highlights from the Winter Olympics.

Ten unusual finds discovered by people during their everyday activities.  (From Listverse)


Have a better week, than we've been having!

Pinterest, thanks

The Flu

I don't want to die, anymore...that was a few days ago.

Now I just feel like it. Or something. The Brick, poor guy, caught it from me.

Somebody at the gem shows in Tucson should be very ashamed of themselves...

Small accomplishments should be celebrated.

More in a day, after we get (more) sleep.


(Thanks, 9gag, imgur and rankar, via Pinterest.)

It's Always Something...

or Tuesday Morning...

Monday Stuff On the Way to Other Stuff: Rock On

      Lately, the Brick and I have been helping out with Daughter #2's business, Phenomenal Gems. She and Son #1 have been stocking up on fresh specimens in rocks and gems, preparing for a great show at the Phil Lewis Art Gallery in Boulder (CO) this coming Saturday. 
      Gorgeous pieces; some even fluoresce. Take a look this Saturday, 4-8 p.m. in Boulder. Meanwhile:

Whoo-hoo, you go, Eagles!!! Can't believe you won the Superbowl!

Dozens of cheap meal ideas -- especially for large families.  (From Medium Sized Family)

Ten strange feuds that should never have made it into court.  (From Listverse)

"Things Grandma taught me." A Midlife Finance classic, written by yours truly.

Weight Watchers pizza dough. Two ingredients!  (From Crazy for Crust)

Shirley's cinnamon raisin bread.  I think I need to make a few loaves this week.  (From Hundred Dollars A Month)

Yummm...

The 'serial stowaway' is at it again. This time, she got caught on a flight to London, via Chicago's O'Hare airport.
    I'm puzzled on this one. How in the world did she get through security, without boarding pass or ID, when I practically get strip-searched every time I fly?

Weird developments pilots are on guard for when they're flying as passengers. Suspicious sounds and smells you should keep an eye out for.

Goofy (but cute) Valentine foods. (From Taste of Home)

Films nobody in the public ever got to see. Or only a few did, before practically every copy was destroyed.  (From Zergnet) Speaking of that:

The complete list of winners at the 24th SAG (Screen Actors Guild) awards.  (From Gofobo)

Need a new way to concentrate? Trent from the Simple Dollar says he gets up to 40% more done with ambient noise in the background. This is one of his favorites: 10 hours of (I'm not making this up) a polar icebreaker:

Now that's taking '(snow)white noise' literally.

Recycle your restaurant leftovers -- all of them!  (From Poor Girl Eats Well)

String piecing made easy -- thanks, Pepper Cory.  (From her blog, Pepper at the Quilt Studio)

What's cheaper, living-wise: the city or the country?  The Frugalwoods take a look.

Ten mysteries solved in the past year or so.  (From Listverse)

Lessons from Millionaire Investor Moms.  (Thanks, White Coat Investor)


Have a great week. 

When Were You Born?

What day of the week were you born on? 

According to Monday's Child, an old-time rhyme, that explains a lot about your looks, temperament and work ethics:

Monday's child is fair of face
Tuesday's child if full of grace
Wednesday's child is full of woe
Thursday's child has far to go
Friday's child is loving and giving
Saturday's child works hard for a living. 
But the child who's born on the Sabbath day
Is bonny and blithe and good and gay.

The rhyme's first published source is 1838 -- but similar children's songs are mentioned as being in popular use in -- the 1570s!!  Some versions swap places with Wednesday's 'bad' and Friday's 'good' places. Thursday and Saturday's meanings can do some fancy footwork, too.

I wonder if this was another of those 'teach-children-with-a-rhyme' projects, similar to the 'days of the week' handkerchiefs and underwear. Handkerchiefs from the 19th century often did the same thing, not only with rhymes and readings, but Bible school hymns and mini-sermons. And, if they were accompanied with illustrations, like this 19th century piece, even the better.

"Monday's Child," another version, published 1873 in St. Nicholas, a children's periodical   (Wikipedia)
Note the Wednesday/Thursday/Saturday variation

     After all this, I began wondering about our family's connection to Monday's Child. Fortunately, the Brick's cellphone lets you track days in past centuries -- even as far back as B.C. times. 

I was a Monday girl. (The Mama was, too, as was the Brick's dad.) However, both the Brick and my dad were born on Sundays. (Guess they're more blithe and gay than their feminine counterparts.) The Brick's mom was a Saturday girl. 

Our girlies, however, are a whole different story. Daughter #1 was born on a Friday; Daughter #2 was on Wednesday. (And she is the least woeful child you could ever find.) Son #1 is a Thursday.

How come their birth days are different from their parents and grandparents? I have no idea...except Daughters #1 and #2 were born five days, less two years apart. 

Either way, it makes for fascinating conjecture.

                                              Who knows what Charley's birth day is on...

Free Baskin-Robbins Ice Cream Feb. 9

Baskin-Robbins wants you to try their Polar Pizza...for free! 

Feb. 9, from 3-7 p.m., they'll be offering free samples. Be sure to stop by. 
    (Give them a call to make sure they're participating, if you're making a special trip.)

Thanks, MoneySaving Mom, for mentioning this.

Free Enterprise in the U.S.

Yep, this one is rude...but apt.

Wait a minute -- do YOU know what dog crap tastes like? I have no idea...

(from Pinterest, via Dumpaday.com)