218. A Random Thursday List

Random isn't just for Wednesdays anymore.  (I thought it was Tuesday, therefore I was writing for Wednesday, when I started writing this.  Then I checked the calendar. Heh.)

1.  I might have had my first hot flash the other day.  Sigh.

2.  Comment spammers have become quite the clever little beasts.  They come bearing "real" names.  They leave nice chatty comments, or they copy something verbatim in my post or someone else's comment.  They link to their online stores.  I'm onto you, you nasty spammers. 

3.  I saw an aphid on one of my blueberry bushes the other day.  One aphid does not live alone -- this I know for a fact.

4.  My cholesterol results are "not optimum," in the slightly sarcastic note of my new doctor, but I'm not worrying about it.  I think they're all wet about the cholesterol evil.

5.  The morning and evening weather is starting to feel like fall.  I love the fall, but still...

6.  Went to a funeral yesterday.  The priest, who was visiting from Plattsburgh, started the proceedings by saying, "I want to express my sincere sympathy to the family for the loss of....what was her first name?"  I kid you not. 

7.  I sat next to one of my cousins at the funeral.  She and I were born exactly one month apart; her birthday is one month after mine.  I started to ask her, "So, how do you like being almost a half-century old?"  Then I remembered:  She hasn't had her birthday yet.  So I shut my mouth.  I was not going to give her the opportunity to remind me she is younger than me. No way. 

8.  A wonderful and fun couple of chats saved me from attacking the desserts table after the funeral.  Thank you, Todd and Tracy!  If you're reading, it was great to see you!

9.  I said I finished the scarf, but I didn't take a photo of it after it was completed.  The sun was setting, and these colors aren't quite right, but here it is and it's going into my gallery as is. I think it's kind of neat how the ends are somewhat symmetrical in colorways.  The repeats are quite symmetrical all the way down on both sides -- not perfect by any means (who would want "perfect" with these scarves?) but close.  That's the first time that's happened for me with one of these Noro scarves. 

Comments

[Cheryl S.]

I've gotten a couple of those spams too. Very strange.

[Mel]

I've had Japanese beetles at my brassicas. We are most decidedly not amused.

Comment spammers are what moderation was made for.

[sandy]

Loving the scarf!
Damned aphids!
Damned hot flashes!
Damned funerals.
um...
Damned spammers.
Damned cholesterol
and a related damn,
Damned Doctors
Damn the man, I guess.
xoxo

[Ann]

Funerals-Yuk.
Aphids on berries-fuck.
Cholesterol-dumb luck.
Going to work to make a buck.

[Ann]

Oh, and by the way, that is my favorite scarf of all!

[carol]

It's not the overall number but the ratio that's important for cholesterol. I've been battling it for 20 years (hereditary) and could give you more information than you'd really want! The Noro scarf is lovely. Makes me want to knit another one!

[margene]

What Sandy said! LOL
Welcome to the hot flash club...bleh. Love the scarf! I've been very tempted to knit one as they are so well loved.

[naomi]

That's a beautiful scarf.

Thank you; I now better appreciate the rabbi who's spoken at a lot of my family funerals (without seeing any of us away from the funeral home).

[marianne]

#6 earned a big *whump*... jeeze. You're just now getting your first 'maybe' hot flash? Wow. Consider yourself lucky, I had my first one at age 36 and I've done the math... 18 yrs, but I will say they're only very occasional now... ride it out...you'll be fine.
Another beautiful and favourite scarf!

[Roxie]

Speaking from the far side of the hot-flash experience, it's a lot like slamming your hand repeatedly in the car door. It feels freaking wonderful when it's over!! Brace yourself for the year when all the collagen leaves your body and everything drops. Even the knees get saggy. You learn to love yourself just the way you are!

[Nora]

#6? Oh my.

I wish I hadn't read Roxie's comment. It's going to take me a while to come to terms with that.

Great scarf.

[Ellen]

Welcome to the club. You got started kind of late--mine started mid-forties. Hot flashes are just part of it. I seem to be hot all the time, with hot flashes thrown in for a good sweat. I used to be really cold at night in the winter, but now I am fine with just a sheet and light blanket, while my hubby is under the comforter and 2 extra wool blankets. No more turtlenecks for me--too hot! Hands and feet are warmer in the winter too. My kids ask me how many layers to wear when it's cold, and I have to tell them I can't tell any more.

[Cynthia]

What Roxie said! I hadn't thought about the collagen issue. Maybe THAT's what's been happening to me?? I was 38/39 when I started having hot flashes, except I didn't know they were hot flashes. Don't know WHAT I thought they were, just wasn't thinking hot flashes. And when I didn't get my period I was convinced I was pregnant. Spend a SMALL FORTUNE on pregnancy tests that year!! Not the sharpest pencil in the box I guess.

Norma, sorry for your loss. And love the scarf.

[claudia]

That tomato was DELICIOUS. I've got one more big one. But then I suspect the remainder of the crop will be small due to the amazing loss of leaf-age.

[Adrienne]

As long as your triglycerides aren't too high, then don't worry too much about your cholesterol. At least that's the impression I get after wading through all the "OMG yer gonna keel right over" stuff.

[Leslie]

Should I choose here to tell you that I got through the entire process without having one hot flash?

I think I would rather have had them than the emotional angst.

[Josiane]

I had my first series of hot flashes last Fall. The not-so-fun part? I was 32 years old at the time. Fortunately, it only lasted for a few weeks, but I'm sure they'll be back soon enough...

[Sheila]

Unfortunately, the experience with the priest not remembering the deceased one's name is becoming more and more common these days with the shortage of priests. Something similar happened at my grandmother's funeral in June. We're a long way from "Dial 0, for O'Malley". But maybe there never were priests like Bing Crosby.

Love the Noro scarf. This may be a dumb question, but, how many skeins would I need to buy?

Yes, I know what you mean about the morning and evening weather. I love fall, too, being an October baby, but Jeezum, it's only early August! Maybe we'll be sweating our butts off next week.

[Lucia]

If your family reminds you with glee
You're an elderly branch on their tree,
Dear Norma, take heart:
You're not an old fart!
You can't be. You're younger than me.

(Yes, I know a grammar pedant would say "younger than I." Deal with it.)

[Cookie]

I wonder what Conan will think of Lucia's comment.

Love the scarf. Love you. Hope the week is getting better. xo

[Seanna Lea]

The last time I had my cholesterol tested (that I remember the numbers for) it was under 120 and during my pint of Ben&Jerrys at a single sitting phase. I have never worried about my cholesterol being too high, just a vague worry about it becoming too low.

I can't imagine going to a funeral where the priest doesn't know who died. It feels insensitive to those who are grieving.

[Sheepish Annie]

Congrats on the first hot flash! I started them at the ripe old age of 40. (Thank you pneumonia...who knew being that sick would make my life so interesting for so long?) They aren't so bad, really. You get to eat lots of ice cream I actually rather like that part...

[Diane]

Jeesh! Attention to detail would be a good thing for a priest at a funeral!! Maybe he was seasick from the ferry ride over from Plattsburg. What is it, a 12 minute ride? Get your sh-t together, man!

[Angie]

Flash commenters, wow. Pre-menopause is just weird and everyone has different experiences. I *think* I'll be happy when I can say I'm post-menopausal. Beautiful Noro striped scarf, Norma.