Sunday morning: Still snowing . . .

1. The snow was just starting at 8 p.m. when we drove home from jenphalian and lbitw's house. The roads got a little hairy as we drove out into the county. It seemed to have paused when I got up, but as I look out, it's still coming down. I would guess we're getting 8-10 inches. At least it has warmed up. It's 16 degrees.

2. As there should be on snowy days, there will be cooking today. I am going to process the leftover turkey into turkey salad and turkey soup.

Even though alethea_eastrid is not up yet, the batter for the raspberry-chocolate chip pancakes is made. I had scrambled eggs with Montrery Jack, garlic and hot Italian peppers.

3. I spent a solid hour job-hunting on the Interwebs for both of us (I have a job, but I would like to teach or write again). I found a few things, and I will follow up later. Hey, stefka, I could be the assistant sports editor at your place. ;) Ya know, jobs are tight, but the medical field, car-repair field and cell-phone jobs are all over the place.

4. So who all is going to 12th Night now?

5. It's been a pretty busy year for movies and TV videos so far -- for me anyway.

I re-watched Clint Eastwood's "Heartbreak Ridge," and three episodes of "Harry Dresden."

Yesterday, jenphalian and I watched "Layercake," which was wicked cool, and I got to watch "Independence Day" again.

That's a lot for me, and there may be more today.

Books have been going slowly. My eyes are bothering me a bit, but Jim Butcher's "Backup," a novelette illustrated by Mike Mingoia and told from the point of view of Harry Dresden's brother, Thomas, can be done any time I want. It's 67 pages, and really well-written. It warms my heart that the local library is ordering books from Subterranean Press.

6. My sister will have to wait at least one more week to get her husband back after Baltimore's last-minute victory yesterday.

7. Wow, does "Taking Chance" look good! Check out the trailer.

More on "Taking Chance"

I knew the upcoming HBO movie was taken from a true story.

Here it is:

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/04/12/sunday/main2677251.shtml

Sunday afternoon: The smell of turkey soup . . .

1. It's sunny and 19 degrees and there's really just blowing snow at this point.


2. This is a really cool link from wldrose, and I am posting it especially for mare_in_flames.

Rescue Ink is a bunch of bikers and tough guys who do animal rescue.

I highly recommend reading their biographies and checking out the LJ page.

Oh, and vairavi, is it just the glasses, or does Johnny O. remind you of someone we know? 

Here's a news story, too.

3. Some of you will find this quite amusing:

Munchkin Booty 2: Jump The Shark is coming.




4. With all the activity coming from the Red Sox these days, someone asked me what was up with Jason Varitek.

Joe  McDonald from the Providence Journal is happy to tell us.

BOSTON — It was a little slow going at the beginning, but the Red Sox have finally made some progress piecing together their club for the quickly approaching 2009 season.

Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein announced a few signings last week and is slated to make a few more official in the coming days. Rhode Island native and former Tampa Bay Ray Rocco Baldelli signed with the Red Sox. Right-handed pitcher Brad Penny did, too. Utilityman Mark Kotsay is expected to sign soon, along with veteran pitcher John Smoltz.

However, there’s still one big piece missing — a catcher.

“There is still some unfinished business,” said Epstein. “Jason (Varitek) is still out there, and we said at the beginning of the offseason he’s been a really important guy here and by no means have we shut the door on him. There’s still unfinished business there.”

While there is a possibility that Varitek will return, what happens if he doesn’t?

The Sox will continue to work on their catching situation but, if for some reason, a trade is not made or Varitek remains unsigned, it will be a good opportunity for prospects George Kottaras and Dusty Brown.

If the Red Sox begin spring training with their current catchers on the roster, then newly acquired Josh Bard will be the main masked man behind the plate, with Brown and Kottaras in tow. 

5. Education news from the Globe, specifically good news for Social Studies teachers (of course, we revamped our curriculum three or four years ago for the History test).

Worried about massive budget cutting in many local districts, state education leaders are considering delaying two potentially costly endeavors: making the 10th-grade MCAS history exam a graduation requirement and opening new charter schools.

Both those key elements of the state's 1993 Education Reform Act carry big price tags for local districts. The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System's new history exam could cause districts to spend tens of thousands of dollars to re-train teachers and revamp curriculums to align with the yet-to-be-developed test, which is now scheduled to become a graduation requirement in 2012.

Opening new charter schools - independently run public schools that operate under looser state regulations to encourage innovation - would divert thousands of dollars in state education aid from local districts for each student who chooses to attend the new schools. It could be another blow to districts bracing for potentially deep cuts next year in teaching staffs and programs because of an anticipated decrease in state aid.

6. I have 507 mutual friends. I need a hobby. Maybe I need a life?

7. A picture from No. 2.

Check out the attitude on the kitten:

Sunday evening: The house smells good . . .

1. I managed to lose our snow shovel. (I left it near alethea_eastrid's car in the municipal lot.

We made a tactical error last night and left her car on the street, and it got snow in. I wound up borrowing a shovel from a local store, which had none for sale.

 2. The turkey has been processed.

A. Turkeyherder's Pie: Leftover mashed potates on top of green beens and turkey. The turkey was food-processored, then mixed with leftover gravy. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

B. Turkey salad is made.

C. Turkey soup: The broth is done. I just need to strip the rest of the meat off the bones when they are cooled and add the rice. I already added some turkey to it.

3. Here is a word that should not exist: "labradoodle." Apparently the president is going to get one of those or he's going to emulate Ted Kennedy and get a Portuguese Water Dog. Me? I think a big ol' bloodhound hanging in the White House would rule. Or a basset. Or a herd of dachschunds.

4. The cat was annoying me, and Alethea wanted to know why, and I said. "I don't need a cat to help with my mouse."

5. I am fortunate that the women in my life are tool-users, because I am not.

6. Until evilnicola mentioned a passage from it, I had forgotten what a great quote movie "13th Warrior" was.

 A. Ahmed Ibn Fahdlan: My mother was a pure woman from a noble family. And I, at least, know who my father is, you pig-eating son of a whore!

B. Ahmed Ibn Fahdlan: Have we anything resembling a plan?

Herger the Joyous: Mm-hm. Ride till we find them... and kill them all.

C. Melchisidek: He wants to know your name.

Ahmed Ibn Fahdlan: My name is Ahmed Ibn Fahdlan Ibn Al Abbas Ibn Rashid Ibn Hamad.

Herger the Joyous: Eben?

Ahmed Ibn Fahdlan: No, listen, My name is Ahmed Ibn Fahdlan. "Ibn" means "son of".

[to the others]

Herger the Joyous: Eben.

7. irishmage has Atlantian 12th night pictures up here.

I gotta say, I am impressed that our prince and princess went to Atlantia after our event was postponed. That's good stuff. I would have loved to go to Aethelmearc or Atlantia, but they were both really far from here.

Sunday night: Big weekend for the friends' list . . .

1. Congratulations to fieryredhead, who is all of a sudden princess of Ansteorra.

2. Not only did xgreenjudasx get news that her name and device have passed, I understand she also received an Opal at Atlantian 12th Night.

3. valkyrie1972 successfully autocratted her first event yesterday and got squired in the process.

4. There is something viscerally satisfying about using your hands to tear meat off a turkey carcass for soup.

5. I am thinking positive thoughts about Jim Rice and today's Baseball Hall of Fame announcement.

6. Hey, so who is going to Gulf Wars?

7. The sound of winter in upstate New York is the buzzing of snowmobiles. We live near a major trail.