when they're that young, it's hard to tell

Ok, my bad...so what turned out to be a little "boy" is actually "Baby Girl", which also happens to be her name! She is now 6 weeks old and the sweet little thing is also outside eating hay with the rest of babies.

new baby

new baby
Originally uploaded by Pochagrrl.

Of the 20-something calfs that dropped this year, my brother and his better-half have rescued and become quite attached to a new, little boy. This little guy will not be going to market but will spend the rest of his life hangin with the herd and tagging along his big, black brother, Boofie. I'll never be able to eat a hamburger ever again.

what's this thing?

lense
Originally uploaded by Pochagrrl.

My nephew is learning fast. He claps his hands says new words and...when I was there, we were trying to teach him some. Can you say lense?

sweet sweet saturday

wheels1
Originally uploaded by Pochagrrl.

It was a beatiful day this Saturday. A perfect run from delicious 'escape from new york pizza' down to jump on the trolly by powells to head back up to northwest for more!
The riding was GREAT. Even a nice police officer who pulled up behind me reminded me it was ok for me to ride in the street to which I replied, "you could have been any car and I'd jump off and walk because I do not ride with cars behind me...I wish I could be so confident" His head had dots.

I must add that this picture was taken on a sidewalk specifically for photo purposes as my photographer did not want to stand in a busy street with a digicam and no, I did not run his ass over...this time.

gifties

gifties
Originally uploaded by Pochagrrl.

Here is a tiny peek at what people will be getting this year for Christmas! I'd like to show the entire final products but I'm afraid that would eliminate the need for wrapping if the receivers happen to check this blog!

for the man who has everything...well almost!

A friend sent me this link and informed me that his brother wanted to get him this. So, here's the perfect gift for the man who has everything but a soft lap to cuddle in.

nittin foo

Not doing much posting because the time of year has me hunched over balls of yarn, needles flying, only stopping every so often to shake out wrist cramps. Yes, I WILL be ready for Christmas even if I don't have the strength to wrap the packages.

Not to self: Buy a bunch of little christmas bags and colorful matching tissue.

you know it's a Monday when...

you find youself boppin to boy-band music from 1998...and feel BETTER.

I wanna see you bellydance..

I had the MOST fantastic evening last night at Dante's in Portland. Considering I never go out, I made an exception and saw An Evening with the Red Elvises.

For those of you who are not familiar, they did some of the music for Six-String Samurai, the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack.

These guys are so hysterical and definitely know how to play to a crowd! It was the best, rockin time I've had in months. The music is hard to describe but I would say it's a bizarre mix of Russian surf-punk, rockabilly, garage, bouncy, loungey music. The band sounded amazing which is extra super considering their stage presence alone could have probably carried the show. They had a GIGANTIC bass, which was shaped like a 3 foot triangle and a literally 'rocking' keyboard. The keyboardist also broke out the accordion during a couple of the songs which had me cheering for more! Their attire kept up with their music and attitude. WILD! I now have a new fondness for Zebra print. They had belly dancers shimmying, shaking and playing the zills like nobody's business! The night ended when a hot little ..well little person dancin shirtless on stage, having dollars stuffed down his pants. I haven't had so much fun in a long time!

Ah yes…as a reminder, this Saturday, not only can you enjoy Karaoke from Hell but Mini-Kiss will be playing at Dante's as well! (I believe some of the members came out to enjoy the Red Elvises last night.) Their show, like the Red Elvi..is only $10 and if I was going to be in town this weekend, I know I would go check it out. Here is the mini flier for the show:

.

I left after midnight sweaty, half deaf and incredibally happy with a new CD and shirt. The CD is most excellent and I encourage everyone to check it out!
It was well worth the sleepies that I have to deal with today!

Thank you so much Red Elvises! It was quite an enjoyable evening!

Isn't she lovely?

Aissato
Originally uploaded by Pochagrrl.

Aissato is from Guinea Bissau and is one of the girls I have sponsered over the past couple years. The last package I sent her included some cute little hair clips and colorful stickers. I would like to prepare a belated Christmas/New Year package but am at a loss for ideas! Perhaps something knitted? But what? I think the weather stays pretty warm over there so no hats or mittens! Perhaps a cute little doll. Now where can I find a pattern for that?

bbq anyone?

So the mri was not quite what I was expecting. A friend of mine had one for his head last Friday so he could prepare me for what would likely happen at my appointment. Well yes, there were bonking noises and a loud annoying sound that resembled some nightclub techno music. I really tried to imagine I was 23 again, dancing to a 30 minute-long thumping beat, next to a drag queen, showered in flashing strobe lights. That did not work because then my legs wanted to move. Actually, that was the most difficult part. I couldn’t move at all but with the noise, I was jumpy and very tense. Call me kookie but I could swear the magnetic force was moving my leg on it’s own! So then I got to see the results and discovered I had been still enough to obtain clear pics. One of them looked surprising a lot like a big grey steak. Just a big slab of marbled muscle and bone. MMMM steak…

It was all very interesting and as always, I’m fascinated with viewing body parts through x-rays and ultrasounds. The mri did not disappoint either!

Michael Paulus has his own personal view of the skeletal differences between our favorite characters. You can see those here .

Enjoy!

just another mri monday...

Tonight I have an appointment for my first MRI for my right knee which has been locking up and clunking on a pretty regular basis. I am in a weird mood but it’s not because of my appointment. I understand that this is going to be CAKE compared to the tests I had done for my tumor (hyperparathyroidism) so many years ago.

I have a nice 3 inch scar that runs across the front of my neck and it resembles the scar that runs along front of my right arm. Right above the armpit. If my left shoulder had the same scar, I would look like someone who had been created by a dr. Frankenstein. Assembled pieces. The scary part is that I am one dislocation away from having my left arm under the knife as well.
I have never had my knee seriously looked at. They did x-ray (no wait…) Z-ray’d for the original injury back when I was a two-planker on snow. (yay! Another mitch reference)
Anyway….They said it was probably just a strain. I did not understand because to me, it was really messed up. For years, it would just buckle and go out from under me, as if I was a little off balance. I knew it was more than a “strain” at that time. It was only this summer when I bent down to pull some weeds. (Yes, neighbors, I occasionally do that. ) Anyway it popped and hurt like crazy. There was some swelling for a few days after. I actually walked in such a way that davey teased me about riding the short bus to work the next day. Har har…
Anyway so then it started locking late summer. At first, I had no idea what it was doing and then whammo. It was stuck and wasn’t moving. At my desk and I had davey’s birthday party to go to after work. It was locked up for 8 hours until after, I crawled in bed after some self-medication…hey Canadian Tylenol are ok per my doc,…..and perhaps a drink but before you scoff, while lying on my stomach, admiring the view of the television from between the bars of the bed, I heard a popping clunking noise and moved my leg. Without much care, I stood up on the ground and “woo hood’” with the happiest relief.
After that, it seemed to lock up almost regularly…a couple times a day, more or less. It locked up a lot in California, while on vacation. So anyway long, rambling story. My doc sent me to physical therapy which I did as directed. The locking continued and then I was sent back to her and a week later, I sit waiting nervously to go to some hospital down in Clackamas Oregon at 8:30pm and rambling to a humming screen. I actually went back so I could get permission to run again and a blessing to snowboard. I’ve become really good at unlocking my knee but I guess that won’t cut it. Pbhththth
So, whatever mood was hanging over me has now been blown off. I’m happy for that. I am hesitant to include my various moods but we’ll see. I may use this as a sorta-therapy thing unless it’s too creepy.
O yeah and sorry, I don’t do the emoticons because I don’t know how!

Have a lovely evening and take care of those knees…and shoulders and parathyroids and other operable areas.
Hugs!

ding dong the scrooge is dead!

I want Christmas!
I want Christmas NOW. I want a tree! I want lights! I want decorations! I want to have spiced cider and candy canes! I want all the happy feelings that this season brings! I want snow! I want family! I want a roaring fireplace! I want christmas stockings! I want pine needles! I want the magic again...

Thank you Mr. Roger Whittaker for making my afternoon!

and then there was heat....

YAY without having to invest in a whole new furnace!
Thank you most wonderful lovely repair man, whoever you may be.
(Thank you Davey for staying in to allow the lovely replair man to come into our home and fix the ailing, sleeping beast)

I think I am going to go spend my friday night dancing around my house naked with the heat cranked up as high as it will go.

Welcome Back!!!

I am so happy to say that in less than an hour, I get to go retrieve my mom, who's been gallivanting around Germany the last month! I am sure she's going to be exhausted. Perhaps we'll catch up on her trip this weekend after she's rested up. Besides...I have to go to work tomorrow. bleuch!

Morning magic

Ok so we ended up getting a little cheap ass electric heater. After about 3 hours, the temp finally gets above 60 in the bedroom! Woo hoo! Because today was warmer outside, it actually got above 65 this morning! I almost broke out the summer clothes again!

The drive to work...as ususal, I'm almost on time... I noticed along this empty stretch of highway, something sparlked and caught my eye. The Christmas tree fairys were at it again! Woo hoo! I lit up almost as much as the cute little tree which was adorned in huge gold and red christmas ornaments and ribbon.

I wonder if those responsible can understand how their yearly tradition ignights the Christmasey spirit in those like me.

After that I decided to turn off the NPR and was lulled into a dreamy happiness listening to the O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack

Such a beautiful morning! I just hope the rest of the day can keep up!