tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-114724552024-03-07T21:07:46.856-06:00She Who Must Be ObeyedKatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00820724566634962323noreply@blogger.comBlogger249125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11472455.post-50193568152372967482010-10-05T11:47:00.001-05:002010-10-05T11:47:35.893-05:00"Just" Veronica<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); ">Last week, on the occasion of Veronica's move to the preschool room at daycare, I asked Veronica, "Veronica, are you a big kid now?"<br /><br />Veronica said, confidently, "No! I just Veronica!"<br /><br />Later that day, we were looking at pictures from when she was a baby, and I pointed out that the baby in the pictures was her. Her response?<br /><br />"I'm not a baby! I just Veronica!"<br /><br />The next day, Veronica was wearing a Superman t-shirt. I asked her if she was a superhero.<br /><br />She smiled. "I just Veronica!"<br /><br />"Just Veronica" is apparently a good thing to be. :)</span>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00820724566634962323noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11472455.post-68077257921596701532010-05-04T15:21:00.002-05:002010-05-04T15:25:16.535-05:00And then she told me.Every day when we get home, I ask V how her day was and what she did. This normally prompts some babbling interspersed with "An my buddies an Tonda . . . " because Matter-Eater Lad always asks her how her day with her buddies and Miss Tonda was. Amusing, but not actually answering the question. <div><br /></div><div>Yesterday evening I asked V what she did during the day, and she said "V'onica dance! And I eat my snack!" and then there was some babbling about her buddies and Tonda. I wonder what she'll tell me about today?</div>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00820724566634962323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11472455.post-6003245686069254322010-03-25T13:09:00.002-05:002010-03-25T13:10:04.304-05:00I love my scarf-in-progress<div style="float: right; margin-left: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/she-who-must-be-obeyed/4462222033/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4049/4462222033_ea52926e8d_m.jpg" alt="" style="border: solid 2px #000000;" /></a><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div>I have been sitting on this fingering-weight wool/silk yarn for over a year, waiting for the right pattern to strike my fancy. <div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00820724566634962323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11472455.post-39687285235094640662010-03-23T12:13:00.003-05:002010-03-23T12:20:35.944-05:00Good images from the past few daysI love <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2010/3/23/849699/-Historic-Bill-Signing-II?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+dailykos/index+(Daily+Kos)">this one</a>. Biden's face in <a href="http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/03/president-obama-signs-historic-health-care-bill----fixes-come-next.php">this one</a> *cracks me up.* <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2010/3/23/849704/-Historic-Bill-Signing-III?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+dailykos/index+(Daily+Kos)">This is one woman with whom I would not want to mess around</a>. <div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2010/3/23/849712/-No-one-likes-a-loser?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+dailykos/index+(Daily+Kos)">Heh.</a></div><div><br /></div><div>There are a lot of things that are not right, yet, about this reform. However, it is *not right* for insurance companies to make record profits on the backs of the people who are paying them and being denied care anyway (we limit the profits of utilities in this country for much the same reason). It is not right that a family faces bankruptcy if their child gets sick. It is not right that some people have to choose between feeding their family or taking their sick child to the doctor. There are some things that a society should not allow, and this is the beginning of fixing that wrong that our society has been doing to its least-privileged citizens. The free market does not work in every instance--that is why government and laws exist. </div>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00820724566634962323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11472455.post-4038997566029265372010-03-09T11:33:00.002-06:002010-03-09T11:36:28.627-06:00I guess skirts are the New Thing.Veronica got very attached to a knit yellow skirt I got her for $4 at Target this past weekend. She insisted on wearing it with everything, including her PJs, for 2 days. Last night, she insisted on wearing a tutu over her PJs to bed (and a sparkly green bowler hat, but this post is about skirts). This morning she was delighted when I put tights on her, and then got very upset when I tried to put overalls over them (which is what I often do). She didn't calm down until I offered to put leggings and a skirt over the tights.Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00820724566634962323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11472455.post-29807956483710875392010-02-17T14:40:00.001-06:002010-02-17T14:41:28.573-06:00Sigh.We pulled up to the drive-through at Walgreens, and V asked for chicken nuggets.Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00820724566634962323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11472455.post-80849845580451583852010-02-12T10:05:00.002-06:002010-02-12T10:08:31.304-06:00More random from the two-year-oldAs we are leaving hippie/yuppie music class, and then again when we get out of the car at hom:<div><br /></div><div>"Bye friends! Bye, everybody! Bye, friends. And Tonda . . . and my buddies . . . bye!"</div><div><br /></div><div>Tonda and her buddies are at daycare. I am always amused when she adds a stock response onto the end of something she did on her own--Matter-Eater Lad asks about Tonda and her buddies when he picks V up every day. </div>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00820724566634962323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11472455.post-62974651233970335052010-02-04T14:37:00.002-06:002010-02-04T14:41:07.400-06:00Ah, two-year-olds.Matter-Eater Lad: "Hey, V--give me five!" [holds out hand]<div><br /></div><div>V: "No. No." [shakes head] "No five. No no." </div><div><br /></div><div>V walks away into the next room.</div><div><br /></div><div>V: "V five!" [high-fives herself repeatedly, switching hands]</div><div><br /></div><div>* * *</div><div><br /></div><div>Me: "V--time to put on shoes!"</div><div><br /></div><div>V: "No, no. No shoes!!!!" [shakes head, starts crying] [stops crying]</div><div><br /></div><div>V runs away and giggles: "HEE. NO SHOES!" [hides in room, giggling]</div>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00820724566634962323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11472455.post-50155161266779633642009-11-04T14:02:00.000-06:002009-11-04T14:03:18.548-06:00I am considering a trip to The Mall in order to drink tea at her.<a href="http://www.kare11.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=827856">http://www.kare11.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=827856</a>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00820724566634962323noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11472455.post-82945049982404009522009-11-04T13:45:00.003-06:002009-11-04T13:58:51.345-06:00A complete lack of common sense.<a href="http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local-beat/SEPTA-Train-on-Fire-69064652.html">"</a><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(85, 85, 85); line-height: 16px; font-family:normal, none, georgia;font-size:13px;"><a href="http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local-beat/SEPTA-Train-on-Fire-69064652.html">The R5 train's front car started to smoke on the tracks at the station. Conductors told everyone to move to the rear cars. Some passengers got off before the train left the station, others moved into the other three cars"</a></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:normal, none, georgia;font-size:100%;color:#555555;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 16px;font-size:13px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:normal, none, georgia;font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 16px;font-size:13px;">FOR GOD'S SAKE. If ANY OF THE CARS ON THE TRAIN ARE ON FIRE, GET OFF THE TRAIN, NO MATTER WHAT THE CONDUCTOR SAYS.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:normal, none, georgia;font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 16px;font-size:13px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:normal, none, georgia;font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 16px;font-size:13px;">These people apparently trust authority figures much more than I do.</span></span></div>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00820724566634962323noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11472455.post-75549294201033408952009-11-03T14:18:00.001-06:002009-11-03T14:21:21.114-06:00What does it take to get on the ballot in Minneapolis?The first choice for mayoral candidate on my ballot this morning?<div><br /></div><div>Joey Lombard</div><div><br /></div><div>Party?</div><div><br /></div><div>Is Awesome.</div>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00820724566634962323noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11472455.post-20482931559211509442009-09-29T11:57:00.002-05:002009-09-29T11:57:56.767-05:00Quote of the day:<div><br /></div><div>"Oh, V, after you finish making them your art projects aren't for *you*--they're for *us*."</div><div><br /></div><div>--Matter-Eater Lad</div>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00820724566634962323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11472455.post-91579724884072809962009-07-17T15:41:00.001-05:002009-07-17T15:42:52.057-05:00I am really surprised that I haven't seen this idea anywhere yetThe modern Republicans, especially the C-Streeters who are affiliated with The Family, are Victorians, with all of the public morality and private vice that implies.Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00820724566634962323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11472455.post-36871914382817960712009-07-09T12:18:00.001-05:002009-07-09T12:18:20.347-05:00HEE.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: -webkit-monospace; font-size: 11px; white-space: pre-wrap; "><a href="http://www.demotivateus.com/sense/" title="Sense - This Picture Makes None" alt="Sense - This Picture Makes None" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.demotivateus.com/posters/sense-darth-vader-demotivational-poster1.jpg" title="Sense - This Picture Makes None" alt="Sense - This Picture Makes None" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.demotivateus.com" title="Funny Motivational Posters " target="_blank">Motivators </a></br></span>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00820724566634962323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11472455.post-68496343942824058072009-07-09T10:53:00.001-05:002009-07-09T10:54:37.635-05:00Two things I learned from V this morning.A bear is a puppy.<div><br /></div><div>A kangaroo is a moose.</div><div><br /></div><div>Then later a kangaroo was a puppy instead.</div><div><br /></div><div>That is all.</div>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00820724566634962323noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11472455.post-66824386932002899172009-07-07T11:00:00.003-05:002009-07-07T11:00:38.586-05:00Was my last post really in May?More to come very soon. I have not gone anywhere. I have just been very, very busy.Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00820724566634962323noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11472455.post-55181237226289993202009-05-19T14:51:00.002-05:002009-05-19T14:52:14.016-05:00A friend posted this on Facebook. And I feel like everyone should see it.<a href="http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0509/The_Presidents_hair.html">At Politico.</a>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00820724566634962323noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11472455.post-75697510715000617222009-05-12T11:09:00.007-05:002009-05-12T12:32:20.009-05:00But I grafted the toe! And wove in the ends!I have been working on the <a href="http://knitstricken.blogspot.com/2006/10/embossed-leaves-socks-how-to.html">Embossed Leaves sock</a>s in <a href="http://www.knitterspalette.com/Store/pc/viewPrd.asp?idproduct=2086&IDCategory=354">Dream in Color's Smooshy Go Go Grass</a>y. Lovely, fairly simple pattern. Lovely socks. I like the tension I got with the #1 needles. While I was reducing the star toe on the second sock, I noticed at one point that I was one stitch short on one needle. No worries, I thought, I just spaced at some point and reduced on a knit-only row. I fixed it by not reducing on that row, and I thought all was well--I couldn't even see the mistake.<br /><br />I finished the toe and grafted the last 8 stitches (I hate gathered toes, so I modified the pattern). I tried the socks on. I thought "that's odd. I don't think the other sock has yarnovers right there on the outside of the toe OH CRAP THAT IS A DROPPED STITCH.<br /><br />And that's where that stitch went. I managed *not* to curse OR throw the socks across the room. I did put them in a bag rather than ripping out the toe and fixing it last night. I'll fix them when I no longer hate them.Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00820724566634962323noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11472455.post-7720067851367133222009-05-06T12:28:00.002-05:002009-05-06T12:29:11.494-05:00It's a start.<a href="http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_05/018060.php">Or, rather, the middle of a start.</a>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00820724566634962323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11472455.post-57824569427858047242009-04-15T10:48:00.002-05:002009-04-15T14:21:05.934-05:00You do know what that phrase is slang for, right?I'll be drinking my tea today.<br /><br />Updated to add:<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/8i-OWDjOQfI&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/8i-OWDjOQfI&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00820724566634962323noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11472455.post-41994282844550875992009-04-07T10:47:00.000-05:002009-04-07T10:49:09.644-05:00Brain not workI checked my email this morning and then marked a message as "unread" because I wanted to make sure to deal with it later.<br /><br />And then, as the screen refreshed, I thought excitedly, "OH! New email!"<br /><br />I may need to get more sleep.Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00820724566634962323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11472455.post-60359753692973824512009-03-31T09:57:00.006-05:002009-03-31T14:23:34.109-05:00While I am thinking about it.So that I don't forget, here is a V vocab update for today. She has used these words (or an approximation thereof) repeatedly in context with no prompting :<br /><br />Mom<br />Dad<br />Elmo<br />Elephant (sounds the same as "Elmo," have to figure out which she is referring to by context)<br />No<br />Up (as in "please change the state of this thing to what I want it to be--pick me up, put me down, open this box, etc.)<br />Down (not very often used, see "up")<br />Out (as in "go out")<br />Carseat (as in, what she climbs into when she would like to go out)<br />Circle<br />Yum (as in "yummmmmmmmm" I am STARVING WHY HAVE YOU NOT FED ME??--this usually is used when she has been happily playing and someone else starts to do anything in the kitchen)<br />More & "more" sign, although sign is used to mean "eat" quite a bit and she uses the "eat" sign to mean "nurse"<br />Book<br />Cat<br />Fishie (she has a fish kite in her room)<br />Hi<br />Bye<br /><br />That is what I have for the moment, although I feel like I am forgetting some.Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00820724566634962323noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11472455.post-70679885165750402162009-03-25T11:28:00.003-05:002009-03-25T11:44:08.387-05:00I am not in charge here.Last night Matter-Eater Lad was reading in the recliner and I was stretched out on the sofa while V puttered around playing. She was happy to amuse herself, and we were happy to let her do so. Then she found a little frog prince finger puppet she likes--not even something we have played with a lot lately. She picked it up, toddled over to me, straightened one of my fingers, and put the finger puppet on my finger.<br /><br />I guess she wanted to play with the finger puppet.Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00820724566634962323noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11472455.post-72987288389606804142009-03-23T12:34:00.003-05:002009-03-23T12:43:45.774-05:00PerspectivesMarch was hard for me the first couple of years after I moved to Minnesota. In Washington, D.C., where I had lived before, by the end of March it is firmly Spring, with the cherry blossoms blooming and all. In Minnesota, March is not what I would have called the beginning of Spring. Sure, it is no longer subzero. Sure, the snow has started to melt. Sure, we see liquid precipitation for the first time in *months*. However, 45 and rainy wasn't Spring to me. In D.C., that would be called "winter." I love living in Minnesota, but March was hard.<br /><br />It is funny how one acclimates. This year I realized that it has been several years since I thought of March in that way. March *is* the beginning of Spring here--the beginning of Spring just means something different than being able to go outside in a light jacket. It means that the harshest part of winter is over, that the snow has started to melt, and that the temperatures are no longer subzero. The promise of the long, lovely actual Spring and the mellow Upper-Midwestern summer is there*. The days are getting lighter and lighter. The promise of easier weather is still there, and that is what Spring is about, here.<br /><br />Even today, when it is wet and 45 degrees.<br /><br />*Everyone who has not lived in a place like D.C. in the summer who lives in Minnesota can shut up right now about how "hot" the summers here get. They are just lovely, and not generally very hot or humid at all. The days are pleasingly warm, and the evening are pleasingly cool. And the other people who agree with me but wish for "real" summers? You are insane. I bet you have mostly encountered "real" heat in places that don't get very humid.Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00820724566634962323noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11472455.post-58194349602911283622009-03-09T13:58:00.002-05:002009-03-09T14:03:20.372-05:00It's about damn time.The Executive Branch has a lot of control over how laws are implemented. No matter how well- or clearly-written a bill is (and they are rarely either), rules have to be promulgated based on the law and there is a whole, long process between the passage of a bill and the implementation of that bill, during which there is a whole lot of room for interpretation.<br /><br />However. The use of signing statements to guide that implementation as a regular step has not only ended, <a href="http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_03/017216.php">Bush's signing statements are being undermined as much as is possible</a>.<br /><br />(What? You thought I would just be throwing up baby pictures and videos forever? Sometimes my brain still works.)Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00820724566634962323noreply@blogger.com0