The View From Kalamazoo

There’s a lot being said about Katrina all over. I have nothing more to add there.

I suppose this should be obvious, but I encourage y’all to check in with your houses of worship (or a local if you are not otherwise attached) to see if there are efforts under way for their sister churches in Katrina affected areas. I hope there are many who are able to donate much-needed funds to the Red Cross or other agencies of choice, but I know many are scraping by (lord knows I am) but still would like to offer some help. My solution is to run a clothing drive in my department (and the information is going through a neighboring, very large, department as well) for a church in the Biloxi area. My sister’s MiL and FiL are ministers (ELCA) and had for some time been assigned to a church down there (Ocean Springs). They are now (since last month) at a church in TN, but will be driving down to help – while the church made it through the storm (good thing – it’s a local designated shelter) upwards of 75% (or more, information still coming in) are homeless. I’m sending the clothing to my sister in TN, and it will be personally transported by her MiL (since no mail is getting to the affected areas, and who knows when it will) – it’s one church, one shelter, group of people suffering among so many thousands upon thousands…but it’s something I can do.

So I hope you’re doing what you can do, whatever that is.

And if you’re a victim of Katrina – my heart goes out to you. I wish I could do more.

These are the days I hug my children extra tight. I’m overwhelmed with sadness.

Medieval appetite suppressant could be new slimming aid

Ok. Being so panicked about your Latin exams or an upcoming conference paper that you can’t eat for days works, too.

Absolutely. Thank you, Foamy! Thank you!

[warning: not work safe without headphones]

(Sis’ in-laws in Biloxi got out in time. I don’t know how the BiL’s family in Bayou Le Batre is. Has anyone with the Christine de Pisan crew heard from Deborah McGrady? Is she OK?)

IXth Century Monastery Remains Unearthed in Bulgaria

Found at Mirabilis.ca: Archaeologists hail mosaic find in Sinai

Grave reveals medieval Caesareans

(posted w/o variables, as they are stoopid)

There is a pretty distinct lack of interesting in my world, but I’m pleased that:

The blogging medievalist roundtable is really coming together well. I still haven’t produced the abstract for a paper I promised to SocMag, however – bad me. I really need to get on that..

Colin is regularly peeing in the potty. Yes, here’s the obligatory Mom post…he’s been going just about every morning for over 2 weeks, now, and has even woken up with a dry pull-up twice. No solid matter, yet, but we haven’t been pushing it – school starts next week, most of the other kids the sitter has had will be gone during the day, and we’re getting the cotton training-undies out and ‘trying’ once the distractions (read: Emma) are out of the way. Yay! He turns 3 in a month, so this is a Good Thing – the move really didn’t help him out any in this regard, as things were SO crazy we weren’t at all pushing. He’s a smart boy, and is inordinately pleased with himself every time he goes. 🙂 I can’t wait til I get to buy those nifty toilet targets!

My hostas are blooming. They look like this, and smell heavenly. Later in the fall I’ll transplant them to the raised bed around the lightning-blasted tree in the front yard. (note to self: must get a tree trimmer to come make an estimate on getting that large, dead branch menacing the car out of the way before winter storms) I’ve been meaning to wander the local nurseries looking for deals (for there are deals to be had, but the selection is, of course, spare and haphazard) but my time has been darn precious. I think I may suck it up and just order from Spring Hill – they have a $25 off a $50 order thing on for another few days, and their 1-cent sales are pretty sweet. I think I’m going for some shade-lovers for that raised bed, and I’ll have to deal with my under-the-pines-in-the-back-yard hygrangea needs another time, as I’m po’. (I wonder if vinca will manage in that acidy soil – or creeping myrtle..that spreads like mad (there’s a barrier already in place between the yard and tree-area, so it can only take over so far) and it’ll really help that bare look it all has now. Hmmm…) I’m terribly attracted to hardy hibiscus and oriental poppies, but must remain focused – shade garden first. Bleeding heart will work in the shade, and I’m leaning toward a snowdrift aster for the edge of the rock-wall (either around the raised bed itself, or along the front of the yard where there’s a short stacked-slate(ish) wall across, next to the sidewalk. I also have a trellis that needs…something – I may just have to get a clematis. Decisions, decisions, decisions.. A lot of things need fall planting, so I do, actually, have to deal with this.

School starts Monday. Let’s hear it for saving on child-care costs! Yay! (and I’ve no more shopping, just some closet-organizing now that I’ve painted the kids’ closet door and put the handle back on. happy!)

Grandma is having surgery Monday. I need negativity break. I suppose that sounds rotten – but I’d like a little vacation from the Reality Distortion Field, ok?

I went to the gym. Granted it was 3 times in 3 weeks, but it’s more than I’ve managed for months. Yes, I should spend more time on myself. *clicks heels* there’s no place like the gym, there’s no place like the gym…

YAY!! I adored Jim Henson.( And Fozzy and Sam and Dr. Honeydew.) What a loss. But – what great stamps!!

found at Mirabilis.ca:

Ancient Bead May Be Clue to King of Orkney

‘Henry VIII hunting whistle’ unearthed

I have to share, it’s my morning amusement:

Castrating tongs stolen from London Dungeon