Daily Archives: September 29, 2009

My mother died a year ago yesterday. So many readers and fellow bloggers, friends and acquaintances sent their memories of her along with condolences. For that you have my thanks. She is missed every day I awaken to a gorgeous sunrise with hot air balloons rising across the plain, looking at the stars, or looking for her blueberry sauce recipe. I know she would love it here.

Today I secured the outside for a potential major storm that may include our first snow, another thing we had in common. Our family weathered its share of winter storms. Now I’m about to go to meet Jim for a fashion consultation (I buy his clothes but am no fashion guru as anyone can tell you). He’s getting new contacts and has to choose new glasses so that’s where I come in. If you’d seen some of the glasses he wore in high school, you’d understand why my opinion is important. I’ve also gotten him new $10 sunglasses and stomped on the old pair with no consequence. He had to finish them off.

Last year at this time we were getting over Hurricane Ike and my mother’s death. This year there is employment and stability in our lives and we are living in a gorgeous place. So if anyone knows of a 2004-2005 Volvo S-80 sedan in great condition, let us know. Jim wants the all-wheel-drive and wheel stabilization for the winter. There are only about 60 available in the country right now. He needs the older years because they have over an inch of headroom over the newer models and he’s a tall guy.

My aunts gave a bench and a wooden plank in my mother’s memory in one of her favorite places in her home country. Many thanks go to Lorna and Joan for that tribute. With love and thanks, Dee

My husband writes software, mainly in a language called Java. Years ago I bought him a fish in a coffee pot for him to keep at work. Then he worked up to a three-gallon tank and that was somewhat of a disaster over the years. So when he went permanent here, I decided to get him a new fish.

I bought the standard Mr. Coffee 12 cup pot, some gravel and river rocks, food and water conditioner. Now, after three weeks, he doesn’t think he has room in his new office for MoJo (short for Mocha Joe II, along with the coffee theme). Actually he doesn’t want to clean the pot. So while I had his help the first two times I decided to try it myself as he was slow coming down to breakfast Sunday morning.

OK, I’m kind of freaked out by them, but Bettas are gorgeous fish and this is a fine specimen, all blues and pinks. I think he’s a delta tail or something that costs a few times what a standard Betta would cost. He was presented to me as quite aggressive. He watches me all the time in the kitchen, and eats voraciously.

MoJo II

So Sunday, I made new water for him and wanted to transfer him to a pyrex bowl with 2 c treated water in it with a 2″ net. I had a strainer set up to rinse the rocks and a dish towel and only had an inch or so for the transfer. I tried to get him and it’s a tough vessel for the net to work. On the fifth try I got him at the top of the net and went to put him in his clean transfer water and he jumped out and onto the dish towel.

I yelled for Jim, who raced to get downstairs. How do I save him? I picked up the dish towel to toss him into the clean water and he flopped and freaked me out. A few seconds later Jim was downstairs and successfully transferred him.

So, Jim says he likes looking at the fish here at home. Zoe doesn’t care, so I think we’ll keep him on the corner of the kitchen counter for now and figure out how to clean his bowl once a week. I’ll get better at it, I’m certain. And no, he won’t be floured and stuck in a pan with hot butter. Not while I’m in charge of the kitchen! Cheers, Dee