Ellie’s Neighborhood

The golf course behind us puts on a huge firework display each year which means our normally quiet neighborhood gets swarmed with rude people who think they are entitled to park in everyone's yard, driving all over anything in their way.  If you put up line, they'll cut it.  People have to chain off their land to protect it from these rude people - yes real honest to goodness chain!  People bring their own fireworks and the fireworks from the city bring the noise level to an incredible level.  The golf course is covered with humanity, and I can't believe that they allow this on the green!  The noise shakes our windows and makes the groud beneath us move.  It drives our two border collies to a dangerous place.  And me right along with them.  I hate this!  I hate it with a flaming purple passion!  Would all these patriots just please go away and leave me alone?!  Why in God's name do we celebrate this holiday with such extreme NOISE?!!! 

Another reason to hate the 4^th of July.  Our neighbors are out in their yard setting up a pair of stereo speakers that come up to the shoulders on the teenager.  Of all of the portions of their yard, they party in the part that is right outside our bedroom window.  We struggle with them playing their music too loud most of the time.  And now they’ve brought out those things.  I hope it rains. 

Oh merciful heavens, they’ve just plugged them into the getto buster and turned them on.  They are both pointed directly at our house.  Their music drives me up the wall.  In my own house, with all the windows closed and the loud air conditioner on…  Please rain!  Please please rain!  Wasn’t it calling for a thunderstorm this afternoon?  Please ?  

I guess I'm going to be THAT neighbor.  I hate HATE the 4th of July.  We have to go to a viewing this afternoon of a friend's son who died.  That is horrible enough.  But we don't know what we'll find when we get back to our property.  I hate this holiday!  Rain?  Please?  We need rain!!!

 Shameless of me I know, but I was really happy with how these turned out so I decided to share them with you all.  I designed these from photographs I've taken of the letters of the alphabet.  And from these I've uploaded the images and had a line of t-shirts, etc made on cafepress.com

Obama plain

Obama 2008

Check this out: http://www.cafepress.com/carmenrose

That's where you can view the clothing options with the above designs on them.  Here are two examples I liked:

Obama shirt

Organic cotten obama tee

Just completed a pretty major task for work, so took a random break and randomly stumbled across this thing about Birthdays, which lead me to a random thing about numerology. As you do. The internet really is full of a lot of crap, much of which I indulge in.

Anyhoo, I'm a 6. Normally I think these things are totally bogus, but this is seriously accurate.

The Life Path 6 suggests that you entered this plane with tools to become the ultimate nurturer, and a beacon for truth, justice, righteousness, and domesticity. Your paternal, or maternal, as the case may be, instincts with a 6 Life Path exceed all others by a considerable margin. Whether in the home or in the work place, you are the predominant caretaker and family head. While the 6 may assume significant responsibilities in the community, the life revolves around the immediate home and family, for this is the most domestic of numbers. Conservative principles and convictions are deeply ingrained and define your character.

You are idealistic and must feel useful to be happy. The main contribution you make is that of advice, service, and ever present support. You are a humanitarian of the first order. It is your role to serve others, and you start in the home environment. You are very human and realistic about life, and you feel that the most important thing in your life is the home, the family and the friends.

This is the Life Path related to leadership by example and assumption of responsibility, thus, it is your obligation to pick up the burden and always be ready to help. If you are like the majority with Life Path 6, you are one who will willingly carry far more than your fair share of any load, and you are always there when needed. In doing so, you take ownership and often become an authority over the situation.

In romance, the 6 is loyal and devoted. A a caretaker type, you are apt to attract partners who are somewhat weaker and more needy than yourself; someone you can care for and protect. The main ingredient that must prevail in the relationship is complete harmony. You don't function well in stressful relationships that become challenges for you to control. It is the same with friends, you are loyal and trustworthy. But there is a tendency for you to become dominating and controlling.

It's likely you feel compelled to function with strength and compassion. You are a sympathetic and kind person, generous with personal and material resources. Wisdom, balance, and understanding are the cornerstones of your life, and these define your approach to life in general. Your extraordinary wisdom and the ability to understand the problems of others is apt to commence from an early age. This allows you to easily span the generation gap and assume an important role in life early on.

The number 6 Life Path actually produces few negative examples, but there are some pitfalls peculiar to the path. You may have a tendency to become overwhelmed by responsibilities and a slave to others, especially members of you own family or close friends. It's easy for you to fall into a pattern of being too critical of others; you also have a tendency to become to hard on yourself. The misuse of this Life Path produce tendencies for you to engage in exaggeration, over-expansiveness, and self-righteousness. Modesty and humility may not flow easily. Imposing one's views in an interfering or meddling way must be an issue of concern.

The natural burdens of this number are heavy, and on rare occasions, responsibility is abdicated by persons with this Life Path 6. This rejection of responsibility will make you feel very guilty and uneasy, and it will have very damaging effects upon your relationships with others.

Except maybe the bit about being in relationships with needy people, because needy people piss me off. I like my men strong, silent and with well developed biceps and a love of gardening.

Am currently listening to the new album from The Audreys, who I have previously blogged about. The new album When the Flood Comes is proving to be fabulous, and the perfect mix of country, folk and indie pop.

Meanwhile, today I feel a bit like the lyrics from a song of their previous album Between Last Night & Us.

Banjo & Violin:

When the flood comes

I am tired and grumpy today. I thought it was going to be a good day, but it turns out I was wrong. My neck hurts, I feel weirdly hot and dizzy, and I have a horrible headache (probably from staring at the computer too much). I just want to go home to bed, and yet I have so much work to do I just have to keep plugging away at it.

Dude leaves tomorrow. Sad. I organised the going away present so that he actually got something good. I've gotten him some books on gardening, keeping chickens and worm farms (sort of what he asked for, but keeping the receipt just in case) and a CD voucher. Instead of a card I'm getting everyone to sign a football, and I'm wrapping the books up in maps (he plays footy and likes maps). I've spent more than people put in, taking my contribution to $40, but I figure it is worth it. He is a great guy and the organisation treated him like crap; the least we can do is give him some good presents to go along with his awkward goodbye lunch.

On top of it, I have this annoying fly that will just not fuck off. I think it is my come-uppance for always bragging about having a window I can open to let in sea breeze (and bad thai takeaway smells). I've been trying to kill the little bugger all bloody day now, and he seems to be invincible. I've named him Roger. I've never met a Roger I've liked.*

*No offence to the anonymous Voxers who's names could well be Roger. I'm sure you are lovely people.

The Honda Momivan

I said I’d never own one of these.  An old VW vanagon maybe, a station wagon maybe, an SUV maybe, even an old hearse or limo, even something that has been spray painted with huge flowers in neon colors and has something welded to the roof.  But NEVER EVER a mini-van.  Oh the aesthetic horror of driving something that resembles a shoe box.  Oh the amazement that we own something designed to trap and amplify squirmy loud baby humans and all their accoutrements.  Oh the nightmare of trying to find this one among all the others in the parking lot at the store!  I do not approve of this choice or this automobile.  Have we no originality whatsoever?  Have we completely sold out?

It is nice inside though.  And drives beautifully.  And its doors pop open when I push the button.  I hate to admit it.  Me likey.  Well… maybe that is a bit hasty.  I don’t actually Like it or anything.  But it’s growing on me.  Yes, I’m the owner of a Honda Momivan.  I might as well buy a cause ribbon, a soccer ball sticker and an honor roll student sticker.  Oh wait, maybe we should finish buying the kids first. 

Today I mourn with our friends the Sprouls who lost their son at the age of 27.  He was found dead in his hotel room this morning.  Exact cause of death unknown, but alcohol appears to have been a factor.  Thus ends the long saga of an adult son who never really seemed to find his way.   He lived the life of a vagabond, dumpster diving his way from music festival to concert.  His parents paid his bills and repeatedly bailed him out of jail.  Finally his journey is done.  My heart goes out to his parents.

I am probably the last human on earth to see this, but just in case you haven't, I present to you the most amazing thing since Whiplash the burrito-delivering rodeo monkey:

Monkey on a Goat on a Cup on a Tightrope!

You may now resume your normal activities.  That is IF you can. =D