She's from Deeeeetroit!

I have very fond memories of watching Matthew play the Resident Evil games while I sat on the couch and pretended to knit. We would figure out the puzzles together and he would shoot the zombies. I would say purposefully annoying things like "Are you sure the dogs will attack? what if you approach them slowly?"

So Saturday we drove over to MSU and I got to check out Matt's new crib--which was happily...far FAR tidier than I expected. Four college guys?? I expected a bit of a hell hole. As the devil said in Tuesday's premier episode of "Reaper"--a little bit of hell on earth--but I was quite pleased to see not only the kitchen floor-- but they had coasters for the coffee table! They are running with an Early American Beer theme with a colorful splash of Sparty pride and smart ass mixology posters. I doubt that I will ever get to test my mad old school ninja beer pong skillz on the kick ass BeerPong table that dominates the shared living room, but that is gonna be one wicked stencil of Sparty (the statue not the cartoon logo) when they are done.

So his apartment was habitable and he has declared a major (physiology), so we took him out for dinner and a movie. We ate at a lovely Italian place called "Bravo" and had mojitos and shrimp. And then we saw Resident Evil:EXTINCTION. WOOOOOT!!! OMIGAWD! It was fantastic. Silly, violent and massively empowering. Alice is cooler than Lara. Most you freaky darlings are aware of my crush on Ms. Jolie (when Lara does the press handstands into a front walkover in the games (My signature move BTW) I always get a little tingle of suspended disbelief and I think for a minute *I* can solve laser beam + Egyptian mirror trick puzzles and then fly a Huey to the Antarctic and dead eye some rabid vampire wolves while dual wielding my glocks.

Nostalgia reminds me how much liked the afterschool forays to Raccoon City. I remember one plant puzzle that had us stumped (pun fully intended) for about three days. I saw the first movie and was like bleh--whatever...but for some reason I have been devouring action films this year. The latest Bourne installment was tremendous fun and slicing an dicing zombies yesterday and high five-ing Iz when Alice made the ten foot vertical jump just in time to only slice off a fraction of her boot sole before the laser grid scanned the corridor of doom---and then when the Evil Dr. Isaacs sprouts those--oh you haven't seen yet? Get off your ass and go see it. Mindless, choppy (both cinematically and literally) and bloody gory action-- strong women--good role models...at least for the afternoon

Geothermals

No--my freaky darlings--I am not crocheting Georgina a thermal bra & panties set. Petey and I, did however, meet with this amazingly awesome dude who is gonna implant our new "hook up bed". We're gonna get us some below the frost line heat. We are getting a geothermal furnace. At the same time they dig the four trenches (3ft wide by 110 ft long and five down) they will begin the process for the native grass meadow I plan to nurture next year.

This geothermal does both heating and cooling and while the initial investment is equal to Matt's tuition-- and more than the roof just cost us--it will pay for itself in five years! (let's see if Matt's education does that!! LQTM) (What you don't know what LQTM means--gods! yer soooo lame... like LOL--It stands for Laughing Quietly To Myself.

puppy shoppin

I am looking for a puppy. I am sure about the puppy bit--but there are several things I am unsure of, for example; breed? another JRT? then I could be the mistress of the "Jackpack". That could be fun. But what I really want is a shepherd. I miss Emery and "BellyAcres" needs a big dog. I am more than okay with a mix breed and would welcome a rescue-- If I ruled the world a female GSD puppy would magically appear. But I don't rule the world and last night I cruised some of the better known rescue pages. There are two dogs that are tearing my heart out. On petfinder.com I read the ad for two GSDs named Victor and Trevor. They were left trapped in a foreclosed property and tried to escape. How horrible can humans be? Ya know what if you want to be cruel to yourself that is your own dumb decision but to purposely leave these animals locked inside without food or water--that is enraging.

I would have gone to pick them both up last night but they need a house diff than ours. Bree is granted MUCH calmer and more pleasant to live with, esp. now that most of the repairs are done-- but she is still very dominant and rowdy--she is a Jack...and while Jarvis gets along with everybody; somebody that fragile (Trevor's leg had to be amputated because somehow he got plastic wrapped around the limb) needs a quieter house. And one thing this new place isn't is mellow and quiet. Think Grand Central Station. We need somebody with some "spunks" to paraphrase Zora Neale Hurston.
or how about a lab/shep mix? those are good dogs. Somebody with enough confidence to live with Bree but not aggressive.
hell, after thoroughly depressing myself last night (so many doggies need a help) maybe I'll turn the barn in a dog rescue.

New Accessories

We have gotten a couple of new toys for the library--this lovely dictionary stand (which Petey found--it is perfect!) and a stone griffin that if I didn't get to bring home I was gonna cry.


The bottom shot is Z in full regalia for an afternoon exploring the woods. He and Evan have great plans for an Ewok bridge system of tree forts

It's about time

Today I grocery shop. Then I write. Finally--I had planned to start revising Fealty back after Labor Day. Here we are at the last Monday of the month and I can actually get to work. I am gonna combine the two Ducs of Burgundy into one fictional character. Have to set up Miranda's fascination with Henry (what doesn't EVERYBODY want to fuck a rock star?) that should take a while. And really... Carol is correct I need to find a desk. I am sad that the library isn't functioning yet (two more weeks till Blue can start on the shelves--he vetoed the first batch of wood. But because there are no shelves-- there are still books in boxes. So no space for writing desk.Things could be worse.

i don't like weeds

I am declaring war on wild grape vines.

Monday moanin

Well, let's see what is exciting since the last time I posted??

1. I am teaching at EMU again. Just 326 (Research Writing) this term--starting tomorrow!! That was a bit of a surprise. I had secretly hoped to be re assigned me and Frank's old office. (Frank Case--my hero--not the turtle!) But I am shuffled in with Lolita Hendrix--poor her. I won't take up much space... this term. bwa haha ha

2. The roof isn't done yet. And some siding was damaged due to excessive tar usage on one of the previous roofs--rooves? How does one pluralize roof?? It's gotta be roofs. Hopefully they'll be all done today. Anna held an open house at Wallace. (MLS ID#: 2713123) Seemed pretty positive, several people looked at what crappy housekeeper I am. Seriously-- anybody want to but a cute little house?

3. Saw Scott yesterday. (Eric's old housemate) That was a pleasant afternoon/dinner. He is such a sweet guy. If I were a stripper he could be my sugar daddy.

4. Took Zoli to the movies Staurday night. He was dying to see "Dragon Wars".
I'll let this guy from the Freep explain exactly how crappy it was. Please enjoy the brief but perfectly worded review written By John Monaghan

"The only winners in “Dragon Wars” are the computer-imaging geeks who must have logged tons of overtime.
The rest of the world is left scratching its head at a monster epic so dismal that it doesn’t even register as a guilty pleasure.
According to legend, every 500 years a young maiden must be sacrificed before her 20th birthday. If not, dragons will appear and wreak havoc on the land.For the first half hour, “Dragon Wars” plays like two movies in one, jumping from “Crouching Tiger” moments of martial arts levitation and gauzy cinematography to straight-to-video monster mayhem in present-day L.A. It sounds a lot more fun than it is.With nods to “Godzilla” and “King Kong,” the contemporary story finds TV news reporter Ethan (Jason Behr) on the trail of the mysterious Sarah (Amanda Brooks), not for the ratings but because, as a kid, he was zapped by a bright light emanating from an antique trunk.Things grow even more confusing in the second half, but it doesn’t matter much to filmmaker Hyung-rae Shim. His only concern is giving ticket buyers their money’s worth in slick, sterile CGI battles.The performances are beyond awful. Behr is a poor man’s Tom Cruise while Brooks barely registers as his damsel in distress. TV vet Robert Forster finally uses up all that good will he earned for “Jackie Brown” a decade ago in the hammy role of Ethan’s shape-shifting mentor.By the time it gets to the promised battle of the dragons, named Good Imoogi and Dark Imoogi in the film, I couldn’t even tell you which was which. In a movie already choked by mindless action, did we really need an army of evil warriors fresh from “Power Rangers”?To its credit, “Dragon Wars” creates wonders on a comparatively thrifty $70-million budget. Still I’d trade it all for the more tactile 1950s model, where iguanas and gila monsters with fins strapped to their backs thrashed around on fake volcanic sets."

Yeah--it was that bad. If you have dragon loving kids maybe rent it on DVD but that was three perfectly good movie tickets completely wasted. Zoli called it a "stinkeroo the size of Canada" and he was mostly tweaked that it was actually a wyrm turning INTO A dragon--not dragons actually fighting. For a kid weaned on the LoTR films this was a serious disappointment. His first bomb. My little boy is growing up! sniff.

I don't think Tinn reads this blog but if he does he & Sylvia should know that Zoli said, and I quote. "This movie was so bad even Syl, Sir Tinn and cheeseburgers couldn't help it." I think he meant the evening would have been more pleasurable in their company! Having seen such classics as King Kong and Scooby Doo with them I think he was missing the social part of movie going. Rootbeer, cheeseburgers and ripping the film apart for dessert!

well... well

That was a nice 3.5 year break. Time to get back to work. No more watching the scandals from the side lines. I start at EMU next week. And of course there is already administrative drama. feh
The happy news I want to share is that I GET TO TEACH HARRY POTTER THIS WINTER!! EEEEEEEP!!

NOTE: In an effort at grown up behaviour; this morning I put on some cute little red suede kitten heels to pick up the red in a skirt? I already have a meeting this afternoon. I wore these shoes a lot at Crapple El--they were kinda my "lucky shoes".
Ya know--gotta lose the yoga pants and hockey jersey--gotta find the authority--gotta be PROFESSIONAL...*rolling eyes* I even tucked in my blouse! Dudes...lemme tell ya--those shoes barely made it down stairs.
I'm wearing my birkies.

Purple walls green roof

"Where have you been?" Clamor the readers of the Frenzied Wren. Well my freaky darlings if you had 20 some hunky multinational guys crawling around your roof top would you be outside drooling or inside typing?? Actually--most of the time I was doing laundry and VACUUMING (It takes an hour to vacuum downstairs) But the time I previously spent chatting ya'll up has been replaced by the "drive the chilldwen's to school" commute. Commute--such an ugly word but one that careful readers may hear more of in the near future. Yes I may be back to teaching next term.
But let me remain focused as I share first the infernal racket of the tear down--
yesterday was mor eof a steady gentle thumping... as they say one picture is worth a thousand words.They claim to be finished tomorrow.

roofers

We have purchased a green roof for our purple house. There are about 15 hunky guys with great smiles swarming around my bedroom ceiling. Stuff keeps sliding down the walls. very odd.

Get "Humpy"

The was some garbage in the basement window well. You know that space by basement windows that is like a hole in the ground? About three years of garbage that included an egg carton, several soda bottles--w/ labels faded beyond recognition... a BK bag and (drumroll please maestro)---a disgusting old tie dyed plush toy elephant. It was basically pink but was so moldy and dirty--three winters outside--you can imagine.

Pete cleaned all of it out and then Bree discovered the toy elephant just laying there; all forlorn on the lawn. And then Jarvis discovered it. They were both in love. Jarvis demonstrated his adoration in a very physical way and I named the toy "Humpy" about 15 minutes into the lovefest (JRT's are not picky when it comes to sex partners) Bree discovered that it used to squeak. Past tense.

Now the abandoned elephant made a noise more akin to a garbled grunt of pain. It was so pathetic. She destroyed that thing in the space of 12 hours--the squawker resembled a stomach with a shredded plastic esophagus. But before the final decimation this morning-- they tortured the poor thing, practically tug of warred it to death, ear by ear--eviscerated fluff ball by fluff ball.

Death to Humpy. We may need to get a new Humpy. It was rather entertaining.

This is me in Grade 9 baby--

Actually--the Bare Naked Ladies song in the header is really just in my head. But Zoli did start 7th grade this morning. But he does have a humongous binder despite having no idea who Duran Duran is.

I found my locker and I found my classes
Lost my lunch and I broke my glasses,
That guy is huge! that girl is wailing!
First day of school and Im already failing.

This is me in grade nine, baby, this is me in grade nine
This is me in grade nine, baby, this is me in grade nine

Ive got a blue and red Adidas bag and a humongous binder,
Im trying my best not to look like a minor niner.
I went out for the football team to prove that Im a man
I guess I shouldnt tell them that I like Duran Duran.

This is me in grade nine, baby, this is me in grade nine
This is me in grade nine, baby, this is me in grade nine

Well, half my friends are crazy and the others are depressed
And none of them can help me study for my math test.
I got into the classroom and my knowledge was gone;
I guess I shouldve studied instead of watching Wrath of Khan.

This is me in grade nine, baby, this is me in grade nine
This is me in grade nine, baby, this is me in grade nine

They called me chicken legs, they called me four-eyes
They called me fatso, they called me buckwheat,
They called me eddie

This is me in grade nine, baby, this is me in grade nine
This is me in grade nine, baby, this is me in grade nine

Ive got a red leather tie and pair of rugger pants,
I put them on and I went to the high school dance.
Dad said I had to be home by eleven --
Aw, man, Im gonna miss stairway to heaven.

This is me in grade nine, baby, this is me in grade nine
This is me in grade nine, baby, this is me in grade nine