Below are the 17 most recent journal entries recorded in gaffall's LiveJournal:

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Friday, May 9th, 2008
10:43 am	weehaw! I /did/ practice last night, and I've got almost all of the notes now at speed. If I keep this up, I should be A+ champ by Tuesday, when I promised I'd actually be able to play it! I also played Oblivion for a while last night while John finished his book. And... it was good. Why /is/ Oblivion so very very good? Today, I have returned some books to the library, dressed up delightfully, finished at least one task, mailed off a thank you card that I had been meaning to, and drank a lot of water. What will the rest of the day hold?! I plan to have it hold sleep at a normal time, no matter who is over or what is happening. So there! Tomorrow, we have a performance with the quintet, which should be a good time. And, of course, I'll be practicing! (plink)
Thursday, May 8th, 2008
9:14 am	cockle updates: So while finding out about the song, I discovered what it means that he has a cockle hat and staff - it means that he's a pilgrim. How about that? Apparently, either one specific pilgrimage place or lots of them were by the sea, and so the symbol that you'd been on pilgrimage there was a cockle shell (either real or tin) on your hat... and the staff was for help in walking. There was something about quicksand on the causeway, but I don't know if I 100% buy it. We had quintet practice last night. I kept messing up? I think it's period clumsiness transferring itself to my musical ability, which kind of sucks. Barb got me some Ursula Vernon prints, which I am very happy about :) I shall hang up the betta fish by #2. I also practiced the piper music some. I will be diligent about this! Then I came home to episode 1, and Edd and John making fun of it. John remembers way too much about it as it happens. Edd kindly got me a freezepop. Eventually, Edd had to leave, and then I bothered John into turning the movie off and putting me to bed, where I needed to be :P Today, I am wearing a new blue shirt. Still sniffly. Read a good book - I rather like the author Christopher Anvil. He's got the sort of plucky humans vs the universe thing going on, and comes up with creative ways to get out of situations. Sci-fi authors like to make up slang words, in my experience. My zucchini is starting to grow flowers - it REALLY needs to go outside. And one of the bean plants, too. On the schedule for tonight: practice flute, go to bed early again. (plink)
Wednesday, May 7th, 2008
8:32 am	practicing with Nora I went to Nora's voice practice (or possibly just part of it?) last night, to practice the two things that I am doing with her at her recital - a piece where I'm playing a flute part along with her and Andrew (her pianist), and an a capella duet that we're singing together. She is /so good/. I have to practice one billion on the flute part (lots of accidentals, original key of 4 flats anyway, pretty high, pretty fast) in order to back up my brilliant sister, but I will do it. I do not have to practice even 1 on the voice part - it is a song that we sing together often because it is a wonderful song, and we are so good at it. I do have to remember that head comes before heels, and to make sure to go up after the verses instead of down to her part. The particular song (some of you may find this interesting?) that we are singing is one of the mad songs that ophelia sings in hamlet - here are the words that we're singing: How should I your true love know from another one? By his cockle hat and staff and his sandal shoon He is dead and gone lady He is dead and gone At his head a grass green turf at his heels a stone White his shroud as mountain snow larded o'er with flowers that bewept to the grave did go with true lovers' showers I've never figured out exactly what the last verse means or has to do with anything? Some possible other words are: Which bewept to the grave did not go, with true-love showers But that doesn't clarify anything for me, either. So. It's mostly the sound and the blending voices that I love about this song. Her recital is on the 16th, and I'm excited! (4 plunks | plink)
Tuesday, May 6th, 2008
1:51 pm	MOAR latenights I partied too hearty this weekend. There was so much talking with friends and running around in the sunshine. er... Friday, I called off of work feeling all congested and gross and headachy and stuff, and slept for most of the day, interrupting that activity to see Iron Man. At late dinnertime, I got up to eat John's delicious spaghetti sauce that he tried home-making for the first time. Tasty. Also, it had garden in it! I informed him that I did not wish to stay up until all hours... but then he took the ride of people away to Drew's party and stayed there until 4:30, so I stayed up with barb & ted and doodler and raye to do crafty things (I crafted my kitchen into cleanliness and wrote thank you cards for my birthday and painted most of a miniature) and talk about mostly nothing and play double bubble bobble (fun!). The next day, we were suppoda work on raised beds, but it was raining, so I slept mOAR and ... eventually ate lunch at Caruso's and was given a rhubarb pie by Gramma and picked up logs at Home Depot with Rikki's van help. We went to see Leatherheads at cheapy theatre (George Clooney is my favourite) and came home. People kept going out and doing things and then coming back (not I, I stayed home, still feeling sniffly... and PLAYING OBLIVION YAYSORS), and eventually, I looked at pictures with Rikki forever and then fell asleep with everyone in our room? And Sunday was sports day extreme, and I was a fantastic catcher and ran around a lot playing aerobie catch. Later, there was a bath and Oblivion until TOO LATE. I went to bed at 7:30 on Monday (after Indian with John and Zack), and I am still tired and sniffly today. It may take me the whole week to catch up from the weekend. Darnit, whatever happens, I'm going to bed on time this weekend. So there! I also ate half of a bag of M&Ms, possibly in reaction to feeling yucky and sick. Tonight: voice lesson with Nora to practice with her the song we're doing for her recital. Wednesday: quintet rehearsal Weekend: - hopefully building raised beds for real this time? - cleaning with Barb at her aunt's house - quintet performance (I think) - oh man do I love Oblivion. (plink)
Thursday, May 1st, 2008
9:20 am	Latenights So /last/ night, we closed a big deal, plus some partners were coming in from out-of-town for talks today. I've been working with this partner, so they invited me along to the dinner (whereat I ate very interesting duck items) to chat and hobnob, which I enjoyed. Afterwards, we stopped at the bar across the street where other Vivisimites had been celebrating for quite some time, and there was a long night full of amusing conversation that followed. We have quite the characters in our company. Also, I think Pittsburgh is beautiful. (2 plunks | plink)
Tuesday, April 29th, 2008
12:48 pm	unjohn So last night was the first night of my married life that my husband was away from home without me (I've been gone before for work travel, grampa's funeral, visiting Earlham, but he never has been before). I came home, fed the cats & fish, made and ate dinner, cleaned up dishes, took out the garbage, went to dance class, showered, finished the dishes & started the laundry, blanketed the outside plants against the cold, listened to music and read. A typical sort of night, but weird going to bed in our bed without expecting John eventually, even more weird making sure to set the alarm myself and turning it off in the morning. The cats liked knowing where to be - they hung out with me all night and it was cool. John'll be home tonight (from WV, where he is for his job), possibly in time for steak & crossword night. I will be glad to see him come home. My parents got me a digital photo frame for my birthday - I have loaded it with more pictures than they originally added and put it here at work. I find slideshow mode distracting, so right now it's on a picture that I took in Iceland that is one of my favourites from there - the late summer day I biked down the fjord and rested by the side of the road. It's a picture of grasses browning tall in the sun and the rocky hillside. It's an image that sticks in my mind of what's beautiful about Iceland. (plink)
Monday, April 28th, 2008
10:30 am	wheeeeeeeekend John bought catcher's gear. It is for all of us who do Sunday Sports Day in general, but it is for ME! Guys, it's the best to be hit in the face or the shins with a hard pitch and only feel a little bump. The BEST. Sunday morning, I woke up and wandered about doing gardening things (I planted some more things outside and got the beds more ready and pruned [aka mutilated] the [formerly] gigantic forsythia bush by the driveway), and Edd came with me and talked to me about things. It was a good time, and also very funny to me. On Saturday, I got a hairtrim and some gyros for lunch. There was a sing at Gramma's where we slaughtered RESPECT and did very well on Happy Together, and Gramma's chicken gumbo was DELICIOUS. She talked with me about some family history, which I loved hearing about. At home, John & Nora went to play tennis while I bought some dirt (and a new giant watering can with rain instead of pour!) and starting working it into the garden. Good. Gramma called a-worriedly, thinking that perhaps she had left her burner on when she went out to the concert with my parents, so I drove back there listening to my new cd and did the remainder of the dishes, which got the dirt out from under my fingernails and made me feel great, AND woke me up. And Gramma was happy about it, so that's good. That was my weekend. Last night I had a terrible dream about being in a gym where you had to wait in line to shoot a basketball, and you only got to shoot once, and I missed every darn time I got up to the front of the line. RAUFGH! But then I woke up to another spring day and the start of a workweek, and I will enjoy it, I think. John is scheduled to be in West Virginia tonight, and I may be responsible for cooking at Steak & Crossword day tomorrow! We shall see what we see. (7 plunks | plink)
Saturday, April 26th, 2008
2:57 am	baby night Phoebe & Raye & Rikki came over because it was Friday night. I held Phoebe for much longer tonight, and with much less crying, and fed her some of her bottle supplement. She is putting on weight fast and faster, and her mom's new moonboobs can't keep up. I stroked her head with my cheek and rested against John. She made more huge poopy sounds! Also, we finished the Pacman puzzle today (I listened to V for Vendetta while I worked on it), and Barb & Ted brought dinner over, and we worked on the photo album for Mark some more (picked out which pictures needed to be duplicated), and I had a really fantastic day at work that I almost didn't want to leave because I was making so much good progress on what I was doing. My beans are reaching for the sun. The first chard is coming up (I don't even know what chard is or what you do with it.) The zucchini is sending out feelers to see what it can see. The hollyhocks (2!) are leafing out. The alyssum has honey-smelling flowers. The onions have sent up shoots outside! We cut some lilac and put it in a vase, and of course it smells divine. When I mowed the lawn, I left the violet patch next to the lilacs in the shade - it is beautiful. Tomorrow is a sing, and Sunday is a Sunday sports day, and I invited Andrew from work to come. I think he would like it so much! Tomorrow, I will sleep in. Tonight, I will go give my husband a hug. (8 plunks | plink)
Friday, April 25th, 2008
8:40 am	first lawn mowing of the season: complete! Let it be known to one and all that it is John's turn next time. The lawnmower couldn't handle how tall and healthy and green the lawn was, so it was even slower than usual. But it is now complete! And I am happy about that! And I was tired this morning. Mowing the lawn always makes my thumb-hambone muscles hurt? Especially the ones nearer to the web. How odd. Then we played tennis (Mark & Kaitlin came over). The lights from above in the gathering darkness destroyed our depth perceptions, but it was a great time anyway. (plink)
Thursday, April 24th, 2008
9:25 am	relaxing night Last night, I enjoyed doing very little. Kimahri had gotten locked outside by accident the night before, and he wasn't around in the morning, so when I got home (it was pouring a spring rain), I wandered around and called for him a bit, then left doors appropriately opened. Started some laundry opened my package of cds (hurrah for packages in the mail!) listened to Neko Case emptied & refilled dishwasher put away clean non dishwasher dishes ate flavourice read my book John came home, and the rain had stopped. Outside had turned into beautiful sunniness with everything cool and dewy and beautifully spring, and Kimahri came home. He's a white cat, normally, but he's still trying to get the dirt off of himself this morning. He mrowled about how much he hated it outside, and Gilly hissed at him for smelling funny. After leftover dinner, I played some Oblivion until the computer stopped working (a convenient timer for me, who would otherwise never stop) and then wandered downstairs to join Edd and John, where we talked about Trigun and Brian Jacques. And other things. I think the laundry is finished. It was a wonderfully NICE night last night, and I superenjoyed just doing not much. (plink)
Tuesday, April 22nd, 2008
12:11 am	weekend of physical activity! it must be the spring - I spend my weekends digging and running and throwing and jumping. This one was no exception. Let's tally by the last post: Coming up this weekend: Tonight: gathering night at our house, maybe with baby? Maybe with Barb? Tomorrow morning: gardening! I srsly need to replant some more zucchini and beans - they are growing like crazy things. Tomorrow night: gramma's and gaelic storm! Sunday: hmm, it's supposed to rain again - I wonder if we'll be doing sunday sports day? If not, I might think about building a raised garden area, humhum. gathering night: check. Barb: check. Baby: check. I held the baby. Her head is already too big for the tiny hat I made! I also cleaned the house while listening to 60s music, which was all around satisfying. I /also/ said hi to Roquina, who insisted on giving me more roots (of dahlias) and to Lisa, a neighbor I didn't know about before, who gave me some lilies o' the valley, which I have planted in an appropriately shady spot. John made me find my birthday present, which I eventually did - I am stocked up on flavor ices for the next ever, hurrah! Gardening: check. I claimed that I was going to join John & Nora at the park, but instead planted a billion more seeds (which are sprouting today!!! Hurrah for my seed starting systems, they are 100% good.) Gramma's: check, NOM NOM NOM. I was so hungry. It was a wonderful birthday party where I ate 1/4 of an angelfood cake. Mom & Dad got me a cool picture and a digital picture frame (with advice from John) in addition to the tickets to the concert later. Gaelic Storm: check. My feet hurt SO MUCH afterwards. They were amazingful, and I feel like I know who's playing what parts now when I listen to the cds. Quite the concert. Sunday: Sun! Sports day. Lots of baseball, some basketball, some tennis. Mark loves tennis, who knew? He keeps on trying to do badminton moves, which is hilarious. Then we came home and made spaghetti sauce with some real live herbs in (basil & oregano & thyme) and I am SO PLEASED about it, because I grew them all the way from babies. I was so tired at the end of last night. So - check on most of what I'd planned to do. I talked to people about how to build raised beds. Good. Today I had a review (and a raise, hurrah!) and stayed after for a billion to finish a thing that we'd promised would be finished. It is finished! I'm pretty bad at Javascript... but I saved the places where I looked things up this time, so maybe next time will be better. John & Edd picked me up for dinner at 9:45, and we tried to find an open place for a while. Houlihan's ended up being the answer, and I ended my night with a 'mini' creme brulee that was really full sized. I ate several strawberries that were not strictly my own. Now, it is time for bed with my love, and maybe sleeping in in the morning a little! I am pooped. POOPED. (2 plunks | plink)
Friday, April 18th, 2008
9:17 am	Happy birthday to me! Yesterday was quite the spectacular day. Training went well and there were adventures with failing to get the chocolate fountain started up correctly the first time. Luckily, Steve saved the day by buying out the Chocolate Moose's supply of melting chocolate. The party was somethin. The chocolate fountain was a big hit! I tried tiny bits of three homebrewed beers and liked the Groom's brew best. We watched Matteo and Giulia run about endlessly in the beautiful evening on the deck. JC's son took three steps successfully. I met some people. There was some wild & crazy dancing to bluegrass involving Andrew and Phil and slopping of beer out of the cups they held while dancing. John and I whirled in, and I whirled right into the desk, giving myself a spectacular thigh bruise for my birthday. I also danced with Phil some eventually, who states, 'YOU DON'T STOP UNTIL THE MUSIC DOES!' We stayed late and later, talking about nerdy videogame things and enjoying ourselves spectacularly. Eventually, we put the chocolate fountain away (after trying all of the things at the party dipped in it), and eventually, we put all the leftover quesadillas away, and eventually, we turned off all of the lights and wandered out. Andrew and John and I were the last people left, and by golly, it was a good night. When we got home, we took the first of the winter plastics off of the windows and let the cool night air in. This morning, I am still 24! I still have received no pictures from any of you :P I do appreciate all of your birthday greetings a great deal. I am currently enjoying sipping some sakura tea from Jen & Teddy - thanks for thinking of me, and this tea is /way/ better than the tea from the sea! Coming up this weekend: Tonight: gathering night at our house, maybe with baby? Maybe with Barb? Tomorrow morning: gardening! I srsly need to replant some more zucchini and beans - they are growing like crazy things. Tomorrow night: gramma's and gaelic storm! Sunday: hmm, it's supposed to rain again - I wonder if we'll be doing sunday sports day? If not, I might think about building a raised garden area, humhum. (4 plunks | plink)
Thursday, April 17th, 2008
9:25 am	Birthday day! I'll have you know that I have not received a single picture of any of you! I have hope that this will happen by the end of today :) I am viewing everything good that happens today as a birthday present from the world. So far, I have caught the bus on time, seen Navy dudes in brilliant white uniforms on the bus, and eaten a chocolate chip muffin top for breakfast. Tonight is a wedding party for Chris and Carrie, and I am greatly looking forward to starting to melt chocolate for the chocolate fountain! Barb and Ted picked me up from my long downtown wait for the bus yesterday and brought me home, along with a birthday present for me and a birth present for Pheobe. They bought me windchimes to hang outside in the garden, and I am so happy with how they sound. We'll see if my neighbors like them as well! Today, for the first time, my age is divisible by 8 different numbers! Today, not at all for the first time, I am quite happy. (19 plunks | plink)
Wednesday, April 16th, 2008
2:37 pm	What a birthday present! Brother Mark got me.... A CLAPPER We turned that lamp on and off so many times last night and laughed so with delight. Then we watched some flight of the conchords. First Gilly sat on my lap, then he sat on Mark's while Kimahri sat on mine and stinked me. Today there was a booksale at the library. (Ah...) Today I carried our chocolate fountain in on the bus. That was an adventure. (2 plunks | plink)
Tuesday, April 15th, 2008
1:46 pm	Here is Tuesday I stayed late at work yesterday and didn't end up going to dance class - instead, we ate Giovanni's pizza, and I formulated my real pizza wish. What I really want out of a pizza is: 1. Make a pizza. 2. Cut out a smaller circle in the middle of the pizza, leaving all of the outside crust and 1-ish inch of actual pizza. Throw this small circle away. 3. Give to me the delicious remainder and I shall nom it. Also, I played Oblivion. Today, I tried papaya salad for the first time, and gosh am I looking forward to steak & crossword night. I have been very good thus far about covering up my lettuce at night and uncovering it in the morning so that it can grow without freezing to death. I keep looking at all of the seeds that I got from AMB and wanting to plant MORE AND MORE AND MORE. The last thing that I have this year that I definitely need to plant is my dahlia from my neighbor. I keep on thinking about the baby. I require one immediately. (5 plunks | plink)
Monday, April 14th, 2008
7:52 am	mmm, oblivion I played maybe 8 hours of Oblivion yesterday? It was wonderful. This morning I got up perfectly on time, uncovered the lettuce, and am now ready for training things to happen. I am wearing the very classic 'one bobby-pinned side and topsy tail' hairdo of Jean-professionalism. I think I will leisurely eat breakfast first! (4 plunks | plink)
Sunday, April 13th, 2008
6:58 pm	Waiting for Oblivion... Some stuff is happening on computer, then I will dive back into Oblivion world. In the meantime, some things: Baby is out of belly and OMG there was a weekend with chocolate fountain edd was over a lot we had a sunday sports day pictures from it are printed out on the wall attended a compact gardening class in mt lebanon and walked home - beautiful weather have a billion seeds growing dug up compost pile, planted lettuce zucchini & beans, how the heck can you grow so fast? annie's birthday party was a good time knit a baby hat. already played 5 hours of oblivion this morning training this week birthday this week! send me pictures! france next week ???? chicago the week after that. trying to name something new at work neosporin on cuts everything is growing. Must have baby immediately - it was too good seeing new baby. She made a have to poop face! Her chin quivered! Then PPLLLBBTT and she pooped! And she ate! And she breathed while I was holding her and I could feel it! (5 plunks | plink)