Author Archives: Tata

Word Was Heard From the People

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A few years ago, I planted some sage bushes in Pete’s backyard, probably right after I moved here. A gardener can expect three productive years from a single bush, so last spring, I planted new ones. I’m up to my neck in fresh sage, so you know what that means: compound butters.

It’s easy. Take butter out of the fridge to soften. Put the soft butter into the bowl of your mixer. Chop up some herbs into tinytinytiny pieces. Add the herbs to the soft butter. Make your mixer go WHOOOOOSH. Taste the butter. If it needs lemon juice or sherry or more herbs or whatever suits your fancy, add that. Scoop into a bowl and refrigerate. Later, spoon a dollop on a baked potato, sauteed vegetables, broiled meat or fish. You can store your compound butter in the fridge if you’re going to eat it soon or in the freezer if you’re going to need some herby, butter summerosity in January, and who does not?

I Was Nowhere In Sight When

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The tiny town hosts its annual fireworks display in the park at the end of the street on which Pete and I live. We can sit on our back porch and watch the sky light up without the added drama of actually rubbing elbows with our neighbors, especially exciting during last night, someone nearby was watching a violent movie, so the display’s local soundtrack was a screamy kidnapping and murder. If you know anything at all about how the colonists treated one another, you know that is perfect.

The fireworks are just a diversion for us, though: the main entertainment is watching the whole town drive across the main drag and around our block dozens of times, waiting for an imaginary parking space to open up because thousands of people trying to park on one street those light trucks everyone simply must have now have not thought this through. We took pictures. We also took pictures of hundreds of people who sensibly took to the street in large numbers on the way down to the park and who appeared on their way back in our lens momentarily, only to melt into darkness beyond the driveway.

Live It Up And Die In Bed

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Pete’s feets, being feety, doing feet things.

Good news: Scientists have developed an oxygen substitute shot that might keep patients alive for thirty minutes.

Researchers at the Boston Children’s Hospital have developed a new microparticle that can be used to oxygenate blood cells and keep a non-breathing patient alive for up to 30 minutes, according to the scientific journal Science Transitional Medicine.

The particles, a combination of fat and oxygen, can be injected directly into a vein, giving medical professionals precious time to properly ventilate a dying patient.

Even better news: you are not a bunny.

Researchers first tested the injection on rabbits and found that oxygen saturation increased within seconds of the particles hitting the animals’ bloodstream, despite the rabbits’ tracheas being blocked.

There has got to be a better way. I don’t claim to know what it is, but this way is just gruesome.

Out Of His Haunted Sleep

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Miss and Mr. Sasha and both of the little Sashas moved to Colorado Springs in May, which was all good news until Colorado Springs caught fire. I am not enjoying pictures published in the media.

If you recall, last year at this time, they lived in Minot, ND which suffered a catastrophic flood from which Minot has not fully recovered. I did not enjoy pictures of that, either.

Yesterday, Miss Sasha reminded friends that she and Mr. Sasha were in New Orleans the week before Hurricane Katrina. We have decided, she said, the elements hate us. In her place, I might be on the lookout for earthquakes and landslides.

Want to lend a hand? Many thanks!
Humane Society, Pikes Peak Region

Red Cross, Colorado Chapters

Be Guarded By Monkeys

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I have 2 usernames for Google and Blogger with a password each, one each for WordPress, two account numbers with passwords for the credit union, two usernames and passwords for my retirement accounts, a password for both my personal phones’ voicemails, a password for my laptop, a username and password for my work PC, for the database and my old work phone, a username and password for my work, personal and blog emails, a username and password for my blog’s service provider, for my cable TV account, for my AmEx, for my savings bonds and a pin number for my debit card. I have usernames and passwords for several blogs I frequent. This is not a complete list. I do not know my land line number at home.

My job wants me to choose a new password for my new phone, which has a new number.

I’m doomed.