It’s that time of year again. Time to double dig the garden bed. Last year, a lot of people asked about the double digging. This year, we took pictures at each step so you can see how it works.

How to double dig your garden bed:

?1. Here’s the instructions for double digging:

2. This is the second year on this garden bed. The first step is to take off the first layer of dirt:

3. You continue to remove the first layer of dirt. We put 1/2 of top layer on the right side, 1/2 of top layer on the left side:

4. The next step is to remove bottom layer to the one end of the bed. We split the bed and put the rest of the first layer on one end.

5. Now comes the dirt work. Because our soil is clay like, we add dry leaves (collected last fall). The leaves give the soil texture and organic matter. We mix the leaves into the compacted soil with a pickaxe. (Yes, it’s that hard.) Because this is only a second year bed, we didn’t work this layer last year. If you’re starting beds this year, just do as much as you can. You’ll get to this layer next year.

6. ?After mixing in the leaves, we add our homemade compost. We make compost in a ‘lazy pile (meaning no compost bin)’ by mixing kitchen scraps, coffee grounds, dirt, garden clippings, grass and leaves. We usually create two batches per winter. This winter, we started a new compost so we only had enough homemade for this bed. It’s great compost and basically free.

7. ?This is what the bottom ?layer looks like after the addition of compost and dry leaves. You can really see the difference when you compare this to picture #4.

8. We return the dirt in reverse order. Last years top, the right side, then the next, the left side, and finally the lower. We add commercial compost to this layer.?

9. Then you have to work the lower layer of the other half of the bed. Leaves and homemade compost + pickaxe.

10. ?This photo shows the difference between the lower layer and the upper layers.

11. This is what the finished bed looks like.

12. Technically we cannot plant until May 15. So this bed will sit for a while – I think of it as ‘baking’. We had three beds this size last year and are adding two more. When the second bed is done, I will plant this bed with broccoli, peas and spinach. I will also plant soy, under row covers, as a green manure until we plant. ?(I grow soy because it’s cheap. I buy the dry beans in bulk. I’ll turn them under before they flower.) I haven’t made a garden plan this year, but I will let you know when I have it together.?

13. Why the hell would anyone go to all this trouble?!? You wouldn’t believe how often I hear this – particularly from our neighbors.?

• You can literally grow at least twice size and quantity of vegetables than in a traditional bed.
• You can grow a bounty of food in a very small space.
• Using companion planting, you never deplete the soil. You are always improving the soil.
• Because you have fabulous soil, you can plant closer together and more plants than in a traditional bed.?
• You can plant along all the edges of the garden which increases your gardening space.
• You do not poison your soil with petrochemical such as Miracle Grow.?

Here’s a funny story. The Jones on our street (as in keeping up with….) had a garden last year. ?They were working on their garden about the same time we put in three double dug beds. Mr. Jones saw us working and said, “Pfft, I’m not doing that!” By mid-summer, he was bragging about his garden to another neighbor and joking about our work. The neighbor asked, ‘Have you seen their garden?’ Peaking over the fence, he was dumbstruck. (I just saw his little shocked face. I heard the story later.) Being Mr. Jones on the street, he rushed out to buy a box of Miracle Grow petrochemicals. His results? His plants never grew as big or as bountiful as ours. Most of his tomatoes split (due to the burst of nitrogen and water). ?Finally, he resorted to joking about our urban farm. Poor guy.

Moral of the story: A little work and compost will pay off in big ways.

Happy Thursday!

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In the last six months, I’ve become a free software hound. It all started with a post about free software. My eyes were opened to a whole world of free and fabulous software. I wanted to share with you some of the software that I now use almost every day. And it’s free and fabulous!

Please note: ?I am not against people making money on their tools. I feel trapped by the endless updates. I don’t like the fact that some of my favorite and fabulous programs were jacked up by the latest update.?

Thursday 13
Free and Fabulous

1. Edit Pad Lite:?This is a simple text editor. I’ve used it for years. Pros: When you don’t use it for a few minutes, it goes into your bar. I know that sounds simple, but I can’t tell you how many times it’s saved me. ?Edit Pad Lite Page

2. Free RIP:?I have a number of CDs that were created by people that Windows can’t find the licenses for. Why? Who knows? So rather than carting my entire computer to bed so I can listen to my SleepTracks.com insomnia tapes, I used this program! Ta Da! ?Free RIP rips my CDs into WAV, MP3, Vorbis, WMA or FLAC. Free Rip page

3. Free Commander:?This program makes it easy to move files between drives or onto CDs. Again, this sounds very simple, but it’s wicked helpful. ?Free Commander Page

4. Plurk:?Plurk is like Twitter only better. You can have conversations with people from around the world. I’ve learned so much about… everything. I’ve made great food from recipes, learned programming tips, received fabulous software hints and… wow…. I’ve received tremendous support when I’ve needed it – and given it when it’s needed. ?Give it a try. If you like learning and talking to people, you’ll love it. Plurk Page

5. Gmail:?I received my first piece of email in 1996. In 1996, email was a fun way to connect with people. Now? It’s all about the business and spam. Sigh. Gmail has fabulous spam filters. I’ve been able to organize my email into different boxes that filter into “personal”, “work” and “writing” categories. If you haven’t tried it, you owe it to your life to get it. ?Gmail.com

6. GTalk:?This is a free program from Google. You can speak, computer to computer, with people around the world. You can also IM or Text message your friends. I use this program to keep up with clients and friends. GTalk Page

7. Google Calendar:?Why do I love this program? Google text messages me before every appointment at times I designate. So when I’m writing, I have time to return to the present. When you set an appointment you can email the person you are meeting. They confirm. After years of wondering if my client’s knew they had appointments? This is a god send. Google Calendar Page

8. Skype:?I’ve had skype for a long, long time. But I’ve only used it for voicemail. For example, I used it when I was on the Colorado Trail to keep up with my voicemail. I’ve started to use it, this year, to contact people around the world via computer to computer. I’ve had fabulous conversations with writers. When my husband was in Mexico, we chatted a few times a day. All free. ?Skype Page

9. Avast and AVG:?I have these programs on different computers. I haven’t had a problem with any virus or trojan with this caveat. I caught a trojan from a blog. Avast was on it immediately, but it took some time to get rid of the trojan. But hey, it’s free. Avast?or AVG

10. GIMPshop:?If you know me, you know that I hate Adobe products. I know. I know. They are everything and forty bags of chips. (Hey, I hate Apple to… go figure.) Adobe products make me nuts. I started using GIMP sometime last year and couldn’t figure it out. Recently, I started using GIMPshop. It has most of the tool bars as Photoshop, so it’s familiar, easy, and phew, not Adobe. ?GimpShop Page

11. GNU Cash:?I’ve grown to despise Quicken. In a fit of desperation (read Quicken screwed up a years worth of household accounting when I’m trying to do our taxes), I found GNU Cash. Ahhh… Easy tutorials and very straight forward interface. Plus, you can download from your banks, etc. I am now in the process of setting everything into it. Go ahead, spend another $90 updating your Quicken. I’m using GNU Cash for my personal and business accounting. GNU Cash page

12. Other InBox:??This is a fabulous product. It’s designed so you can make email addresses on the fly. For example, if I see a newsletter or an article that I want to read, but it requires and email address? I just use an other inbox address. I don’t have to tell other inbox that I’m doing it. As long as I use my account, it goes to the right place. I use it for all my website contact forms. ?Ok, here’s the true luxury —>it sends a summary of your email every morning<—- swoon! When you get hundreds of email a day, this is truly delicious! I have a beta release version, but the full version should be available very soon. Other Inbox page

13. Todoist:?This is a powerful project management/time management tool. I use it to track all of my websites and projects. You can set priorities (a la Covey) and hierarchies by project. For any busy person, this is a fabulous way to keep all of your “To Dos” in one place. Plus, there’s a delicious check the box and disappear into history function! ToDoIst Page

What favorite free programs do you use? Leave them in the comments and I’ll add them here!?

?

• “This cleans out the PC?s registry way deep inside taking out all registry changes some programs leave behind. I?ve used it well over a year on three different PC?s flawlessly.” The Walking Mark
• “The one piece of free software that I absolutely could not live without is Note Tab Lite, one of the most muscular text editors I?ve ever used. They have a pro version, but I?ve never felt the need for anything more than the freebie one. Best thing about it? One click lets you substitute it for Notepad in Windows so that it becomes your default text editor” ?Cameleon at Coffee Break
• “A free program I use is SparkPeople, which is like weight watchers but free.” All Rileyed Up, Los Angelista
• “I use ?SpyBot Search and Destroy. Oh, and Digsby! Yay for awesome free programs!” Mary?
• “I?m hooked on Pandora and also on Just Hear It, which finds any song you want to hear.” Los Angelista
• “About the only one I use is AdAware. Amazing how much garbage it finds every week!” Heather at Word Trix

Check out other Thursday 13ers?

After a year of Thursday Thirteens, I thought I would do some deep research and share with you what YOUR underwear means about you. 

Thursday Thirteen #52 – Your underwear:

1. Thong - I know what it means to ‘feel the burn’ from lunges.

2. Panties  - I’m all about the comfort.

3. Grannie pants - I’m frozen.

4. Bikini - I remember the sun, the surf, the fun….

5. Boy Shorts - I’m hip, cool, and like wearing mini-grannie panties.

6.  Sports Underwear - Serious sweat happens here.

7. Smash it all down EITHER: 1) I’m on the red carpet OR 2) I like my cheesecake with a little chocolate and ice cream.

MEN’S UNDERWEAR

8. Boxers - I’m free and easy.

9. Boxer Briefs - I’m sexy as hell and I know it.

10. Sports underwear - I like to get my sweat on.

11. Thong - EITHER: 1) I’m gay or 2) I’m on the red carpet.

12. Trunk - I wish I was James Bond, as played by Daniel Craig.

13. YOUR TURN - Help me celebrate my year of Thursday Thirteens with what YOUR underwear says about you!  I’ll post them here with a link to your blog, of course.

• “Since I like to sleep in men’s boxers “I’m free and easy” BWAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!” Miss Attitude
• “Sadly, my underwear says I’m on a budget and I know nobody’s looking through the window!” Sandy Carlson
• “I just got done telling Mr. D how important a girls ‘foundation’ is on the way home tonight. If you’re miserable there, you’re miserable everywhere.” Andrea Daigle
• “Hipsters from VS: I’m all about feeling sexy without having a floss up my ass ” PQ Nation
• “I like a little lace, makes me feel all girly, even if I’m wearing sweats” Adelle Lauden
• “I guess I am sexy as hell.” Ian Healy
• “I’m a #4 and I guess the description fits cause I life in Florida with the fun & sun.” Nicole Austin
• “My underwear says ‘i’m so boring’ and ‘I hope I’m not in a car accident.’” Tara R
• “Mine says Wal-Mart.” Nicholas from a Gentleman’s Domain
• “#1: I don’t want panty lines! #2…I know they won’t ride or show lines….usually with a pair of trouser cut jeans #5…what I sleep in or wear during “that time of the month” I do not HESITATE to buy or throw out skanky underwear! A good undergarment is the foundation of all great outfits!” Tommie at Tuesday Update
• “What do guys’ briefs say? Like, “My mom dressed me again?” or maybe “Married with children and gravity is no longer my friend?” Carol
• “Must be comfortable with a pretty design.” So Be IT
• “I’m in between comfort and beach. Hey what about those who wear none? Yes, the color is important and so is the fit. It’s a tough one because they don’t let you try them on!” Colleen from Looseleaf Notes.
• “I guess my underwear means I’m a hip grannie well before my time with a bit sag. I bought them at Victoria Secret for my pregnancies so that they wouldn’t get sucked up by my butt like my thongs. After the babies births I never went back to the thong. And now I have stretched out saggy underwear. I guess I now know what to put on my list for Santa…yea a new butt!! – bet you thought I’d say underwear!” After hours
• “I love a man in boxer briefs. They’re so sexy!! ” Lori at Single Parent’s Unite
• “i like mine comfortable and feminine. VS angel panties do the job and they are super soft.” Jehara
• “I like my hipsters – but they are getting harder to find these days – especially since I only wear them in black.” Denise
• “No underwear…free and easy, or is it , cheap and easy?” TWMark
• “ I like comfortable and if comfy panties = granny panties then I’m in.  Hey even Bridget Jones wears them!LOL” Grace at Sandier Pastures
• “Wonder what “commando” says?” Carmen
• “Right now, my undies say I shop in the kids’ department b/c it’s hard to find my size in comfies. So my panties have Eeyore on them.” Rhonda Leigh Jones
• “I have a friend who has a motto whenever anything goes wrong, ‘Put on your big girl panties and deal with it.’ I like big girl panties. They’re sort of a cross between panties and Granny panties. They are very, very far removed from sexy…. but comfortable. ” Jo at Majority of Two
• “Today my underwear print says that I secretly want to go to the zoo and visit leopards! The cut is clearly inspired by the song that Sisqo sang so many years ago. Let me see that… thong! LOL. (I think they’re only uncomfortable if you get it in a too-small size.)” Los Angelista
• “I guess mine says I’m fresh every day ” Anthony North
• “Mine says I need to do laundry, and this was what I had left that was clean.” Mary at Randomness of me
• “Couldn’t, wouldn’t, shouldn’t wear a bikini in public anynore but I remember when I could. Men’s Briefs- aka tighty whiteys – enough said.” Debbie
• “My underwear are frequently black and grey in color – by default, not by inclusion; My underwear are my prizes of clothing possession; My underwear simutaneously: 1) Control junk; 2) show off muscular legs; 3) Are a boon if there is ever a fire from which I have to run; 4) Get my seal of approval; 5) Are sturdy even after being worn several days at a stretch; Durable, comfortable, unique, barely there …. my underwear; Pin a medal on’em. They deserve it …..” Ruprecht
• “I’m sexy as hell and I know it.” Van at Furiousball
• “Apparently, “I’m sexy as hell and I know it.” Granted, my actual thought is… “This is way too much information for most… I find these comfortable… and they’re relatively inexpensive… and anything smaller or tighter and I’d resemble an egg with a rubber band ’round the bigger end of it.”… but that’s just me.” Mark James Didier
• “I’m either #2 or #3. I take my panties VERY seriously and not only am I all about comfort, I’m all about cleanliness and condition. If there’s still even the slightest stain apparent, or the tiniest bit of wear in the elastic, I must fight the urge to toss them away. Sometimes I lose that fight. If I ever win the state lottery, I’m going to have a standing monthly order with Hanes!” The Gal Herself
• “I’m pleading the 5th,” Barb
• “This one was a little scary too – what does it mean if you go “commando”?????” Pop Art Diva
• “I’m still trying to figure out if it’s pronounced: span-ex or spanks”  Marina
• “I wear the Tai-model of Sloggi’s. ” Tink
• “I guess mine say I’m hip, cool, and too broke to buy new underwear.” Jean
• “Mine are all Jockey For Her bikinis and they’re too scared to speak….;-)” Krissa at Halfasstic
• “I have a little bit of everything – but no thongs – ugh.” Bumbles
• “ I’m hip, cool, and like wearing mini-grannie panties. Nice!” Clarence
• “I wonder what is means is you sew your own panties too?” Leslie at OkoBox
• “Today it’s saying – does wearing your husband’s briefs because you really, really need to get some laundry done mean you’re a cross-dressing writer who can’t get her mind off her fictional characters long enough to do real-world housework?” Julia at Mind over matters

I was tagged by the CEO at the Morning Meeting to do six uninteresting things about me.  THEN I was tagged by Kara to do five uninteresting things about me.

Clearly, these people know how truly uninteresting I am. Thus, I will share with you eleven uninteresting things about Claudia plus one.

And hopefully, you will share something of uninterest about you in the comments. I’ll add it to the post and we will join in uninteresting qualities!

Thursday Thirteen #51 : All about Claudia

1.  I am fairly slutty when it comes to social networks. I let anyone be my friend.

2.   While I let anyone be my social network friend, I do not hesitate to defriend, block or stop following.

3.  I am the only person in my biological family that does not take psychotropic medication, mood stabilizers and/or doesn’t self medicate with alcohol and/or drugs.

4.  I love my Magic 8 ball.

5. I sit on a swiss ball at my desk.  My buddy, Perpetual Student, inspired me with her green ball chair.

6.  I am tall, 5′ 10″.

<—Tag One Over–>

7.  Prior to being a therapist, I never held a conversation with anyone who wasn’t about my height.

8.  Like a lot of tall people, I think short people are up to something. This fact has been confirmed to me by my buddy Tommie, Perpetual Student and other short bloggers.

9.  I learned to knit when I was seventeen and have knit ever since then. I love to knit. I love all the bits that go with knitting – yarn, needles, pins, etc.  I do not love finishing the collar on sweaters. It’s a sickness.

10.  I have life long insomnia which seems to be abating due to SleepTracks.com. (I’m not an affiliate, just a fan).

11.  A psychic told me recently that my fictional characters were real people at one time. This is why I feel like they write their own stories.  (READ: Claudia’s a lazy writer!)

<—Tag Two Complete–>

12. I laugh all the time. All. The. Time.

13. Now it’s your turn – leave a random and/or uninteresting fact about yourself in the comments and I’ll add it here.

• “I absolutely hate being photographed wearing my glasses.” Nicholas at a Gentleman’s Domain
• “You’re on to me – short people are always up to something!” Perpstu at Popping Bubbles
• “While I cannot stand mushrooms of any kind, I find the term “sauteed mushrooms” to be the most appetizing food words in the English language, my mouth waters at the mere mention of it… 42 years in to this little experiment called life and I cannot figure this out.” Soren J at Puntiglio
• “I am another one of those short people who is up to something and as soon as I know what that is promise to tell you. However, I speak to people of all shapes and sizes and I am not a therapist! I am also a knitter, however I have only been knitting a few years, but likewise I love it – moist especially all things wool. I am also such a fiber fanatic, I have taken to spinning my own yarn!! Zen meditation has nothing on spinning, I promise you.” Kat at As Kat Knits
• “Uninterestingly, my given initials (no … Rupe isn’t one of my given names, you Brainiac!) are an abbreviation for “mountain”.” Ruprecht at Frolickery
• “Sue loves seafood (I just had it for dinner)” Sue at the Urban Zoo
• “How bout I love to saute mushrooms after midnight, and horde them all to myself. I read in the tub. I was born left handed, but baby sitter converted me to right handed.” Eric S at Small Town Mountain Boy
• “Tall chicks rule. Well, at least they do at our house (LOL).” Lori at Lori D Johnson
• “I will not eat celery or raisins. Under any circumstances.” Sandy Carlson at Writing in Faith
• “I could create a complete outfit, including making the pattern from scratch.” Adelle Laudan
• “I used to eat sweet pickle and Wonder bread sandwiches.” Pop Art Diva
• “I am really the Mother of all fairies. Check it out. Dana is the mother of all fairies….not only that, I’m a fire fairy. hot, hot I is, I is.” Dana at Awareness. (I’m fairly certain this is true about Dana)
• ” I went to school (university) on a scholarship….PIF for the four years I was there…I often wonder if it was a waste since I am now a SAHM. I keep my nails short for a reason…..betcha can’t guess why?” Tommie at Tuesday Update
• “I do have an Etch-a-sketch and a slinky.” Colleen at Loose Leaf Notes
• “I have high wicks underneath some of my toenails, on the third and fourth toes of both feet.” David Bridger at How to get your novel published
• “I find myself buying plants and putting them in the ground and tending them. I just bought some new tulip bulbs that are red, white and blue. Hmm.” Brenda at the Other World Diner
• “I’d rather be home on a Friday night just hanging with the BF than out at a social event. BORING!” Carmen at Gone to Plaid
• “I hate having my picture taken with my glasses on ! Oh and I LOVE my Magic 8 ball too.” Jenn at Feeling Geeky
• “I can’t stand people touching their teeth. It makes my skin crawl, my mouth feel dry, and my teeth ache.” Jaime at the PQNation
• “I think chickens are better than prozac and completely necessary for my personal happiness!” Jaydee in the Lost world
• “I love all vegetables except okra.” Darla at Nichtszusagen
• “I am a person who keeps my friends in small numbers because I tend to keep people at arms length as a protection to myself. No clue what I am afraid of.” Nina at Juggling Mama
• “I’m one inch shorter than Claudia” Ivanhoe
• “I like to play with the rubik cube when I’m stuck writing.” Tempest Knight
• “I love to cook, but my meals always turn out better when I throw them together than when I plan them out carefully.” Devyl at Devyl Gyrl
• “A psychic told me that one day all I’d do is write. No more day job, yay!” Nicole Austin (YAY indeed!)
• “I have belly button lint. And it smells.” Court at Kaiya’s laughter heal
• “I was a cheerleader my junior year of high school. I quit senior year because I was too self-conscious about my body to keep wearing the uniform out in public.” Los Angelista
• ” How about the fact that I could eat rice every day for the rest of my life and never get tired of it?” Julia from Mind over matters
• “I have long nurtured an unsatisfied craving to try a certain Filipino dish called balut.” East Coast Dweller

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Getting ready for Simply Kind Tuesdays, a new meme for Tuesdays (click here for more information), I ran across a number of quotes and thoughts about kindness.  I thought I would share them with you here.

1.  ”Constant kindness can accomplish much. As the sun makes ice melt, kindnes causes misunderstanding, mistrust, and hostility to evaporate.” — Albert Schweitzer

2.  ”No kind action ever stops with itself. One kind action leads to another. Good example is followed. A single act of kindness throws out roots in all directions, and the roots spring up and make new trees. The greatest work that kindness does to others is that it makes them kind themselves.” — Amelia Earhart

3.  ”Kind words do not cost much. Yet they accomplish much.” — Blaise Pascal

4.  ”The truest greatness lies in being kind, the truest wisdom in a happy mind.”  – Ella Wheeler Wilcox

5.  ”Kindness can become its own motive. We are made kind by being kind.” — Eric Hoffer

6.  ”Kindness is the golden chain by which society is bound together.” — Goethe

7.  ”Three things in human life are important. The first is to be kind. The second is to be kind. The third is to be kind.”  – Henry James

 8.   “Kindness in words creates confidence.  Kindness in thinking creates profundity.  Kindness in giving creates love.”  – Lao Tsu

9.  ”Kind words can be short and easy to speak but their echoes are truly endless.”  – Mother Theresa

10.  ”Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.”  – Philo

11.  ”Deeds of kindness are equal in weight to all the commandments.”  Talmud

12.  ”Kindness is more important than wisdom, and the recognition of this is the beginning of wisdom.” Theodore Rubin

13.  ”The little unremembered acts of kindness and love are the best parts of a person’s life”  William Wordsworth

For more information on the new meme, Simply Kind Tuesdays, click here.  For less talk and more kindness, check out the Everyday Kindness challenge.

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This is my wish for you:

My wish for you:

Smiles when sadness comes,
Comfort on difficult days,
Rainbows to follow the clouds,
Laughter to kiss your lips,
Sunsets to warm your heart,
Hugs when spirits sag,
Friendships to brighten your being,
Beauty for your eyes to see,
Faith so that you can believe,
Confidence for when you doubt,
Courage to know yourself,
Patience to accept the truth, and
Love to complete your life

What do you wish for?
Add it to the comments and I’ll post it here with a link to you.

• “I wish that the world would become a less hateful place. ?I wish there was more compassion and love.” Michelle from My Crazy Life with Toddler
• “I wish for all of those things and more (smile)” Lori
• “I wish that your candidate will be the one elected!” Janet at Fond of Snape
• “My wish – never giving up on your dreams!” Nicole Austin
• “Wishes….realistic wishes….for my kids to grow up happy productive adults.? wishes like flirty little fun wishes…my pink Tag…” Tommie at Tuesdays Update
• “Time to write.” Ann Bruce
• “Well, I hope your wish comes true. ?Because then I’ll be in for a much improved life!” Nicholas at Gentleman’s? Domain
• “I wish everyone to have some original art to enrich their lives! Or just a big haul on Halloween candy” Pop Art Diva
• “I?m wishing you Miles of Smiles ” Adelle Laudan
• “I wish that everyone everywhere can enjoy the basics of a life; of shelter, food and water and of peace to live as they choose.” Lone Grey Squirrel aka Squirelly
• “I wish for a happy life with my daughter.” Sandy Carlson at Writing in Faith
• “I?d be happy with the 13 you listed.” The CEO at the Morning Meeting
  
• “I wish for a President Barack Obama.” Journeywoman
• “I?m going to go with the ones you posted” Brenda at the Other World Diner
• “I wish for pretty much the same things you do.” Alice Audrey
• “My wish for all is a simple thing, my wish for you is a difficult idea, my wish for you is: fearlessness.” The Walking Mark
• “I wish that everyone?s wishes come true, and I wish that I could travel more. ” Carmen at gone to Plaid
• “i just want to be happy.” She became a butterfly
• “I wish that I will always remember to be grateful for what I have now.” Toni at It’s Naptime
• “A sense of peace and ease to permeate my being.” Colleen at Loose Leaf Notes
• “I wish for a little chunk of quiet?. I know it has to be hidden around here somewhere!” Perpstu at Poppingbubbles
• “My wish for everyone: acceptance.” Darla at Nichtszusagen
• “I wish for abundant peace, joy and happiness.” Judi at Where the road takes us
• “I wish for more time in a day and for more compassionate and caring people out there.” Ivanhoe
• “I for less rushing to judgment on everyone?s part.? A little step back, a little consideration prior to formulating opinions will reveal clarity in thought and possibly much less apologizing later.” Ruprecht
• “I wish for you all of the love, light and happiness that the world has to offer; arms to comfort you when you are down, laughter to fill your loneliness times, friends who are there through thick and thin and a life full of richness and abundance.” Just Jen
• “I wish for peace and contentment wherever one is in life.” Citizen Janey at Middle Aged Suburban Diva
• “I wish joy (true happiness) for everyone” Marcia at Joy is My Goal
• “I wish for good health and good fortune for my family and friends ” Vera
• “That every child be cherished for its own sake. So many tormented children lashing out from within so many adults – think of the peace on earth we could create by giving a child a hug.” Julia at Mind Over Matters
• “I wish for a little more understanding and tolerance and compassion, both from myself, and from those around me. I wish for a moment more with my parents. I wish to stop wishing and instead, to enjoy and savour and appreciate and make use of this very moment that I have, because one day there will be no more.”? Bellamocha

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In uncertain times, we need to get to the basics.

I was very touched by this poem today. (Thanks Robin Marie!)? I wanted to share it with you.

Thursday Thirteen #44 – Thirteen Ifs

If you keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you
But make allowance for their doubting too,
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about,? don’t deal in lies,
Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good or talk to wise;

If you can dream – and make those dreams your master,
If you can think – and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can beat to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build ‘em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on on one turn of pitch and toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold one when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: “HOLD ON!”

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings – nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much,
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,

Yours is the Earth an everything that’s in it.

-Rudyard Kipling

Happy Thursday!

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When Nicholas at A Gentleman’s Domain did this TT, I though, ‘hmmm’.? He encoruaged me to ‘just do it’ and said that it was very ‘freeing.’? Taking Nicholas’s word for it, I present Thirteen things I wanted to say, but didn’t.

But first realize this: I could have wanted to say this on a blog, at plurk, or even in my non-Internet life (yes, I do have one).? If you think I’m talking about you, I’m probably not.? But feel free to ask.

Thursday Thirteen #43 – Things I wanted to say, but didn’t.

1. “I literally threw up when the cartoon of your unborn 13 day old eleventh child floated across your page.”

2. “LOWER YOUR VOICE! The guy behind you is getting a hard on!”

3. “You think you can bully me??? You’re going to have to try A LOT harder.”

4. “So let me get this straight: you copied something from someone you don’t know, and I’m ‘not thinking for myself?’”

5. “I see. You’re the only busy and important person on the planet.”

6.? “If you were a MySpace or Plurk friend, I’d unfriend you in a second.”

7.? “I CANNOT BELIEVE I HAVE TO DEAL WITH THIS!!!”

8.? “What is confusing about natural, logical, consequences?”

9.? “You know, birth control would solve a lot of your problems.”

10.? “Dude, stop drinking and you won’t have these problems.”

11.? “So let me get this straight (#2): She’s selfish because she soaks up all the resources.? But when you do it you’re not selfish. And what resources are we talking about because clearly love, kindness, charity and hope are not among them.”

12.? “I can’t tell if you’re joking or just stupid.”

13.? OK, you know how we do this!? Leave your ‘thing you wanted to say’ in the comments and I’ll post it here with a link to your blog.

• ?Good luck finding someone new to put up with your shit, dickhead!? Adelle Laudan
  
• ?Why the hell are you marrying her if you just told another woman you loved her instead?? G’DayBloke
  
• ?Having a child is not a valid excuse to be an unemployed bum!? G’Day Bloke
  
• “Could you try to be drama free for just one day? Is that too much to ask?” Perpstu, Yoonamania
  
• “What she do that was right today? No wonder she whined all day, she can?t do anything to please you. If pleasing you means sitting there quietly and hanging on every word you say, that is NOT going to happen. She talks, she talks ALOT! ALL THE TIME!? Get over it, she is three. I am sure she did something right today, what was it?” Tommie at Tuesday Update
  
• “I know you knew who I was when you walked by and pretended not to see me.” Marnini
  
• “Sarah Palin?” Heart in San Francisco
  
• ?If you didn?t bathe in your perfume perhaps the rest of us could actually breathe.? Nicole Austin
• “A baby isn?t just for Christmas dude!” Daily Blessing
  
• ?Were you born this stupid or is it an acquired skill, because lady, you are seriously dumber than a rock!? Robin at Around the Island
  
• “Oooh come on you know you were thinking it too” Faith
• ?You can?t get a date because you have really bad B.O.! Buy some Secret and the guys will start calling!? Los Angelista
  
• ?There is absolutely no way I am EVER inviting any of you to my house because I just don?t believe housekeeping is a competitive sport.? Darla
  
• ?Stop feeling sorry for yourself and start doing something about your problems!? Tink
  
• ?Of course I?ll let you pass, and thanks for grabbing my attention by hitting my heels with your shopping cart.? Julia
  
• ?He is NOT the wonderful person everyone thinks he is. He sexually assaulted me. He should NOT be allowed to work with kids.? She became a butterfly
  
• ?Really? Was it really necessary to say that?? She became a butterfly
  
• “I don?t care who you want to vote for. Stop spaming my inbox!” Amy at the Q family
  
• ?I wish we were not related!? Grace at Sandier Pastures
  
• ?No, that?s OK. No need to move your shoes, water bottle and gym bag from the bench. It?s not like I need to be NEAR my locker to change back into my clothes or anything.? The Gal Herself
  
• “Please don?t ask me about anything you just said because I completely tuned the whole thing out.” Di
  
• “Sometimes not accepting an apology is just as bad a thing as what the person did, who said they were sorry!” Toni
  
• “I wish I would have called my mother-in-law ?Mom? when she asked and told her how much I admired her. She passed away in 2002 from complications of open heart surgery.” Army Mom
  
• ?You?re so special they named an olympics after you?.? Dana at Awareness
  
• ?What – you mean She Who Shall Remain Nameless called in sick today? After she called in sick yesterday? And was ?on course? the day before that? And had her scheduled day off on Monday? Will we see her tomorrow? I don?t count on it.? Julia at Mind Over Matters
  

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I’ve been out and about for most of the summer.? I thought a random update was in order.

Thursday Thirteen #42 – Updates on Random

1.? The garden is amazing.? For a first year garden, we truly have bounty.? I am clipping and pulling up old plants and replanting soybeans as green manure.

2.? We have harvested a lot of tomatoes, broccoli, celery, herbs, potatoes, cantaloupe and watermelon.

3.? Cucumbers and zucchini are almost non-existent. The plants are healthy, but there haven’t been female flowers.? I noticed today that we have 2 zucchini.

4.? I’ve frozen a broccoli and made one batch of stewed tomatoes. We will feast on our garden this winter!

5.? I’m hoping to can some stewed tomatoes, but we’ll see.? I’ve never canned before and am a little intimidated by the process.

6.? The bees seem healthy. The problem with Colony Collapse Disorder is that the bees can seem fine then die over winter.? This time of year, this beekeeper says a prayer that her hives won’t die.

7.? We plan to harvest honey this weekend. We sold out of last years honey.? This year we have some comb honey, so we’ll see how that goes.

8.? We plan to requeen two hives this weekend. There’s a theory that the bees can out breed the disease and bugs by giving them ‘spring’ queens in the fall. We are testing out this theory this weekend.

9.? The L’Equip Blender issue has been turned over to the Consumer Product Safety Commission.? With a little luck, it’s off my plate!

10. Denver Cereal continues to gain momentum. I am going to enter a piece in A Dozen on Denver sponsored by the Rocky Mountain News.

11. Our energy conservation efforts saved us 300kw last month.

12.? The Democratic National Convention is done and over with.? Healing continues!

13.? What is YOUR big update this summer? Add it to the comments and I’ll post it here with a link.

• “?I got the neuro stim implanted a few weeks ago, got it turned on yesterday and last night actually slept 7 drug free hours. AND no more accident related doctor appointments except for a bi-annual tune up. Not quite as tasty as yours OG but what the hey?I?ll take what i can get.” Mark the Walking Man
• “I?ve been taking tomatoes fresh off the vine and popping them as is in a freezer bag. When I make a sauce I run a couple under hot water till the skin peels off, toss them in the sauce and it?s summer again. They are watery but you can use a can of sauce or paste to counter that.?I?ve been making lots of pesto and freezing it in ice cube trays.” Colleen at Loose Leaf Notes
• “In our Canadian east coast garden, we?ve had cucumbers galore. And they?ve tasted delicious – sometimes they can be bitter, but these ones rock. We?ve also had both glorious scarlet runner flowers and beans – yum. Strawberries – check. Blueberries – check. ?What I love most, however, are my roses, and this year one of my antique ramblers took over the world.?” – Julia at Mind over Matters
• “?Ive started my house renovations. Does that count? Look at my WW this week. That hole use to be my bedroom wall. Now, its a sliding glass door:)?” Lori at Single Parents Unite
• “I have been busy?finishing up the house.?I am so ready for our dining room furniture?then the house should be done!” Tommie at Tuesday Update
• “My son started first grade and my daughter is starting preschool next week.” Sarah at Puss Reboots
• “I TURN 50 ON SATURDAY AND I?M AN EIGHT YEAR BREAST CANCER SURVIVOR” Yasmin at ApoooBooks
• “We just returned from spending a wonderful month in New England and reentry was a bit of a culture shock, but if you?ve been reading my blog then you?re probably already sick to death of reading about our trip, since I live-blogged most of it.” Robin at Around the Island.
• “We successfully pulled off a girls only camping trip, and I think this will become a yearly event?” Sue at the Urban Zoo
• “I worked up to be able to do 100 push ups w/o stopping” Marcia at Joy is my Goal.

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Recently, I was in need of a list (DenverCereal) of vomit-acious lovey dovey names people have for each other. Sadly, I was unable to find such a list.

I thought this might be a task for fearless Thursday Thirteens! Let’s create the definitive list of pukeable lovey dovey names!

Thursday Thirteen #37 – Pukey lovey dovey names

This is what I came up with:

1. Smoochums

2. Kitten

3. Sweetie-pie

4. Sugar dumpling

5. Snuggle muffin

6. Lovie bunny

7. Foofie-Foofie

8. Any animated character name (Thumber, Bambi, Tigger, Pooh or Pooh Bear)

9. Sweets (British slang for candy)

10. Angel (or anything angel like)

11. Babe, baby, babydoll, boo and the like.

12. Anything that has the word “bunny” in it : honey bunny, humpy bunny, fluffy bunny, etc.

13. Now it’s your turn! Please help make this the definitive dictionary of pukey lovey dovey names! Write your answers in the comments and I’ll post them.

• Huggums (Hootin’ Annie)
• Dumplings and Muffins (Sandy Carlson)
• Schmoopy (Sue)
• Foofur and in Dutch – liefje, schatje, poepie (Tink)
• Boo Boo Bear (Michelle)
• Bebe (Lauren)
• Cutie Patootie (Jennifer McKenzie)
• Love stud, sweet stud (Janet at Fond of Snape)
• Ho (FuriousBall)
• Sweet Pea, Princess Buttercup (Tommie at Tuesday’s Update)
• Sweetmeats. (Grandmother Wren)
• Snookums, poopie (The other Claudia)
• Sugar blossom (Cap)
• Smoochie Angie Gorgie (Heart in SF)
• Scmoopsie Poo, Googly Bear (Jennifer) Personally, I think this falls under animated character but…
• Petunia Doodle (Adelle Lauden)
• Snuggle buddy (Cajun Vegan)
• Kisses, hugs (Grace at Sandier Pastures)
• Pumpkin (Elaine, Lilibeth)
• Pookie, BoBo (Nina at Things in General)
• Cutie pie (Pjazzypar at Traces of a Stream)
• Honey poo, sweet potato, and hot mama (Tempest Knight)
• Honey bunch (Robin at Around the Island)
• Doll (Citizen Janey)
• Snookums, Tomato (Colleen at Loose Leaf Notes)
• Honey bunny (Tammy)
• Cupcake, sweet cheeks (Jameil)
• Snookey ookum, jelly elly roll, poogywoo (Elisa)
• Lamby, Lion (Moobs)
• Chickee Poo, Doll or Doll Face (Lisa)
• Add ?wa? or ?wee? to the loved-one?s name if it ends in a ?ley?. (Julia)
• Poo-Bear (SJ Reidhead)
• Love muffin (Sandy at Momisodes)
• Bumbling Buffoon (Squirrelly)
• Booboo Bunchkins (Lionel)

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