I adore my Aunt Sue. I really do.
My mom is the oldest of 6 siblings and her sister Sue is the youngest. There is a 17 year difference between them and a mere 4 year difference between Sue and I. As such, being so close in age I feel more like peers…more like friends.
But the reality is that my aunt Sue is light years ahead of me in the maturity department. 5 kids, a husband, college, working. All those grown up responsible things that I never managed to master completely. If I could work even 1/10 as hard as she does I might actually be able accomplish something with my life!
We talked this morning and it always cheers me to talk to her. She’s smart and funny, she has an incredible perspective on the world. An insight that i could do well to learn. When I say “It confuses me that this person would do this. It seems so out of character.” She counters with an insight I’d not previously considered. She gives me distance and clarity on the world and I appreciate that.
Sue and I used to party when we were college aged, she taught me how to make colorado bulldogs (jesus, how did I survive drinking those???) and I hoisted my kitchen experiments on her (which she ate without complaint). I’m sad she lives so far away now, my cooking has improved considerably and we don’t drink to excess anymore. We’d have great fun.
Anyway, not much else going on. Spending my weekend cleaning, doing laundry and eating to excess.

I’m in the process of moving to my new host. Things will look different soon.
The new site is ugly but functional. Hopefully we’ll get a re-design in there very soon.
Please do not panic. Check in periodically for painful gnashing of teeth as I complain about the process.

Every morning I sit on the sofa, catch up with the news and blogs and forums and whatever other online dicktitudes I waste my brain power on.
Every morning before work I sit here listening to NPR and the birds.
And every morning the dogs find a way to curl up near me and nap. It is the most peaceful part of my day. I love watching the dogs sleep.

Who’s the orc in charge of design and development for Saurumon? You can’t just say “make helmets” and have 10,000 helmets made that look the same. Someone has to draw the helmet and say “make this helmet” to all the helmet makers. Same with armor. Then you’ve got things like that wolf shaped fiery battering ram. Some orc sat down at a flat drawing surface and took some nice charcoal pencils and thick paper and drew it out. Not like some 7th grade boy drawing his fantasy weapons in his notebook when he’s supposed to be learning about the intricacies of the Teapot Dome Scandal. No way, this orc has skills! Design skills! He has to make it look good AND figure out the functional specs for it. What will it be made of? What will they burn in it to make the best and most fearsome fire but that won’t burn out too quickly? How will the handles be positioned so that the uruk hai or goblins can carry it most efficiently and without getting burned themselves.
Somewhere there is an orc with a design degree, maybe even an engineering degree. Where do orcs go to college?
And do they have cram sessions?
Anyway, spent the day with Lord of the Rings playing in the background while I sat on the phone with the insurance company and tried to deal with stuff. I comforted myself by cooking a roast in the crock pot and making rice and gravy and asparagus. Comfort food even on such a humid day.