Friday, July 30, 2010

Vacation Friday Fill-in

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My mom and grandmother recently went in together and bought a timeshare. It's crazy, I know. Anyway, my mom reserved a cabin at a local resort for the whole family (us, her, and my grandmother) for this weekend. We'll be there from Friday evening to Monday morning. This is the closest thing to a vacation that Michael and I have ever taken. I'm looking forward to not being surrounded by clutter, sitting in the hot tub, and just sitting and crocheting or browsing through my latest floor plan book. Oh yeah - and Meme is making me her famous chocolate sheet cake!

1. I'm going to The Villages (a SilverLeaf resort).

2. I'm not sure where it went, but I used to have adventure and daring.

3. Perhaps today you can make it a point to not bicker.

4. Sometimes I wish I had a true adventurer’s spirit.

5. Compassion is an absolute necessity.

6. Do what is right, no matter how difficult.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to being in a clean cabin without stuff everywhere, tomorrow my plans include the MOPS steering retreat and Sunday, I want to have a game day with my very best friend Janet and her family!

Sunday, July 25, 2010

A Little Birdie Told Me...


  • @percival and @lauriepercival - a shirt for you on Shirt.Woot! #

  • A night full of nightmares #fb #

  • @StephenTiano venting, i suppose; sorry to have irritated you in reply to StephenTiano #

  • couldn't take the wiggly monitor anymore, so we disconnected it; now old monitor is making a high-pitched noise, so i don't have a monitor #

  • i'm on the netbook now #

  • First two attempts at filet crochet #

  • coloring some celtic motifs with coloring pencils #fb #

  • debating whether or not to attempt writing posts on this netbook - So Not Used to this keyboard... #fb #

  • Huzzah! it appears the cable @marcand got fixed the wobbly monitor issue! #myhero #fb #

  • heading to bed... #fb #

  • no nightmares, but only four hours of sleep before bethy announced that the sun was up and she wanted to eat something... #fb #

  • My first post at @KidGalore and the first in a series: Postpartum Depression Symptoms | KidGalore #

  • so tired i keep nodding off at my desk; is it nap time yet? #fb #

  • writing about parenting while the kids drive me nuts while they eat lunch - yeah, right #fb #

  • two posts banged out and another coming later #fb #

  • Just filled out my first customs form to mail a swap package to North Wales #exciting #fb #

  • Cancer Rates May Be Higher for IVF Babies | KidGalore #

  • passing out... now #fb #

  • @jennybeanses eat some funnel cake for me, please! in reply to jennybeanses #

  • bethy is counting groups of things on my desk for me while i write #nice #fb #

  • last post for the day written; now to try to get bethy to go to bed... #fb #

  • took vistaril, went to bed, still had trouble going to sleep, now having trouble waking up... #fb #

  • Connecting with Your Kids Through Books | KidGalore #

  • took a short (for me) nap so i can go shopping during the kids' quiet time; still ridiculously tired #fb #

  • shopping done; now for a late lunch #fb #

  • @Melzer if i could do amigurumi, i'd do it! in reply to Melzer #

  • What Your Child Learns from the Family Pet | KidGalore #

  • @jennybeanses is that Loki and @squeenager i see??? in reply to jennybeanses #

  • @Melzer here's some crochet Cthulhu pron for you ;) in reply to Melzer #

  • making dinner #excitement #fb #

  • Retro cool orange and grey potholder #

  • let's see if i can fall asleep before 3:30... #fb #

  • managed to get to sleep about 2 and got up at 8 #improvement #fb #

  • Perfectionism Can Lead to Postpartum Depression | KidGalore #

  • already wrote a post this morning #lookatmego now i #crochet for a bit #fb #

  • getting ready to take the minions to the library #fb #

  • today's mail is going to the Czech Republic :D #fb #

  • @wisekaren from my son (9) - Q: what do you get when your science fiction book is overdue? in reply to wisekaren #

  • @wisekaren A: a sci-fine in reply to wisekaren #

  • @wisekaren that's what you get when you live in a house full of nerds... in reply to wisekaren #

  • @wisekaren love it! in reply to wisekaren #

  • @marcand namely your wife to make it :P in reply to marcand #

  • i think i'm gonna go to walmart #excitingnews #fb #

  • Button bracelets with plastic silver hearts #

  • Red - white - blue button bracelet #

  • More international buttony goodness #

  • up, but wish i wasn't #fb #

  • today's mail is going to NC and IA; i'm having too much fun with this @swapbot thing... #fb #

  • @jenerictxn a very happy birthday wish to a very dear friend of my very dear friend! #

  • @lsrtx yes, we do! how does the 30th look for you? in reply to lsrtx #

  • @lsrtx i can mon, thu, or fri that week in reply to lsrtx #

  • banged out a post; going to try to get the minions to have quiet time so i can get the other 2 done that are due today #goodluckwiththat #fb #

  • I take that back; I'm gonna take a nap so I can write this evening #fb #

  • i-Dosing–Success is Irrelevant | KidGalore #

  • got some really disappointing news, along with some friends; prayers/good thoughts appreciated by all of us #fb #

  • writing gig bottom fell out... #bummed #fb #

  • @jenerictxn you're very welcome, Dear! in reply to jenerictxn #

  • feeling a little "meh" - not sure what i'm gonna do... #fb #

  • well, shit - there's the cigarette craving i knew was coming... #

  • @jennybeanses thanks, Dearest in reply to jennybeanses #

  • Me pretending to be laughing #

  • don't know if i'll go to bed soon or just sit in the dark... #fb #

  • shower and an attempt at sleep, though i doubt i'll actually sleep... #fb #

  • wishing i was in PA so i could mope and smoke with @jennybeanses @melzer #

  • @jennybeanses LOL - can we go back to November and remind me NOT to cut my hair?? in reply to jennybeanses #

  • @jennybeanses sounds good to me; through in a daiquiri for good measure! in reply to jennybeanses #

  • @jennybeanses huzzah! in reply to jennybeanses #

  • here's to a better tomorrow, Twitterland #fb #

  • Whole left side is cramping up; *that's* conducive to sleep... #fb #

  • 'scuse me while I get this out; shit fuck shit fuck shit fuck hell damn shit fuck!!! ok, I feel better now... #

  • Ok, the ibuprofen can kick in and get rid of this pain any time now... #fb #

  • So tired but this pain is kicking my butt #fb #

  • @melzer nails it on the head: The Reality of Everything #

  • my child is turning me into medusa putting braids all over my head #

  • Sarah turned me into Medusa #

  • @melzer and @jennybeanses - the widget is front and center at 3stairs.com; here's crossed fingers for donations! #

  • the weekend approaches... #fb #

  • @cksample :( hope poor Thatcher starts feeling back to her old self very soon... in reply to cksample #

  • chatting with my 9yo son on im while he's at Grandma's house = weird, but cool #geekfamily #fb #

  • Spiral beanie #

  • Stripes and ribbing on the beanie #

  • Be warned: photo barrage beginning! #

  • Amber & Alicia singing #

  • Jordan sleeping #

  • Pastor Rose preaching #

  • Jaylen #

  • Courtney #

  • Dalten #

  • Veiled for your protection #

  • I love her nose #

  • Cuteness #

  • Sarah enjoyed her pimiento cheese #

  • Blind braids #

  • The old Lakota #


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Swapping Sites

I've recently discovered and become addicted to Swap-bot.com. One of the recent swaps I've participated in was visiting other blogs and commenting. I enjoyed my little tour so much I thought I'd share it with you - you may just find a new (second-, next to this one, of course) favorite blog!

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a.m. design - a blog of mirth and merriment


I love how she makes collages of pictures for so many of her posts! This one is by far my favorite.

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Cupcakes and Cartwheels

http://judahsmommy.blogspot.com/

Cari is new to blogging, but with cuties like Judah and Ora around, I'm sure the blog fodder is going to pile up quick!

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Ramblings from the animal house..."

http://ramblingsfromtheanimalhouse.blogspot.com/

Why, yes, that is a skunk! She knits; she crochets; she's witty - huzzah!

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...aka darzy...

http://aimeedars.blogspot.com/

She loves Doctor Who and ink on pages - I may have found an additional best friend!

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Birth of a Notion
http://www.birth-ofa-notion.com/

This blogger is a mail addict - but a she makes really cool mail, so it's all good! She lost her beloved Maia (that's her picture there) on Tuesday (July 20) - go give her some love. My kitty-momma heart breaks for her.

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Meet the Browns!
http://jeffjessandmaxbrown.blogspot.com/

Just go read the Hot Lava post - thank me later. Ok, and drool over how adorable Max!



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Living in Dar
http://nisbetfam.blogspot.com/

She does Muffin Tin Mondays and I can't stop laughing over this post. Pray for poor Ethan's mother...


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Lily's Emporium
http://www.lilysemporiumofficial.blogspot.com/

A Glasgow goth girl who loves Kawaii and makes awesomeness like the hat above - what's not to love?!


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http://neomuyeppeo.org/
http://neomuyeppeo.org/

Another Kawaii fan and fun read!


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365 days 365 Do It Yourself projects (No money spent)
http://alexandraandjulia.blogspot.com/

Awesomeness. Pure Awesomeness. Check out the instructions on how to make that neato shell bracelet up there, and the carryall - those are my favorites.

Sunday, July 18, 2010

A Little Birdie Told Me...


  • @StephenTiano long, icky story about adultery that i don't have the energy to go into... in reply to StephenTiano #

  • tired but not - looks like it's going to be another insomnia-ful night... *sigh* #fb #

  • "Alice is smeared all over the event horizon." #

  • let's see if i can fall asleep before 4 am... #fb #

  • @marcand let me sleep 'till noon; now he's taking a nap, then i'll go to the store when he gets up #excitingweekend #fb #

  • 4 Ways To Wash Away Bad Hair Smell #

  • meds - check #fb #

  • Scrabble tile pendants are big in the craft community; i don't want one with something on it, though - i just want the letter c... #fb #

  • @FakeErinMcKean a scabble tile pendant perfect for you! #

  • correction: i want the letter c on one side and a dictionary cutout of logophile on the reverse... #scrabbletilependant #

  • missing a locket my mother gave me for my 16th birthday that was lost many years ago... *sigh* #fb #

  • Haughtiness, entitlement, and circumventing rules #christianityfail #

  • @wisekaren you ain't lie'n ;) in reply to wisekaren #

  • feeling pensive... #fb #

  • going to take a vistaril and a shower and see if get any decent sleep tonight... #fb #

  • up with 2 of the 3 while @marcand is at the doctor; enjoyed mini powdered donuts while reading an article about Twain's autobiography #fb #

  • online stuff caught up and kids are outside playing; time for mum to #crochet #fb #

  • crocheted outside while the kids emptied and clean the pool so they can swim later; now we cool off inside for a bit.. #fb #

  • bethany anne WILL be taking a nap today - her whining and crying is about to send me over the edge... #fb #

  • ravioli, meds, ravioli, kit kat, nap #fb #

  • nap over, kids playing in pool outside, gotta decide on dinner #fb #

  • another night of insomnia, then fitful sleep; thinking of spending the day with yarn #fb #

  • bethy is in whine mode again today... #fb #

  • Bookmark #crochet #

  • @lauraslefthook thanks - not sure on the fiber - it's cotton thread i inherited from my grandmother; 7/1.65mm steel hook in reply to lauraslefthook #

  • @lauraslefthook me, too - i only do very short projects with small hooks in reply to lauraslefthook #

  • @lauraslefthook i wrapped the handle of a g w/ masking tape until it was about the size of a k - that helps in reply to lauraslefthook #

  • a very happy birthday to Sir Patrick Stewart! #

  • gutting a loaf of french bread #fb #

  • Check out this awesomeness: on #deviantart #

  • meh... #fb #

  • heading to bed, but not before wishing @mwsmedia the very happiest of birthdays - may it be better than you ever imagined #

  • my dad is an old spice man - one of my favorite childhood memories is the smell of old spice as i hugged him before he left for work #

  • and now i shall either #crochet or color Celtic magnets for a swap... #fb #

  • crayola twistable coloring pencils got; now to color a bit more before library time #fb #

  • ugh - can't stand the crayola twistable coloring pencils - no sharp point! #fb #

  • @percivalspawn i'm ready - i can't wait to find out your name and see those sweet cheeks of yours! in reply to percivalspawn #

  • @mwsmedia huzzah! in reply to mwsmedia #

  • Just finished 8 Celtic magnets for a swap #

  • I made 8 Celtic magnets for a swap I'm participating in; what do you think - would you like getting them? #

  • so very proud for my friend @jennybeanses - did you hear she's an *Editor* now? Exciting News! #

  • Shabby chic bookmark side 1 #

  • Shabby chic bookmark side 1 #

  • Shabby chic bookmark side 2 #

  • Testing, testing; 1,2,3 #

  • i hate it when i discover that it was too much sugar too late... #fb #

  • off to tyler - hoping the kids don't drive @marcand abso-freakin-lutely insane... #fb #

  • naughty sweets! Check out this design I saw on Shirt.Woot: #

  • been running for several hours and i'm incredibly hot and tired - now to cool off and write a post for @KidGalore... #fb #

  • Checking out "Yarn Bombs (26 Clever and Cool Examples)" on My Modern Metropolis: <<Love it! #

  • just finished my first paid post after a sabbatical of a couple of months - feels good! #fb #

  • @mwsmedia my first thought is the living room, but you write fiction, so maybe put the "inspiration" ones in the office? in reply to mwsmedia #

  • heading to my grandmother's house with pot roast for a family dinner... #fb #

  • @SusanMacD @StephenTiano thanks for the #followfriday love! in reply to SusanMacD #

  • had a nice dinner with Meme, Mom, and the kids, including some homemade peach-blueberry cobbler #fb #

  • @sewmamasew is a genius. don't believe me? just go read this: Magic Tube-Turning Trick!: #

  • I think I just found my candy bar Achilles heel >> via @notsohumblepie Not So Humble Pie: S'mores Candy Bars #

  • @notsohumblepie feebies = fantastic! i'll take a half-dozen s'mores bars, please! in reply to notsohumblepie #

  • @jennybeanses aww - thank you for the #FF love! in reply to jennybeanses #

  • worst night of sleep i can remember having; today is gonna be very long... #fb #

  • heard a great, down-home, fishing sermon this morning; now for a relaxing afternoon with some #crochet and a nap #fb #

  • will be writing another paid post tonight #lookatmego #fb #

  • haHA - i wrote TWO posts! #lookatmego #fb #

  • getting ready to have a dr who date with @marcand to celebrate my return to #writing #fb #


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Sunday, July 11, 2010

A Little Birdie Told Me...


  • embarrassed, frustrated, and pissed off... #

  • think i'm gonna go for a drive to drive out the hurt and keep myself from going off... #fb #

  • feel better since i got a sweet peach tea and went for a little drive... #fb #

  • dangit! a mosquito found me! #

  • 3 cookies with a spot of milk and now mummy is ready for bed... #fb #

  • wishing my American friends a safe & happy Independence Day; many thanks to heroes for it; praying for safe return of deployed heroes #fb #

  • Awesomesauce front page of @etsy today! #

  • more @etsy AwesomeSauce: #

  • @daiyel totally enjoying your "I'm Yours" cover! #

  • went to bed, didn't sleep, finally slept about 3 hours, drove to lindale for a massage that's not scheduled 'till tomorrow... *headdesk* #fb #

  • I'm in Texas, USA - can you spot what's wrong with this picture? #

  • @Karmacrochet yeah - where are the Ireland, Italian, Great Britain, China, Japan, India, Nigeria, Brazil, Argentina, etc, etc, etc flags? in reply to Karmacrochet #

  • @Karmacrochet I don't understand why 1 country's flag should be flown, when the USA is made up of people from almost 200 countries in reply to Karmacrochet #

  • @Karmacrochet furthermore, the ppl that come from those countries fly the American flag, because they became Americans & it is *their* flag in reply to Karmacrochet #

  • twitterkarma'ing your butts - if you ain't following me, i ain't following you unless i have a geekcrush on you! #

  • if i'm not following you, please @ me and let me know so i can follow you back - thanks! #

  • hehehe! >> Cat Purrs like Gremlin Video by Today on MySpace - MySpace Video #

  • @tonbum good! i'm having Toni withdrawals! in reply to tonbum #

  • off to bed to get a bit of sleep before my *real* massage tomorrow... #fb #

  • RT @thedailywhat The Daily What #

  • i freakin' LOVE the first Tuesday of the month!!! cc: @samplerboxes #fb #

  • At store getting surprise gift for friend that will blow her mind; can't wait to give it to her :D #fb #

  • RT @mashable Top 10 Geekiest Marriage Proposals #chrono trigger #gaming #geek #

  • got my hands-down favorite style of apron from the flirty apron swap by pure coincidence *happy squee* #fb #

  • Brandon just got home from a bowling trip and the leader told me he was the absolute best-behaved child on the trip #proudmom #fb #

  • another clean fridge buffet dinner; i'm noshing on veggies and picante sauce/cream cheese dip #yummo #fb #

  • horrible heading; think i'm gonna take a shower and go to bed... #fb #

  • slept a little over 10 hours, but i kept waking up, so i'm still tired; *eyeroll* at least my head isn't killing me anymore... #fb #

  • if you plan on going anywhere near water, read this NOW! >> Drowning Doesn’t Look Like Drowning #

  • @mvittone may i have permission to reprint your post on drowning on my blog at 3stairs.com and in e-mail, please? #

  • if i hear any more bickering or hollering of children, Heads Will Roll... #fb #

  • ...or if i'm asked for a cookie one more time... #fb #

  • 2 elder kids playng "beauty shop" w my head #fb #

  • do you have any idea how incredibly hard it is to take pictures of the back of your head with an iphone??? #

  • Learned Solomon's Knot today and made a snood w my organic cotton! #soproud #crochet #

  • @mvittone so sorry to hear of the loss of your comrades in reply to mvittone #

  • This pic captures the color better #crochet #

  • Last #crochet snood pic: detail of stitching #

  • Also finished my first "magic" potholder today #

  • @jennybeanses grrrr - i always miss tca chat! *harumph* :( in reply to jennybeanses #

  • @jeffisageek do you remember the pinball animation? that's one of my all-time favorite #sesamestreet clips! in reply to jeffisageek #

  • @jeffisageek hehehe - i thought so! :D in reply to jeffisageek #

  • finally getting to go to the doctor in the morning, so i better go to bed #fb #

  • At the doctor's office to get meds renewed; hoping I get out of here before the chiropractor's office closes for lunch #fb #

  • doctor's office done, chiropractor done, scrip fill/store run done; now to eat a bit of chocolate and take a nap #fb #

  • GGGAAAHHHH!!!!! #pissy #fb #

  • big booming thunder - i may have to go outside and sit in my swing if it starts raining #fb #

  • just went out and got the mail - no rain yet, but i got my shakespeare shirt from shirt.woot! #nerdbliss #

  • @mamastephf tell the rain to head west a few miles - it hasn't hit mineola proper yet! :( in reply to mamastephf #

  • ah, the rain has arrived! #fb #

  • for those that i know will want to know: i just took my meds :P #fb #

  • how silly of me to watch a video chronicling the love story of Anne Shirley and Gilbert Blythe - now i'm all weepy! *eyeroll* #fb #

  • @mamastephf i rapped on the door for a minute or two before moving on... in reply to mamastephf #

  • bed, bed - go to bed, woman! #fb #

  • Insomnia sucks #fb #

  • Going to go attempt sleep again... #

  • feel like crap - napping to commence shortly #fb #

  • @Percival aww - love it! home stretch ftw! cc: @lauriepercival in reply to Percival #

  • exercise via cleaning - free, hard, and tiring... but the area around the hope chest looks much better now... #fb #

  • trying to get the kids to help; they've done so much already and are on the very last stretch; now if they'd just persevere and finish! #

  • what they don't know is if they actually finish, i'm going to reward them with snow ice cream later... #

  • @TexasDPS_PIO need to confirm for a friend: 3 years old and 35 pounds = front-facing carseat, not a booster seat, correct? #

  • @TexasDPS_PIO great - that's the information i was using - thanks for confirming! in reply to TexasDPS_PIO #

  • @marcand just went and picked Brandon up from Grandma's house - he doesn't feel good :( #fb #

  • it's Christmas in July! my Bodaciously Bigger Box from @SamplerBoxers came today!!! :D :D :D #fb #

  • @Percival it's gorgeous, but will do nothing but amuse the kittehs in reply to Percival #

  • this just in: i took my meds #fb #

  • how the hell you where a white dress when you marry a guy you had an affair *and* a child with??? #

  • HOW THE HELL do you where a white dress when you marry a guy you had an affair *and* a child with??? #

  • i need chocolate... #fb #

  • HOW THE HELL do you wear a white dress when you marry a guy you had an affair *and* a child with??? #

  • ah, the joys of human interaction... #fb #

  • look at me go, pissin' people off... #

  • movie and crochet time... #fb #

  • @StephenTiano my understanding is that you only wear a white dress if are were a virgin in reply to StephenTiano #


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Friday, July 9, 2010

Friday Fill-in

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1. Layers of gauze make for comfy clothing.

2. Age and quiet bring insight.

3. I'd be willing to bet I'm going to take a nap this afternoon.

4. Since I don't have one, I have no idea what scares the dog.

5. I'm fond of rainy afternoons spent on a porch.

6. I eat way too much!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to an evening of crochet, tomorrow my plans include hearing our new pastor  preach and Sunday, I want to do something productive!

Drowning Doesn’t Look Like Drowning

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Yes, I can post links to Twitter and Facebook - and I did - but this is so important that I feel the need to pass it along in any way possible. As a result, many e-mails were sent and I'm reposting it here, since Mario very kindly gave me permission to repost it in e-mail and here. Thank you again, Mario, for helping to dispel the myths perpetuated by television and saving lives (this on top of being a hero serving your country). You can read the original post on his blog here.



This Article Was Written By Mario Vittone
Mario Vittone has nineteen years of combined military service in the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard. His writing on maritime safety has appeared in Yachting, SaltWater Sportsman,On-Scene, Lifelines, and Reader's Digest magazine. He has lectured extensively on topics ranging from leadership to sea survival and immersion hypothermia. He is a marine safety specialist with the U.S. Coast Guard.




If you have any questions at all – please post them in the gCaptain forums under “maritime safety.”



disclaimer:The views and opinions expressed by the author are not necessarily those of the Department of Homeland Security or the U.S. Coast Guard.



For more water survival tips be sure to visit USCG rescue Swimmer Mario Vittone’s gCaptain Page. Or follow Mario on Facebook.


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Drowning Doesn’t Look Like Drowning



Drowning? Not likely.

The new captain jumped from the cockpit, fully dressed, and sprinted through the water. A former lifeguard, he kept his eyes on his victim as he headed straight for the owners who were swimming between their anchored sportfisher and the beach. “I think he thinks you’re drowning,” the husband said to his wife. They had been splashing each other and she had screamed but now they were just standing, neck-deep on the sand bar. “We’re fine, what is he doing?” she asked, a little annoyed. “We’re fine!” the husband yelled, waving him off, but his captain kept swimming hard. ”Move!” he barked as he sprinted between the stunned owners. Directly behind them, not ten feet away, their nine-year-old daughter was drowning. Safely above the surface in the arms of the captain, she burst into tears, “Daddy!”

How did this captain know, from fifty feet away, what the father couldn’t recognize from just ten? Drowning is not the violent, splashing, call for help that most people expect. The captain was trained to recognize drowning by experts and years of experience. The father, on the other hand, had learned what drowning looks like by watching television. If you spend time on or near the water (hint: that’s all of us) then you should make sure that you and your crew knows what to look for whenever people enter the water. Until she cried a tearful, “Daddy,” she hadn’t made a sound. As a former Coast Guard rescue swimmer, I wasn’t surprised at all by this story. Drowning is almost always a deceptively quiet event. The waving, splashing, and yelling that dramatic conditioning (television) prepares us to look for, is rarely seen in real life.

The Instinctive Drowning Response – so named by Francesco A. Pia, Ph.D.,  is what people do to avoid actual or perceived suffocation in the water.  And it does not look like most people expect.  There is very little splashing, no waving, and no yelling or calls for help of any kind.  To get an idea of just how quiet and undramatic from the surface drowning can be, consider this:  It is the number two cause of accidental death in children, age 15 and under (just behind vehicle accidents) – of the approximately 750 children who will drown next year, about 375 of them will do so within 25 yards of a parent or other adult. In ten percent of those drownings, the adult will actually watch them do it, having no idea it is happening(source: CDC).  Drowning does not look like drowning – Dr. Pia, in an article in the Coast Guard’s On Scene Magazine, described the instinctive drowning response like this:

  1. Except in rare circumstances, drowning people are physiologically unable to call out for help. The respiratory system was designed for breathing. Speech is the secondary or overlaid function. Breathing must be fulfilled, before speech occurs.

  2. Drowning people’s mouths alternately sink below and reappear above the surface of the water. The mouths of drowning people are not above the surface of the water long enough for them to exhale, inhale, and call out for help. When the drowning people’s mouths are above the surface, they exhale and inhale quickly as their mouths start to sink below the surface of the water.

  3. Drowning people cannot wave for help. Nature instinctively forces them to extend their arms laterally and press down on the water’s surface. Pressing down on the surface of the water, permits drowning people to leverage their bodies so they can lift their mouths out of the water to breathe.

  4. Throughout the Instinctive Drowning Response, drowning people cannot voluntarily control their arm movements. Physiologically, drowning people who are struggling on the surface of the water cannot stop drowning and perform voluntary movements such as waving for help, moving toward a rescuer, or reaching out for a piece of rescue equipment.

  5. From beginning to end of the Instinctive Drowning Response people’s bodies remain upright in the water, with no evidence of a supporting kick. Unless rescued by a trained lifeguard, these drowning people can only struggle on the surface of the water from 20 to 60 seconds before submersion occurs.
    (Source: On Scene Magazine: Fall 2006)


This doesn’t mean that a person that is yelling for help and thrashing isn’t in real trouble – they are experiencing aquatic distress. Not always present before the instinctive drowning response, aquatic distress doesn’t last long – but unlike true drowning, these victims can still assist in their own rescue.  They can grab lifelines, throw rings, etc.

Look for these other signs of drowning when persons are in the water:

  • Head low in the water, mouth at water level

  • Head tilted back with mouth open

  • Eyes glassy and empty, unable to focus

  • Eyes closed

  • Hair over forehead or eyes

  • Not using legs – Vertical

  • Hyperventilating or gasping

  • Trying to swim in a particular direction but not making headway

  • Trying to roll over on the back

  • Ladder climb, rarely out of the water.


So if a crew member falls overboard and everything looks O.K. – don’t be too sure.  Sometimes the most common indication that someone is drowning is that they don’t look like they’re drowning.  They may just look like they are treading water and looking up at the deck.  One  way to be sure?  Ask them: “Are you alright?” If they can answer at all – they probably are.  If they return  a blank stare – you may have less than 30 seconds to get to them.  And parents: children playing in the water make noise. When they get quiet, you get to them and find out why.

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Linkiness

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Cuteness from Create & Delegate

In which there is sewing

Shirring is making a huge splash this summer, at least in the DIY sewing niche, which I love. I just haven't gotten brave enough to try it myself yet. Well, that, and I haven't unburied my sewing machine, either. This one may just give me the impetus I need though: Nicole of Create & Delegate has a tutorial to create a little girl's shirred dress from an adult t-shirt. Cuteness! Be sure to check out her Etsy shop for a little bandana dress that put the A in adorable!

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Is this pride of heritage or unpatriotic?
In which there is political debate

There's some lively discussion going on over a picture I posted on Facebook. What do you think of flying the Mexican flag in Texas? There's even more discussion on it on Michael's wall where he shared it, discussing illegal immigration. And if you want some detailed, live-updating statistics on it, check out ImmigrationCounters.com, where you'll discover that there are approximately 22,876,609 illegals in the US, 583,266 of whom are not Mexican.

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How to crochet a granny square
In which there is crochet

The first crochet project I learned at my grandmother's knee was the granny square (fitting, don't you think?). A crochet blog I recently subscribed to called CrochetBug is a nice near-daily diary of a crochet artist. Imagine my delight when I saw a post on her "Great Granny Square," in which the writer is creating a granny square solely from worsted-weight acrylic scraps that she has on hand. Check out the colorful reusing!

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The power of a simple gift.
In which there is voting for a good cause

Anyone that knows me moderately well knows that I'm a zealot for Operation Christmas Child. A few months ago I was introduced to a company called the Sweatshirt Blanket. It's like having a blanket made out of your favorite sweatshirt. I'm blessed to have been given not one, but two of these blankets, and let me tell you: they are blissful! Well, the fantastic people at Sweatshirt Blanket have a monthly contest in which people nominate a charitable cause or organization and the cause getting the most votes is awarded with a dozen customized sweatshirt blankets that they can use for fundraising. It's called the Spread Your Warmth campaign. This month Operation Christmas Child is one of the nominees. Go to the Sweatshirt Blanket Blog and vote for a cause on the sidebar. I'd love for you to vote for Operation Christmas Child, but I encourage you to vote for the cause that touches your heart the most. You can read about each nominee on the blog.
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Vote and Spread Your Warmth!

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And various linkiness that I posted on Twitter

hehehe! >> Cat Purrs like Gremlin Video by Today on MySpace - MySpace Video http://mysp.ac/8YmIPt

add me to the orgy >> RT @Melzer And suddenly I do too. RT @gailcarriger Love this: Book Shelf Porn http://bit.ly/a2tbKd (SAFE for work, I promise!)

just bought this on Shirt.Woot; is anyone surprised at all? http://shirt.woot.com/shirts/shakespeare-a-z

more AwesomeSauce blogging from writer @Melzer; if there's a kid in your life, read this! http://bit.ly/9SOwhH

Awesomesauce Fununny! >> Watch: Jeff Tweedy Recites “Single Ladies” A Jeff... | TwentyFourBit http://bit.ly/dch12g

Awesomesauce! http://almostunschoolers.blogspot.com/2010/06/oreo-moon-phase-activity.html

What bunny trails did you follow on the Interwebs this week?

Sunday, July 4, 2010

A Little Birdie Told Me...


  • never underestimate the joy of drinking a capri sun 100% berry breeze juice pouch #justsayin #fb #

  • just got back from a young friend's 16th birthday party, complete with toilet cake - pictures to come soon #fb #

  • The toilet cake #

  • Toilet cake detail - tootsie roll "log" and tropical-flavored jello "water" #

  • more pictures of my friend's birthday party: #

  • refrigerator clean-out buffet for dinner #fb #

  • thoroughly livid w brandon - i'm digging for garfield birthday party stuff & he's reading after i *specifically* told him to go to bed #fb #

  • @Kilted_Alex you ain't kiddin'!! most of the time if @marcand doesn't go to sleep i just roll my eyes at him and go to bed... in reply to Kilted_Alex #

  • need to go to bed, but my brain won't stop... #fb #

  • @marcand HUZZAH - Thank you, Honey!!! in reply to marcand #

  • shower postponed to do laundry and dishes so we don't end up naked eating with our fingers #notneanderthals #fb #

  • a very happy birthday to @johncusack - an ongoing crush since i discovered boys existed *swoon* #

  • Awesomesauce! >> RT @LionBrandYarn Did you know that Iceland requires children to take knitting classes in school? #coolfact #fb #

  • Meme is getting her car back today! here's hoping it runs well... #fb #

  • Getting ready to give Brandon a mohawk #fb #

  • Mohawk complete #fb #

  • Head-on mohawk #fb #

  • #WANT this cake and cupcakes (with crochet hook, tho)!!! via @addthis #fb #

  • i've put it off for two days - now i'm going to the store... #fb #

  • Got all the way to the store only to realize I left my wallet at home #scatterbrained #fb #

  • @marcand just found 3 mice on 1 glue trap, then something got caught in the fridge fan - i hopehopehope it wasn't a mouse #ew #fb #

  • it wasn't a mouse in the fridge fan, thankfully #fb #

  • three huzzahs for @marcand for taking care of the mice for me! #fb #

  • Meme has her car, so no taxiing to Lindale in the morning - I may try to go to the doctor to get my scrips renewed #fb #

  • and now I sleep... #fb #

  • I Feel Like Blogging About Babies #

  • Awesomesauce! #fb #

  • parents of children that eat school lunches - read this now! #

  • i shall crochet... #fb #

  • well crud, i still haven't gotten around to crocheting... #fb #

  • @wilw - i thought you'd be interested in this via @JohnnFour: Wonderful free old school dungeon maps #rpg #dnd #

  • ugh, not once but TWICE heels is spelled heals in the lyric book! *headdesk* #fb #

  • Awesomesauce Fununny! >> Watch: Jeff Tweedy Recites “Single Ladies” A Jeff... | TwentyFourBit #

  • i'm off to bed... #fb #

  • @percivalspawn i looooved kushies inserts when i cloth diapered Sarah! they make it so much easier! in reply to percivalspawn #

  • off to begin my #crochet netbook case #fb #

  • I just voted for my favorite cause in @sweatshirtblog ’s Spread Your Warmth campaign. You too can vote thru July 7th: #

  • a very happy Canada Day to all my Canadian friends, and to @Melzer in particular! #

  • nap time #fb #

  • Happy @BAFAB week! Here's my wishlist (hinthint, winkwink) #

  • more AwesomeSauce blogging from writer @Melzer; if there's a kid in your life, read this! #

  • just bought this on Shirt.Woot; is anyone surprised at all? #fb #

  • My latest project: #crochet netbook slipcase with "cable" look ribbing #

  • Detail of closure - shamrocks made of french knots to secure foldover flap #

  • @ariaya ta much! I'm quite excited about it - it's been a while in the desiring... in reply to ariaya #

  • i should start heading towards sleepland... #fb #

  • i was apparently unconscious and slept through the kids; just now getting up... #fb #

  • just got fwd e-mail from church elder w this line: "Perhaps we should be very suspicious of ALL MUSLIMS in this country." #waytogobigot #fb #

  • anyone know of a good bootcamp for boys? #fb #

  • Amazon Giftcard! $25 Bucks? You bet, come sign up! RT ME! #

  • Mineola locals - gift cards aren't working at the gas pumps at Mineola WalMart #fb #

  • Going to WalMart on Friday afternoon = incredibly stupid or absolutely crazy - haven't decided which yet... #fb #

  • @lauraslefthook well, it's an awesome stitch-of-all-projects! #crochet in reply to lauraslefthook #

  • add me to the orgy >> RT @Melzer And suddenly I do too. RT @gailcarriger Love this: Book Shelf Porn #

  • I just voted for my favorite cause in @sweatshirtblog ’s Spread Your Warmth campaign. You too can vote thru July 7th: #

  • just ruined 30 bulletins because i didn't realize where the cursor was when i told it to print the current page - UGH! *headdesk* #fb #

  • @mamastephf - cruel... #

  • @Percival won't be able to keep kittehs out; Bootsie was fantastic w Bethy, tho - he liked to sleep by her little feets in the moses basket in reply to Percival #

  • @mamastephf well, i guess i'll forgive you - this time... :p in reply to mamastephf #

  • missing my hair; can't wait until i can twist it up into a bun again... *sigh* #fb #

  • I just voted for my favorite cause in @sweatshirtblog ’s Spread Your Warmth campaign. You too can vote thru July 7th: #

  • shutting down so @marcand can hook up the new 23" flatscreen monitor he bought for me *squee* #fb #

  • new monitor installed (YAY!), but can't set screen resolution from desktop properties - centered places pic in bottom right - fix ideas? #

  • @marcand thanks, dear - i was thinking there might be a way to manually set it in the "bowels of the machine" :p in reply to marcand #

  • updating drivers for video card to see if that helps/works... #

  • gee, nothing like your husband essentially telling you you're a dumbass for all the world to hear... #

  • drivers didn't help; apparently i need a new video card... #


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