Welcome to My Mind

Each Thursday the prompt will be a song or a poem. Today it's 'Justice in the Barrel', Jon Bon Jovi

Hey mister can you help me
I'm a loner on the run
I'm just looking for tomorrow
And I ain't gonna hurt no one

I jumped headfirst into a bottle
I was looking for a friend
Came up just short of nothing
I didn't find the truth I only found an end

So tell me who's gonna save me
Or my father or my son
When the only justice a man can see
Is the barrel... of a loaded gun

I been broke and I've been hungry
I think they're both my middle name
But I don't never ever never seem to get enough
Still guess I can't complain

'Cause what you get in life you take it
You've gotta hold on and make it last
They say good things come to those who wait
But it's life that goes so fast

And when there's just one rule you live by
Each day you kiss the rising sun
When you live and die by the life we breathe
In the barrel of a loaded gun

Guns talk to me in my sleep at night
And a gun somewhere is burning
With my name

Winners are losers
And losers will have to face
All those yesterdays
And all of the dreams they blew away

So Mister can you help me
Or are you my gun
Have the ghosts of justice
Brought you here to me to taste
The barrel of a loaded gun

There's justice in the barrel
Of a loaded gun

Today's prompt is -

Umbrella

Hopeful.

As always, I made a batch of black-eyed peas with bacon for New Year's dinner to go with the pork and sauerkraut. This year instead of using canned peas I bought a pound of dried blackeyeds and cooked them up myself.

I've go a couple cups of peas left over, and I'm going to make Hoppin' John. It's been a while since I did it. Memory says black-eyed peas, ham hock, onion, garlic, rice, can of chopped tomatoes and a bay leaf, but I've always started it from dried peas, not cooked. Does anyone have a recipe that uses other stuff? I was kind of thinking that I'd cook the ham hock down with some carrots and celery and then put everything else in except the peas, and add them last.

The primroses were over.

(Bonus points to anyone who knows what it's from? :D Checking my writing blog for the answer is cheating.)

A pleasant day of bargain shopping, a wonderful dinner at Cafe Bruges, and now an evening of reading and games with a fluffy gray cat on one side and a wee tot of bourbon on the other.

Feels like weeks since I've relaxed. Bliss.

Galactic Council

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I have no memory. The world slides past me and I notice, participate even, but things don't stick. In order to do the year-end wrap-up, I have to go back through my journals. Good thing I keep them, eh?
( 2009: The Retrospective )

The next third of the year in another post. Hope you're all having a happy New Year's Day--not too hung-over, if that was possible for you. *g*

I am so very happy to see this year end. It has been filled with both good and bad, neither one really balancing the other in the spreadsheet of the year.

The year started out on a fairly up note. After moving into my new work building in the downtown area my commute changed drastically. At the end of January the Middle Spawn announced that she in the SiL were getting married. We were able to arrange a quick ceremony with friends and some family of the SiL. His mother and sister were able to attend.

February passed without much notice. I buried my head in sand for the late winter and spring avoiding the anniversary of my mother’s passing. The Middle Spawn moved back into the house with us while her new husband began to set up a home across the mountains in small town where the National Guard Armory where he was working is located.

March brought the Eldest Spawn’s 26th birthday and some much needed joy in our house. (edited to correct the age of the Eldest Spawn.... she was not amused to see herself aged up)

April brought unseasonably warm weather and the sun again.

May brought more warm temps and the urge to play in the earth.

June arrive with the Youngest Spawn’s 21st birthday and a trip to Portland to see Christian Kane in concert.

July was supposed to be a trip to DC with my Sylum Peeps, but money was not available, so we consoled ourselves with multiple trips to Portland to see Christian Kane for the rest of the summer. It also brought our annual camping trip to Beacon Rock State Park with many friends and family. It was there that the Beloved Spouse and I discovered that we were going to be grandparents in the coming new year.

August brought the Beloved Spouses’ birthday and the decision of the Youngest Spawn to go back to school.

September brought school starting, with a new school to explore for the Youngest Spawn and changes in all our schedules.

October came and brought my 47th birthday and a Halloween party across the mountains for all the Spawn.

November started with a bang with the 23rd birthday for the Middle Spawn. It also brought an end to my employment after 10 years. Combined with the date of my mother’s birthday caused me some wild swings of emotions.

The beginning of December brought a 100th birthday party for my Grandmother which the Beloved Spouse and I traveled to attend.

Even with listing it all out like this, the loss of my job really outweighed all the good times that the year brought. I wouldn’t trade many of the things that happened but I certainly do not want to do the year over with.

Going forward, let 2010 be a better year.

Xposted to ravenmcsidhe

I don't know how many of you know about my new writing blog - http://featheredwolf.blogspot.com/ - but I will be posting daily prompts over there to see if they inspire anyone. I thought I'd crosspost the prompts to IJ and LJ.

Picture Prompt Friday

( Rezepte für Pfeffernüsse und Vanillekipferl )

What a great Christmas it's been so far. Kids of all generations have had a great time. The big hit gift so far this Christmas? The belt buckles A gave to her brothers and the Spouse--they fold down to provide a hands-free holder for one's beer. Hysterical. All the boys were walking around the house with their beers in their belts. Much off-color amusement followed.

Everyone seemed to like their gifts--Riley thought the fairy-print bedding set was "beyootiful," and Nicholai was definitely pleased with his pop-favorites "guitar." I wonder how long it will be until his mom or dad take the batteries out of it. *g* DIL C liked the perfume we got her, and G put on the Steelers fleece jacket to drive home. J really liked the biography of Johnny Cash in graphic novel form. Spouse was eyeball deep in CDs--I didn't know what else to give him this year, so he got lots of them.

I got an enameled cast iron casserole--the big seven quart job. Thing must weigh ten pounds all by itself. I've wanted one for years; none of my cookware is usable on both stovetop and oven, so techniques like pan roasting were not in the cards. No longer! There is cassoulet in my future. Woo-hoo!

Also on the swag list: Chanel No. 5, the NCIS soundtrack CD with Abby's lab mix on it, a custom-made mix CD from son J (Janis Joplin, Led Zepplin, Charles Wright, a reggae track called "Thank You Mama" that made me cry), a calendar, Gumby, a bottle of ten-year-old port with two port glasses, the new Michael Chabon book, and chocolate.

Altogether, it's been a really satisfying holiday. We're off to Pittsburgh for the weekend to see Spouse's family, then it's back to work on Monday. Next week the grandkids are staying over on New Year's Eve, so another adventure awaits. That Saturday and Sunday, we're going to do some clothes shopping for Spouse, but that. is. all. I'm ready for a do-nothing weekend!