Sorry for the long silence! I have been a super busy bee this month teaching a course on basic website editing. And while I am sad that it’s now over I am glad to get back to a more normal schedule - which includes my posting here on my blog! So to reunite myself here I wanted to blog about something that is on my mind this very minute - styrofoam.
It occurred to me the other day when I bought my Jamba Juice smoothie that I should probably buy one of their plastic reusable drink cups so that I’m not continuously adding to the landfill problem. I promise that I will buy one next time I go there…because I seriously hate throwing that cup into my trash can - only being able to recycle the lid and straw. Perhaps Jamba Juice should push harder for it’s patrons to purchase those cups as well - maybe offer us an incentive? After all, if we all purchased one we’d not only be saving the landfills from even more styrofoam but we’d be cutting their costs in having to purchase those nasty cups.
Aside from Jamba Juice, the replacement graphics card I ordered the other day came to me in a huge box from Newegg.com overfilled in my opinion with the foamy peanuts. What am I supposed to do with all that? I seriously cannot feel good about dumping it into my trash can - so away it goes to the attic with the rest of the accumulation - hopefully to one day become someone elses problem when I use it to ship a fragile item. Once it’s out of my hands I can only hope that the recipient uses it in the same fashion.
I get that styrofoam offers up such great protection to fragile items. I get that it keeps things cold. But because it isn’t biodegradable or easily recyclable there’s not much you can do about it. The process for recycling styrofoam involves highly toxic chemicals - which in itself isn’t a very effective process. So I’m definitely for the ban of the product all together.
One thing I noticed in doing my Google searching is that there is a process that they are working on where they can use bacteria to break down styrofoam. This process is apparently economical and the end result is that the styrofoam is turned into a “recyclable, biodegradable product with alternative uses, like biomedical applications.” If this is something that has come into fruition I sure hope that the public utilities put it into place soon.
So last night I managed to get this huge spider (see previous blog post) inside of a lidded bowl. Now that I can get a good, close and safe look at him I cannot tell for sure if he is a common Giant House Spider or the poisonous Hobo Spider. He does appear to have the chevrons on his body, which indicate a Hobo. I happen to have exterminators coming out to the house next week, so I am hoping they can tell me for sure. Hobo Spiders are found in Seattle and the Pacific NW - an accidental immigrant from Europe. Their bites cause necrosis - which is a rotting of your flesh.
What scares me is that this big dude was in my laundry room - where my little kitten could have happened upon him. Being more curious than my older girls, I’m sure he would have gotten bitten by this thing. I must say however - I have to attribute the hypnosis I had years ago for even making it possible for me to hold the container up to a light to take the photo above - let alone stare for an hour at various spider identification photos. My skin still crawls though…
There’s nothing I hate more than spiders. When I see one my skin crawls and I sort of start to feel like they are all over me. Back in 2000 or so I had my then therapist attempt to hypnotize me into not being afraid of them - it worked slightly but not fully. It used to be that if I knew one was in my room and it escaped being killed by whomever I screamed for that I would literally sit up all night watching for it. At least now, since the hypnosis I could care less if one gets away. Just so long as I don’t wake up at any point and find it in my immediate vicinity.
This morning I got up to do my usual morning ritual of cleaning cat boxes and I picked up the kitty litter container to find a HUGE spider that seemed like it was dead. It was a good 2.5 inches long with it’s legs stretched out. I took the poop scoop and nudged his leg and he sprang to live - almost giving me a freakin’ heart attack. Again - I attribute my hypnosis for my ability to prod such an enormous and sickening thing like that with a poop scoop. He scurried under my rug shampoo machine and I ran into the kitchen looking for something to stick over him. When I came back I moved the shampoo machine and dropped a big plastic tupperware bowl over him - clear so that I could see his every move. Later when I’ve lost that “they are all over me” feeling, I’ll stick a sheet of paper underneath and see if I can get a lid on the bowl. I can’t rest until he suffocates.
A quick search this morning online reveals that he is likely a Giant House Spider - not poisonous thankfully. I grew up in California, where Black Widows are prevalent, so I don’t mess around with spiders. I also discovered while searching online that August - October is considered spider season and when one sees one of these Giant Beasts in the house it’s almost always a horny male in search of a female. The females stay out of site - and I honestly think that the males should too!
I’m attempting to get my house sprayed - the landlord wants to take care of a carpenter ant issue we’ve got going on and I guess spiders are taken care of at the same time. I can’t wait!!!!
Watch Casey & His Brother pay homage to the “Big Spider” during the “Uncle Muscles Hour”.
As usual I’m featuring two adoptable kitties - available at West Seattle’s ASHA Kitty Harbor. They are open Saturday’s and Sunday’s 11am to 7pm PST. For more information please visit them online. They have many cats and kittens who are in need of loving homes.
Sheena
“Boing! I’m Sheena, a spritely 9-month-old girl, and I’m brand new here at Kitty Harbor. I’m mostly white with pretty grey tabby splotches, which I think set off my cute pink nose perfectly. See you soon! Boing boing boing!”
Onyx
“Howdy! I’m Onyx, a small, black, 1-year-old female kitty with intense yellow eyes and the tiniest little white star on my chest. My favorite activities include purring, laying in the sun, rubbing noses with humans, and napping. What’s your house like?”
Sorry for the late post today! It’s been a busy one, but I wanted to tell anyone who may be listening about my new tattoo! I am extremly happy with it!!! It’s still in need of scales and some blood red color in the flames - that will be happening at the start of September. But even in it’s naked form I already love it!
It’s been 9 years since my last tattoo - I can’t believe that much time has passed already. It wasn’t nearly as painful as I remembered it being and I managed to sit still through the entire thing. There were some points where it was really uncomfortable but I just focused on my ujjayi pranayama yoga breathing and the very strange abstract painting that was in front of me on the wall. I was seeing some pretty scary stuff in that thing!! Christy also was good about keeping me talking which helped a lot too.
It felt like road rash on the drive home. Probably didn’t help that it was pretty hot here yesterday. Once I got home I hopped into a cold shower and it’s felt great ever since. I so love brand new tattoos - the ink is so fresh and dark still! I’m going to do my best to take real good care of this one. I just love it!
While I was getting this done, Christy let me know about laser tattoo removal. I’m thinking about getting the one on my stomach removed so that it can be redone - correctly. Or maybe even something different. So I am considering that now also.
Anyway - if you are considering a tattoo but you are afraid it will hurt - well, IT DOES! But you know what? I’m someone who sweats bullets when I know I have to get a blood draw or a shot. I think when you go through all that pain and actually leave with something cool (that doesn’t cry or require 18 years of your life) it’s all worth it!
Today I am getting my third tattoo. It’s been about 9 years since my last which was not the greatest experience for me. I had a rather large tattoo done on my lower abdomen that was not done exactly like my drawing. The lines were way too thick and also resulted in a lot of scarring. Not to mention it was probably WAY more painful than it needed to be. So I have waited all these years to find the right person to do my next and future tattoos.
Recently I found that person right here in Seattle. Her name is Christy Brooker and she tattoos in Georgetown at ArtCore. She is amazingly good at portraits (see tattoo of Johnny Cash to the left) also. Today I’m having her do my dragon drawing on my upper right arm. I drew it back in 2003. But later on I will have her tattoo a portrait of my late grandmother “Meemaw” on my left upper arm. These things cost a lot of money - rightfully so when they are done well. So I’ll have to save up for that one.
When done I’ll snap a photo and post it here.
Every Saturday I will be posting some photos of cats and kittens that are available at the West Seattle ASHA Kitty Harbor. A few weeks ago I adopted my amazing one-eyed tuxedo dream “Bell’occhio” from Kitty Harbor and there are many more rescued bitties there needing homes as well.
Kitty Harbor is open on Saturdays and Sundays and welcome people who are SERIOUSLY looking to adopt. Do not go there if you are simply needing a kitty fix. To keep the kitties healthy they only allow serious adopters in (sans your shoes). Their facility is wonderful - you can go in and sit down and see who comes up to you or you can walk around and introduce yourself (to the kitties that is!)
Kitty Harbor is run by several volunteers and is funded via donations and out of pocket. They accept donations on the weekends in the form of money, cleaning supplies and cat food. If you are able to donate, please do. It’s a great tax write-off, but more importantly you help support a great no-kill rescue facility.
This evening I wanted to try something other than my usual cabernet sauvignon. I stopped by QFC to see what all they had for cheap in their wine section. I came across a bottle of Sweet Pea Apple Wine, mostly because the price tag said $4.99. After passing on it a few times and circling the wine section I decided to give it a shot.
I absolutely love it! I will say right off the bat that if you love Reislings you will love this wine. The label states that it is an Apple Wine with Peach and you definitely taste both. It’s a similar flavor to Reisling with much less sweetness. Here’s the description of this wine taken directly from the winemaker’s website:
“Two parts real Washington grown apples, one part natural peach essence, a dash of artful blending and a pinch of domestic charm…you haven’t been this happy since your first easy bake oven. One glass will send you right back to grandma’s kitchen and the sweet smell of homemade apple pie. Pleasing as peach cobbler and refreshing as a cool glass of Riesling on a warm summer evening, Sweet Pea is ripe with golden delicious apple flavors, hints of peachy sweetness and a crisp, clean finish. Who says housewives have to be desperate?”
Definitely give this wine a shot! You won’t be disappointed!
I’m a wine fanatic. My favorite and most consumed version of wine would be the cabernet sauvignon, but I also enjoy a nice reisling every so often too. Because of my “habit” I tend to usually go for the cheapest wines I can find. Having tasted some pretty expensive wines, I know what’s good, what’s ok and what’s complete crap. I am constantly on the lookout for great deals in my local stores, which also gives me the chance to sample various cheap brands without feeling to bad if I absolutely hate it.
Lately I’ve invested quite a bit in a California Cab Sav named Tisdale. It’s usually about $6.99 a bottle but has been on sale for a few weeks now at QFC for $3.99 (a perfect price imo). I couldn’t find a good image of it online, but it’s got a sweet label on it depicting a tree with a black crow in it - colors mostly black and red on white label. Of the cheapo wines I’ve tried this one is very smooth - good with or without food - excellent with dark chocolate.
As a public service I will post on this blog whenever I come across deals such as this.
If you are really in a pinch, need to get the heck out of the house for a day or both. I highly suggest taking a trip out to Chateau St. Michelle winery out in Woodinville, WA They have wine tasting for free and it gives you the chance to try wines that you might otherwise not be able to afford on a regular basis. One can leave the tasting with a very nice buzz. You can then trudge across the street to the Columbia Winery, pay $5 and get yet another round of tastes. By the end you are pushing mega buzzed…and all you spent was $5 plus whatever gas you burned to get there.
Welcome to my blog about anything and everything - “SeaBabble”. Why SeaBabble? Well, because I fancy myself a clever girl! I live in Seattle, WA (West Seattle to be exact) and I like to babble on about random whatevers. So - SeaBabble is born!
With this blog I hope to enlighten your day (or RSS readers) with random blatherings about this or that and engage you in opinionated conversations via the comments feature. Hopefully some day this will become yet another place where Seattlites and non-Seattlites alike can waste a few minutes of their day.
With that I’m going to get crackin’ here with a first official “post” and then finish up the beautification process so there is more to look at here.
Thanks for visiting!
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