Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

We went to see Sherlock Holmes on Christmas day. The movie was fun. I know I laughed a lot.

Ross and I only had one complaint. There is a scene where Sherlock Holmes and the bad guy kind of have a telepathic conversation. If the bad guy had just said his line out loud it would have been better. I was generous with my suspension of disbelief--everyone seems to survive everything.

Robert Downey, Jr. was great and so was Jude Law. The homage to the Joker made me laugh. I highly recommend the movie.

West Virginia

We spent the weekend at Cider Mill House in West Virginia. We'd been there before, and it was just as good as I remember. The owners tried to kill us with food at breakfast. Saturday morning we had: pumpkin bread, juice, tea, breakfast potatoes, crescent rolls, vegetarian sausage, and a zucchini and cheese frittata. Then there was dessert! We had a pear, poached in sugar water and rum, with the liquid over it as sauce, and a cranberry-whipped cream fluff. Holy cow. We didn't have lunch--on Saturday, Sunday, or Monday because the breakfasts were so hearty.  Every morning we had a feast. 

Critter spotting in West Virginia: pygmy goats, guinea hens, chickens, fox squirrels, grey squirrels, various birds, horses, dogs, cats, a donkey, a miniature pony, llamas, and buffalo!

Bailey's Hanukkah Presents

Bailey has gotten two Hanukkah presents so far.

My mom sent a package last week and when I pulled out the packing paper I told Bailey that her first Hanukkah present had arrived. She loves it.

The last time I was at Petsmart I got this red rat for Bailey. She used to have two of these--a white one and a grey-brown one. She liked them, but they always creeped me out. I'd see one out of the corner of my eye and think it was real.This red rat is the perfect solution. When we gave it to her she was so excited that she kept picking it up by the tail and throwing it into the air. Then she would jump over it. We'd never seen her play like that. She was so excited that I think she forgot we were her and just went nuts. Of course when we pulled out the camera she pretty much just sat there and stared at us like we were crazy and refused to play with the rat. Typical cat.

Goodbye Madison

My skin had gotten really thin over my piercing, and I had decided to take it out at the end of the month. Then I got a follicular cyst on the top end and my skin swelled up and a hard lump formed. I moved my "quit date" per say, up to the 22d, but I couldn't last until then. The lump hadn't gone away and it was hurting last night. As soon as I got home today I took it out. It sort of hurt, and got stuck right under where the lump is. I think scar tissue has started forming. So hopefully some vitamin E and other skin treatments will help soften the skin and make the lump go away.

I'm a little sad. Bye Bye Bling.

I originally got the piercing when I lost weight. Since then I've gained weight. My plan is to lose the weight, let my neck heal, then get it re-pierced in a year or two. I'm going to miss my Madison Piercing.

Locks of Love .... Grrrr

I don't like Locks of Love. I just saw a guy on a makeover show try to convince a girl to cut her hair because it would go to Locks of Love. Her hair is dyed. It can't be used by Locks of Love to make a wig. He said two wigs will be made from her hair. No. It takes a lot more hair than from one hair cut to make a wig. He also said that the wigs would go to kids with cancer. No. Locks of Love makes wigs for children with alopecia areata and other medical reasons for hair loss. Most children who have lost their hair due to cancer treatment are not eligible for a wig through Locks of Love. According to one website the organization received enough hair to make 10,000 wigs in one year, yet made less than 200.

Pantene Beautiful Lengths has distributed 2,000 wigs since 2006. Just as many as Locks of Love has made since 1996.

It makes me angry that everyone encourages donations to such a poorly run organization. Part of the problem is that people do not understand the requirements for hair donation. But I think another problem is that Locks of Love does not make the requirements clear, nor does it make clear who is eligible for the wigs. Still, celebrities chop off their hair and encourage others to do so so that they can feel good about themselves. In the end -- if you cut your hair and send it to locks of love -- it will most likely be sold to a wig making company or thrown out.

If you are going to cut your hair and want to donate it please do some research. Make sure your hair meets the requirements and will be used to make a wig.

I've ranted about this before. I'll go back to doing laundry now.

What I Call My Baby

There are all sorts of nicknames that I have for Bailey.
Kiki--what I called her when she was really little. It didn't stick
Bailey Bear--what we call her most of the time
Sugar Muffin--what I call her when I'm coming up the stairs and I can hear her crying
Bay-lee-lee--Tiffany started this one
Jerk--what I call her when she won't sit with me
Kit-ten
Sugars
Munchkin
Monkey
Pookie

I really like nicknames and sometimes call people by some name I made up for them and refuse to call them their name. Bailey doesn't seem to care what I call her--but to her credit she does know what her name is.