Patience, and shuffle the cards.
~ Cervantes
Fabiola has a terrible cold ...
So, why the pictures of teapots, you may very well ask. Go ahead. Ask. Well, I Fabiola, as I mentioned in the title, have a terrible cold. So, I sashayed myself, hacking and wheezing to the drug store. No, Darlings this is not going to be a post about a terribly clever home made cure for a cold. Fabiola isn't sure what it is, but it is what she has to work with. Quick note, the images below are actual drawings created by Mary. She truly does know how to draw all on her own, yanno.
I, Fabiola bought some wonderful cold medicine at the drug store. Non-drowsy, don't you know? Well, after the second day of taking it (and not hacking and wheezing and sneezing) Fabiola was reading one of her favorite blogs. Suddenly, Fabiola felt the (al)most overwhelming urge to type the words to "I'm A Little Teapot" into a comment, and then (electronically) run away laughing.
Fabiola resisted the urge because, well, she doesn't do things like that, and teapots have nothing to do with Leonard Cohen, as far as Fabiola knows. Still, although the urge was resisted, the song persisted. And the damage was done, Fabiola has had "I'm A Little Teapot" running through her head all day.
That leads us to the teapot drawings. Fabiola is attempting to exorcise teapots from her brain. She hopes this works.
I, Fabiola bought some wonderful cold medicine at the drug store. Non-drowsy, don't you know? Well, after the second day of taking it (and not hacking and wheezing and sneezing) Fabiola was reading one of her favorite blogs. Suddenly, Fabiola felt the (al)most overwhelming urge to type the words to "I'm A Little Teapot" into a comment, and then (electronically) run away laughing.Fabiola resisted the urge because, well, she doesn't do things like that, and teapots have nothing to do with Leonard Cohen, as far as Fabiola knows. Still, although the urge was resisted, the song persisted. And the damage was done, Fabiola has had "I'm A Little Teapot" running through her head all day.
That leads us to the teapot drawings. Fabiola is attempting to exorcise teapots from her brain. She hopes this works.
Something that Mom said once that I didn't get until now ...
Fab didn't understand. Why would she? The Fab was in her early twenties. Now, she gets it. There is an essay in this somewhere, and the Fab will get to it here, presently. Meanwhile, Ladies, if the years and your world are starting to erase you, grab a pencil and go.
Wednesdom - Kennedy on Diversity
If we cannot end now our differences, at least we can help make the world safe for diversity.
~ John f. Kennedy
Address at American University, Washington, D.C. - June 1o, 1963
Dressing In Layers
Gentlemen, please avert your eyes, the animation below is intended as educational material for the Ladies. And don't come crying to Fabiola if the image of the Fab in her danties is burned onto your retinas for all time.
Ladies! I don't know what the temperature has been like 'round your part of the world, but here in Fabiola Land, this morning, the thermometer read -22. What does a gal do on days like this, when she has to spend some time outside working? (Actually, Mary had to go out and horrible creature that she is, she dragged the Fab with her.) To battle temperatures below zero, a gal dresses in layers!
No, not one cute contrasting T-shirt over another layers; layers designed to prevent frostbite layers. As much as the Fab hates to admit it, this is something that Mary knows a little bit about. Back to the layers ...
1. Basics - unmentionables of your choice plus 2 pair of cotton or silk knit socks. Yes, two.
2. Bright Red Wool long johns, or similar garmet. Wool is best, yes it can be scratchy, so what? It is warm. And a thick pair of wool knit socks. The ones with the bright red dot on the toe are great for wearing and for turning into sock monkeys.
3. Loose jeans and a heavy wool or cotton sweater, natural fabrics only gals, fake-a-roo's don't insulate as well. They don't.
4. Snow boots, the ones with the insulated take out liner, yes they will make your feet look big, but compared to what the next layer is going to do to the look of your behind, your feet will seem downright dainty.
5. Insulated coveralls. The kind with the quilted lining and the legs that zip open at the bottom so that you can get them over your gigantic booted feet.
6. Polar Fleece jacket and earband. Don't skip the earband, it will keep the next step from leaving knit cap dents in your forehead.
7. Insulated vest (keeping your core warm is very important). Two thick knit watch caps, one over the other. The Fab prefers blaze orange (it isn't like a gal is going to go unnoticed in this get-up so why not make sure that you can be spotted from the space shuttle?)
8. Down Jacket, then gloves in multiple layers. The Fab wears two pair of cotton string knit gloves with winter jersey work gloves over them (at least).
Yes, this outfit will make you look fat. Fortunately in the Fab's case she started out that way, so that isn't such the issue. When working out in the cold, warm is better than waffer thin regardless.
Dear Darling Commenters ...
Pull up an Ottoman ("goes with a chair" ottoman, not the empire Darlings -- but goodness knows if you have an empire that is yours to arrange at will, well Darlings, just go ahead although we will need a bigger space, now won't we?)! Where was Fabiola? Oh!
It is a known fact that I, Fantastic Fabiola, am always the gracious hostess, of course you know that. And Fantastic Fabiola adores each and every one of her readers, that goes without saying, although Fabiola just did. Here is the thing, comments promoting a particular commercial endeavor even if they are polite, well written and topical are ok, ONLY if you have checked with the Fab first. Why is the Fab mentioning this? Well, the other day a comment was posted (a polite, well written, topical, didn't bother the Fab at all comment) the problem with that comment was that it was a surprise to both the Fab and the company / person that the comment was aimed at helping. Bless the heart of the person that wanted to help their friend, relative, whatever -- times are tough and we all have to work together to get through this now don't we? We do. However well intentioned the comment was, when the Fab called this person (actually the Fab had Mary do it as Fantastic Fabiola is a Figment) the subject of the comment (a professional, polite, well spoken person the Fab must add) requested that the comment and info be taken down.
So the Fab did.
Fantastic Fabiola doesn't want you to think that she just goes around deleting comments willy-nilly. Have a care darlings, that is all the Fab asks, make sure promotions are ok with everybody (does Fabiola need to add) first.
Hugs to all of you and thanks for taking the time to visit!
Wednesdom - Temptation
I can resist everything except temptation.
~ Oscar Finigal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde
~ Oscar Finigal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde
Yes, yes. Fabiola posted this one too early. Even Fabiola knows that today is Sunday, not Wednesday. Fabiola has issues with time flow, as she said being a figment an' all.
Old Man Winter is Blowin Up a Storm
Old Man Winter is blowin up a storm. A blizzard the weather-folk say. We shall see, sometimes they are wrong. Or they are right, just not in the right place.
Peckish - Rootbeer Goes to Austin - Part 4
If you have no idea what in the Fabiola is going on here --
the story starts here
Continues here
then goes to there
wound around here
And now it continues ... (but doesn't end, somehow you knew that would happen dealing with the Fab, now didn't you?)
Root-beer (the traveling chicken) Goes to Austin Part 4
Awaking from her long nap safe in the branches of the Treaty Oak, Root-beer realized that she was a little peckish. "What chicken wouldn’t be after all the adventures I have had" clucked Root-beer to herself. Fanning the air towards her nose with her wing, Root-beer realized that she could smell peach cobbler baking somewhere nearby. You may not know this but chickens have a fine ability to detect scents and Root-beer had a particularly acute sense of smell and wild fondness for fresh baked peach cobbler.
Root-beer carefully put her hat back on top of her head and re-fastened it with the hat pin that helped her to escape from the mini-van then jumped down from her perch in the Treaty Oak to the lawn.
Root-beer’s fine sense of chicken smell told her that the peach cobbler was baking to the south- west, so she trotted down Baylor Street to 5th street where her nose turned her left. Just a few hundred feet later, a right turn took her to North Lamar Boulevard. Root-beer followed North Lamar Boulevard for about a half mile smiling and waving at the folks out and about on this fine evening, almost everyone waved back, although some of them looked a little confused. In a hurry now, Root-beer scampered left on Riverside and followed that until Haywood Avenue and the smell of peach cobbler were just to the right.
As Root-beer was just arriving, someone was exiting a door that lead to the wonderful smell that she had been following, so in she scooted and sat down at a table at the world famous Threadgill’s. Being a well brought up chicken, Root-beer ordered glazed carrots for dinner (Root-beer’s mother, like all mothers everywhere and every when, told Root-beer to eat all her vegetables before desert), and the wonderful peach cobbler the smell of which she had been following all the way from the Treaty Oak.
When dinner was done and every last scrap of carrots and cobbler was cleaned up, Root-beer headed out the door to the sidewalk where she started planning how she was going to get back to the Farmer’s market.
the story starts here
Continues here
then goes to there
wound around here
And now it continues ... (but doesn't end, somehow you knew that would happen dealing with the Fab, now didn't you?)
Root-beer (the traveling chicken) Goes to Austin Part 4
Awaking from her long nap safe in the branches of the Treaty Oak, Root-beer realized that she was a little peckish. "What chicken wouldn’t be after all the adventures I have had" clucked Root-beer to herself. Fanning the air towards her nose with her wing, Root-beer realized that she could smell peach cobbler baking somewhere nearby. You may not know this but chickens have a fine ability to detect scents and Root-beer had a particularly acute sense of smell and wild fondness for fresh baked peach cobbler.
Root-beer carefully put her hat back on top of her head and re-fastened it with the hat pin that helped her to escape from the mini-van then jumped down from her perch in the Treaty Oak to the lawn.
Root-beer’s fine sense of chicken smell told her that the peach cobbler was baking to the south- west, so she trotted down Baylor Street to 5th street where her nose turned her left. Just a few hundred feet later, a right turn took her to North Lamar Boulevard. Root-beer followed North Lamar Boulevard for about a half mile smiling and waving at the folks out and about on this fine evening, almost everyone waved back, although some of them looked a little confused. In a hurry now, Root-beer scampered left on Riverside and followed that until Haywood Avenue and the smell of peach cobbler were just to the right.
As Root-beer was just arriving, someone was exiting a door that lead to the wonderful smell that she had been following, so in she scooted and sat down at a table at the world famous Threadgill’s. Being a well brought up chicken, Root-beer ordered glazed carrots for dinner (Root-beer’s mother, like all mothers everywhere and every when, told Root-beer to eat all her vegetables before desert), and the wonderful peach cobbler the smell of which she had been following all the way from the Treaty Oak.
When dinner was done and every last scrap of carrots and cobbler was cleaned up, Root-beer headed out the door to the sidewalk where she started planning how she was going to get back to the Farmer’s market.
Happy Birthday Sister J
Sister J (who lives in the Tall-Small House) is mumble mumble years old today!
Happy Birthday Sis! Fabiola made you a cake.
For those of you keeping track, I, Fabiola took a few liberties with the posting date. Fabiola started the cake on sister J's actual birthday, but spent most of the evening pursuing Mary inspired drudgery it wasn't until today that Mary allowed Fabiola to finish it.
Yes, Fabiola faked the date on the post. You will have that with Fabiola; time is irrelevant when you are a figment.
A Single Candle In the Dark
Fabiola misses candlelight. Perhaps she exagerates if her implication is that she ever used it for primary lighting. She has, however, at times lived by it. One candle at a time if necessary.
Fabiola is being pensive, new fangled low-vo-flo bulbs don't give off the same light. Fabiola has yet to run across one that smells of beeswax and heaven.
To all the candles in Fabiola's life, thanks for your light.
Wednesdom - Winter and Summer
In winter I get up at night
And dress by yellow candlelight.
In summer, quite the other way,
I have to go to bed by day.
~ Robert Louis Stevenson
A Child's Garden of Verses
It was a Freezy-Weezie Ice Glazed Day Today
Today was January all over. Snow on the ground and freezing mist in the air, all grey and get in your bones damp cold. The mist froze on everthing that it contacted and built up in micro thin layers making driving an adventure. Not that Fabiola went out and about. No no Darlings! Freezing wet cold air is damaging to mature skin and it turns hairsprayed hair into a sticky drippy lump when it thaws. Fabiola stayed inside peeking out the windows at the folk that braved the roads at ten miles an hour driving in wiggly lines at that.
What in the Wacom is clutched in Fabiola's hands?
Well, Darlings, this is of great interest to Fabiola, maybe not so much to you (but it should be). Fabiola prodded and nagged, pouted and nudged Mary until she bought for Fabiola a Wacom Cintiq -- the little one Darlings! Fabiola is all about prudence.
What is a Wacom? It is a wonder of electronic technology that allows a Fabiola to draw right on the screen instead of first paper then scan then clean up then give up because the transfer takes forever. Drawing on a Cintiq is almost as good as paper, doesn't make Fabiola's brain hurt as the ones where you draw on a pad but look at the computer screen do. And it is fast.
Fabiola's opinion? Her new Cintiq was expensive but worth every single penny.
Cautionary tale here. Technology can do nothing to increase talent. You will just have to make do with Fabiola's limited, yet suddenly faster skills.
Fabiola is delighted with her new technology. Happy happy Fantastic Fabiola.
It is going to be a Wonderland year ...
Fabiola hopes that your new year has started off as you expected, perhaps significantly better.
A new year, new beginning ... change lobsters and dance, Darlings. Dance.
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