Have a safe and fun one!

The company doesn’t sell directly to consumers but, instead, produces whey protein, milk powder, gums, and fruit stabilizers for sale to food makers across the United States. The cooperative also produces fluid milk products, but these are not affected by the recall. Plainview customers who have issued recalls so far include:

· CPI Foods, which is recalling 15,000 packets of non-fat dry milk distributed to various community service companies in Arizona, Kentucky, Nevada, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Texas, and West Virginia.

· NOW Foods, a nationwide producer of dietary supplements and natural foods, has recalled 12 of its whey protein products.

· Stop & Shop Supermarkets, a New England chain, has recalled Stop & Shop Nonfat Dried Milk, which is sold in 5 and 10 packs of 16-ounce and 32-ounce packets, respectively.

· Traditions, which has recalled ILS Meals Home Delivery Meal Service prepackaged meal kits, and Traditions Meal Solutions prepackaged meal kits. These were distributed nationwide and were made between January 28, 2008, and June 5, 2009. Tradition’s products were distributed to food distributors and regional nutrition service providers.

So far there haven’t been any illnesses connected with the recall, but the sorts of products the company makes are the sorts of things found in all manner of foods sitting on your local grocery shelves, so this one could turn out to be a big recall.

Aside from the above mentioned products and companies, Malt-o-Meal is recalling some instant oatmeal (sold under a variety of brand names). I have some instant oatmeal in my cupboard. The next time I hobble to the kitchen, I will be checking which brand it is, though I suspect I will end up just throwing it away anyway, as my will to eat it (now that it is a suspicious food) has diminished.

Anyway, it’s no worse today and seems to be slightly less painful, except when trying to walk or when something touches it. I’ve put on a pair of sneakers with firm soles, and that helps somewhat. Otherwise, I’m just going to keep the walking and standing to a minimum, keep using the cane, take analgesics as needed, and push on with life. Though I do expect to be very, very cranky for a while, because truly, it’s about the worst pain ever, and you know I hate being forced to sit around and not putter around the house and yard whenever I feel like it. Sure, I like being lazy, but not when it is thrust upon me without any choice!

Lin is off at the farmers market. I’m grumpy about not being able to go, and I guess I could have, but I would have been a slow moving object. Just one person (or large dog) stepping on my foot by accident, or bumping into me, and I’d have been on the ground wailing. I miss not getting to go, because I like seeing our farmer friends, looking at what interesting veggies are available, and seeing the cool arts and crafts. Oh well, I’m sure I’ll be able to go next time. My toe better be a whole lot better in two weeks! I’m hoping it shows vast improvement in a few days, because I might like to drive somewhere. This is the first time I find myself grouchy about having a manual transmission in the truck. Why did it have to be my clutch foot that got injured?!

Anyway, I’m going to be stuck sitting for a while. I imagine that may lead to a lot of babbling on my blog … and a lot of little crafty things getting done and books being read (not a bad thing really). Speaking of which, I think I will try again to work on the jewelry idea I had last night that I was about to work on when I found myself on the floor writhing in pain. Nothing kills the desire to create quite like tripping on a cat and busting up a toe.

And the cats have been trying to kill each other all morning. All I can do is make loud noises in their general direction and shake my cane at them. Shaking the cane seems to work. The cats fear the cane, which is good. It’s been keeping them out of my way. I really don’t want to see any cats in my way for a while.

“What’s the difference between a hockey mom and a pitbull?”

“The pitbull doesn’t quit.”

Sorry, I just couldn’t resist passing that along.

Might take a while to heal, and that’s going to be the worst part of it all. How am I supposed to go about my usual daily life with a messed up toe and walking with a cane?! I don’t even think I will be able to drive the truck, seeing as the ouchy toe is on my clutch foot. I have things to do and cannot be stuck toddling around with a cane and not being able to drive!

Interestingly, the culprit who caused this damage –one medium sized black cat named Myu– has been in hiding since it happened. Probably a good thing, because I am somewhat annoyed with her at the moment, and should she throw herself down in front of my feet again, my cane and I would plow right over her.

Though I do have a nifty keen cane to use. It was made by one of Lin’s relatives that lives out in Tennessee. Hand carved and so lovely. I’ll have to take a photo of it to show you. It feels weird using something that is really a work of art to move my aching body around the house, but it’s the only cane we have, and I need something to lean on.

When I wake up tomorrow my toe will either be worse or better, so I am sort of eager to go to sleep so it can be tomorrow. I just wish I didn’t have to go to the farmers market in the morning. It’s possible I may have to send Lin alone with a list. But I want to see my friends and it’s Independence Day! Provided my toe hasn’t fallen off or gotten any worse, I’ll probably hobble around the market with my fancy, fancy cane … and feel stupid. I’m sure I look stupid walking with the cane, and I have no idea what shoes I may be able to wear. Ugh. Why me?! Why this weekend?!

I’m going to go to sleep now. The quicker I get to sleep, the quicker it will be tomorrow.

Send happy thoughts that my toe is WAY better in the morning!!!

I had gotten out some beads and wire and planned to sit at my kitchen work table and fuss around with them. I needed my pliers and other jewelry stuff. I start walking from the kitchen to the den to get said things, when Myu jumps in front of me, throws herself down and demands attention. Unfortunately, I was in mid-step, and the cat was now under my quickly descending right foot, so I threw my weight to the right side to avoid stepping on and killing the cat. My left foot swung wildly, slid across the floor, wedged under the very tight edge of the drafting table stand, with one toe in particular jamming itself under the somewhat sharp metal leg … as I started to fall forward.

I did what I always do when experiencing a pain unlike any other pain I have have ever experienced and went limp and dropped to the floor right where I was, howling and, of course, cursing loudly. I think that was the only thing that kept me from sitting here telling you I broke my toe. Well, I don’t think it’s broken. It moves, and a manual examination and comparison of both feet indicate that everything is where it should be and feels solid. I have ice on it now, and it doesn’t seem to be swelling, though it’s going to be a horrible shade of bruised blue, and it’s going to be excessively painful for who knows how long.

When I say excessively painful, I do mean excessively painful. I can’t express how painful it is without cursing like a sailor, so I won’t even try. The toe hurts. The foot hurts. The leg hurts. The hip hurts. The small of my back hurts. I hurt. I did not need this. This sucks beyond words. It’s a holiday weekend, and I can barely walk. And the PAIN!!! OMG! THE PAIN!!! It is unreal. Almost the worst pain I have ever felt in my life.

The next time one of the cats pulls this stunt, I am stepping on the cat. Whichever one it is, I am certain it will make a nice winter hat or maybe the lining for some gloves. Perhaps the two survivors will learn not to throw themselves down in front of moving humans in tight quarters (like doorways or near tables).

And that table has to move ASAP. I have maimed myself on it one time too many.

That’s ’cause she’s a maverick!

We have already had hissing, spitting, and a fight.

It isn’t possible for there to be a lasting cat peace in this household, and there’s always one of them to blame for starting it all off. Today, it’s Myu. She got grumpy, because I’ve been busy this morning and didn’t let her crawl into my lap for a nap. Therefore, she decided to beat up on Tora. This woke up Ronin, and now all three of them have lost their minds.

Well, at least yesterday was nice. I look forward to some future day when yet again I have three sweet cats.

I went to the Lion Brand’s web site, the only place to get said yarn at the moment, and tried to order four skeins. Ordering four skeins was the best way to make the shipping costs be reasonable, as ordering less increased the cost too much thanks to the shipping charges. It’s completely stupid to only order small amounts of yarn when shipping is involved. Anyway, there was exactly one skein left, and while I was trying to decide what to do about that (maybe order some of their other acceptable yarn products or some needles I have been wanting) even that single skein sold.

On the one hand … awesome! People want it, people are buying it, and Lion Brand will keep it around for a while. On the other hand … I didn’t get any before it sold out, and who knows when they’ll have more. So it looks like I’ll have to put my project on the back burner a while longer, but at least I know what yarn I want now and where to get it eventually.

LB Collection Pure Wool Yarn

Part of our line of affordable, luxury fibers, this 100% undyed wool roving yarn, is spun in the USA, from fiber from American-raised sheep. This natural yarn with great texture is perfect for hand-dyeing, as well as felting.

At $4 for a 182 yd skein of worsted weight wool, it’s totally in my preferred price range for dying and felting projects. I will be ordering some as soon as I have some spare cash!

Kudos to Lion Brand.

I have been enjoying it as much as I can, because I know that come tomorrow, these three adorable and sweet cats will turn back into the little monsters they usually are once again, and there will be unauthorized cat activities, fighting, and the shunning of humans^†.

Why can’t they be like this every day?

It is entirely possible they have committed some great cat sin and I just haven’t found the evidence of it yet. They do tend to be extra sweet under those conditions as well. For now, they get the benefit of the doubt though, because they really are being wonderful kitties.

1. † Except Tora. She never shuns us lowly humans. She’s still a little monster though.

What was Governor Perry’s response?

“Let free enterprise reign, and be wary of over-regulation.”

“I think by and large we have the appropriate oversight to keep our citizens safe.”

“I probably put that [more construction worker deaths than any other state] to the cause of we build more things than anybody else. It’s like saying Texas has more cars than anybody else, because we’ve got a lot of people.”

And his response to the Labor Department sending in more inspectors specifically?

“Great. I hope they’ll send more assistance to secure our border as well. The federal government has been an abject failure in supporting Texas in places it needs to be spending dollars.”

As a wife of someone who works in a construction-related field, all I have to say to Perry is kiss my ass. I’m sure it is no skin off his nose that construction workers in Texas are dying when they needn’t. The fact that Texas is #1 in construction worker deaths doesn’t worry him at all. I doubt he even knows anyone who works in the field, though I bet he knows plenty of people like Mike Stearns who had this to say about it:

“All that regulation adds to your overhead and you can’t operate at a profit.”

Yes, yes … the almighty need for profit! Who needs safety regulations? What does it matter if some people die, because companies don’t want to follow existing safety regulations? It’s not anyone they know, so it doesn’t matter. All that matters is getting to do what you want, when you want, and how you want in the process of making as much money as possible. If a few people die, well, that’s just the cost of business, isn’t it?

So to Governor Perry and all the construction big-wigs who think having oversight and safety regulations that are followed and keep people safe are bad for their business … human life is more important than making a few extra bucks on your projects.

And KISS MY ASS!!!

In connection with the voluntary national recall by JBS Swift Beef Company for possible E-coli 0157:H7 in some of its products, H-E-B is notifying its customers and advising them to check their freezers for the beef products listed below.

* Raw Beef Briskets with plant inspection #969 (EST #969) with sell-by dates between 5/12 and 6/20
* Raw Beef Inside skirt steaks in a Styrofoam tray with sell-by dates between 5/4 and 6/20
* Hill Country Fare Beef for fajitas with a sell-by date of 5/23
* Any fresh ground beef in a Styrofoam tray with sell-by dates between 5/9 and 6/20

Currently, H-E-B does not have any of the impacted JBS Swift Beef products in its stores or in its supply chain. H-E-B has no reported illnesses, and there have been no reports of illnesses in Texas due to this recall.

H-E-B is issuing this recall in an abundance of caution to ensure the safety of our customers. Please return products impacted by this recall to the nearest H-E-B store for a refund or replacement.

Customers with any concerns or questions can contact H-E-B Customer Relations at 1-800 432-3113.

Additionally, while out looking for the information about the recall by JBS Swift, I found this quote in a June 30 news story to be interesting:

“It is important for consumers to note that the recalled product from the date in question was sold by JBS as whole muscle cuts, not as ground beef,” company spokesman Chandler Keys said Sunday. “The ground beef that might have been associated with illness was produced by other companies who often do not use the antimicrobial intervention steps we employ in our facility to reduce the risk of the beef products.”

Well, in light of the newest information –the recalling of ground beef by JBS Swift– it sure seems to me that the above statement is an outright lie. If they didn’t have to recall their ground beef, they wouldn’t be, and yet now they are. Odd, yes?

Anyway, check your freezers for potentially tainted brisket, fajitas, and hamburger!

Unfortunately, Lin is at a party, and by the time he gets home, I won’t feel like going to the drugstore. I guess I know where I’ll be heading first thing in the morning. Provided I can still breath enough to go anywhere.

I’m going to go rummage in the bathroom. Maybe there’s a pill or two left of one of the ones that knocked me on my butt too bad, so I stopped using them. I suspect I threw them away though. Dammit.

It’s completely stupid to allow myself to run out of a pill I sometimes need to take to breath well enough to even get out of bed! Gah!