What Would Jane Austen Do?

picture via I Heart Guts Becca had surgery on Friday to correct reflux in her ureters.  The reflux had been responsible for multiple UTIs and kidney damage (she's down to 25% function in one kidney). We've known about the problem since late in the summer, and we knew the surgery was coming up, so it wasn't an emergency or anything. The surgery involved cutting through her bladder, detaching her ureters and reattaching them at a better angle. Oy . Anyway, the kid is doing better now.  We were able to come home Saturday afternoon, and the wound dressing came off today.  She's hurting a little, but she'll be okay. My mom took this picture right after we were put in a room on Friday following surgery.  Becca is holding on to the remote so no one can change the channel while she naps.  About two minutes after the photo was taken, she woke up and said, "I want to change into a cuter nightgown."  She has been absolutely showered with "get-well" pr...

Here's some better Christmas music. Happy holidays y'all. "Merry Christmas from the Family" by Robert Earl Keen. "Fairytale of New York" by the Pogues with Kristy MacColl . (Thx Flubby) "Christmas at K-Mart" by Root Boy Slim and the Sex Change Band . "Merry Christmas (I Don't Want to Fight Tonight)" by the Ramones . Tell me some of your favorites in the comments.

Thank you all for your supportive comments. I really needed that.

You are a total hoser if you don’t dress up for Halloween. Granted, I haven’t dressed up in a few years, but I am about to change that this year. I have an idea … but it’s a surprise! Actually, I have lots of Halloween ideas. I’ve put together a few sample ideas for some of my favorite bloggers. If you find yourself in need of inspiration, send me a link to your blog, or just describe what you’re doing on Halloween night, and I’ll give you a hand. Emily and Rob : Alice and Ralph Kramden ! Soletrain : ODB . Wouldn’t you pay money to see Uncle John wearing a grill? Anyway, I’m sure he already has the outfit. He just needs to accessorize with a 40. Bunny Tomerlin : Goth princess . Because I bet she’s never even worn PVC. (Polyvore set via Haley ) Grosgrain Garage : preppy Jesus – Bonnanos, tunic with gingham trim and a ribbon belt, pearls worn as a thorny crown Megan: Now that she's succumbed to making wreaths , Mega...

In honor of Rosh Hashanah, and breaking the fast of Yom Kippur, I present Grandma Shirley Crackers. Grandma Shirley is my Aunt Linda's stepmother-in-law, so we're totally related. Actually, I keep thinking I need some more Jewish friends. Those people can cook (see Smitten Kitchen , Foodmomiac , et. al.), and, from what I hear, can hold their own in a bar. How was I born an Episcopalian ? Grandma Shirley Crackers* 20 graham crackers 1 c butter 1 c brown sugar 1 c chopped almonds 1 c chopped pecans Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and arrange graham crackers evenly on the surface. Combine butter, sugar, and nuts in a saucepan and bring to a foamy boil on the stovetop. Spoon the mixture over the graham crackers. Bake crackers at 350 for 8 minutes – they will get foamy again. Remove from oven and let sit for 15-20 minutes before serving. Crackers will be even better on the second day. *Not made from Grandma Shirleys.

One of the privileges of being a stone-cold dork is getting to laugh at Dr. Demento songs. And the legacy continues -- one of Emmet's favorite songs is "Amish Paradise." That's my boy *sniffle*. So, for those of you who can appreciate the likes of They Might Be Giants, I introduce Da Vinci's Notebook, which I found via Kottke . There's "The Title of This Song," a take-off on boy bands; "My Enormous Penis;" and for ye wearers of the green, " Irish Drinking Song ."

I love Caller ID. Wanna ask me some stupid question about the Fall Festival? Pass! Wanna know which radio stations I listen to? Talk to the hand! There are about 6 people in the world whose calls I will take. (Including yours, of course .) Otherwise, you can meet my friend, Ms. Voice Mail. She is a cold hearted bitch. I love Caller ID so much I want to make love to it and have its babies. They would be half human and half machine, but I would raise them as human. Of course, they would be Mathletes, so everyone would suspect something was up, but I'd never tell. I'd have fights with Caller ID's mom (Ma Bell) all the time about whether or not the babies would be digitized, and when the babies would come visit her in Florida. But Ma Bell is a bitch anyway, and I'd get to do what I wanted. But Caller ID would never leave my side, and would worship me as a goddess no matter what. Get your own decoupaged floral caller id box here .

Aaaahhctober. How glad I am to see you. The folks at NaBloPoMo have declared the theme for October to be "Vote." To which I say, "Meh." Enough with all that. In light of recent events, I hereby declare that the theme for October is "Things That Do Not Suck." Feel free to play along at home. Write in and nominate something that Does Not Suck. Or post on your own blog about something that Does Not Suck. So without further ado, I would like to take this opportunity to nominate one thing that Does Not Suck: the pumpkin spice latte at Starbucks. What's better than pumpkin pie? CAFFEINATED pumpkin pie, that's what. [Wanna rant about independent coffee shops, or about responsible spending? Go suck an egg.] Photo via the lovely Third Coast Preppy .