12:59 a.m.

[ SWT Memorial & other stuff ]

I completed the witch trials memorial. The most difficult part was choosing the graphic, because I'd rather those people be remembered in a peaceful way, in spite of the fact that when the end came, it came horribly. I hope the message is received. My mother and I were talking about fanaticism today because of the September 11th tragedy and she said something about how christians didn't do those kinds of things. I mentioned the crusades, the Inquisition and the Witch hunts (both in Eurpoe and in Salem), all were conflicts that were begun in with the purpose of imposing christianity upon those who still clung to their ancestral belief systems, or reinforcing the laws of christianity

Don't even get me started on the Malleus Maleficarum or we could be on the phone all freaking day.

Anyway, my point was that within every belief system lies the potential for fanaticism, that militant other-than-christian groups are not alone in their extremist views.

Extremism in any form is a frightening thing. It motivates people to inflict violence and spread hatred.

I joked with my mom once that if everyone would just embrace wicca and other earth religions none of that would exist, but if suddenly by some miracle that did happen, there would have to be one psycho who would feel justified in picking up a sharp stick and killing someone else with it in the name of the Goddess, thereby proving me wrong. There's one in every family, as they say. My weapon of choice would be poison ivy. It will make you crazy but it won't kill you. Unless you're really, really allergic.

In that case - oops! My bad, bro.

Anyway, she saw my point.

I ventured into a place yesterday (it's now Friday), that I've never been in the entire two years and change that I've lived here. The attic. The previous owners saw fit to install a fan up there that kicks on every once in awhile to draw the hot air out. Why we need a cooler attic I don't know but for some reason today it went freaking nuts and was making a rather loud, disturbing noise. Kind of like something was caught in it and was screaming bloody murder.

Larry happened to call a few minutes after it started. I had just figured out where it was coming from. To shorten the tale a bit, I had to go up there and turn the dial on the fan to the lowest temperature so it wouldn't cycle back on.

Challenge #1: I'm afraid of spiders. I know from experience that attics are loaded with them.

Challenge #2: The light up there doesn't work and the space up there is too small to stand up in. Majorly creepy.

Challenge #3: The previous owners loaded the place up with fiber insulation, which my asthma does not like.

I put on a pair of long rubber gloves a dustmask and grabbed a broom then headed up, my knees shaking all the way (heights mess with me too). I got to the top and had to crawl over to the switch plate. It's the kind with a dial on it. Or it was. The dial in question was nowhere to be seen.

SHIT!!

I climbed out, found a screwdriver and went back up there. It was no better the second time so I did what I had to do and scooted out of there post haste.

Mommy not like it up there, boys and girls.

Spidery.

Creepy.

Hot.

The kind of hot that makes you wish you had a cooler place to visit. Like HELL.

Did I mention the broom? Yeah, I took a broom up there too, to knock the webs down with. On my way back down the ladder (which pops out of the ceiling), I remembered a scene in a crappy horror movie I saw once in which a guy was beheaded by the trap door on an attic ladder. That got my silly ass moving. When faced with spiders, heat and creepiness, logic don't live here any more.

But it's done and I won't have to do it again because we'll be leaving the fan off so I feel tons better.

I also found out today that we won't be seeing my BIL & SIL after Sunday night because they both have to work. I love them, but not having them around means I get to let my MIL have the kids for awhile so I can take a nap. Or pee by myself without having Trent throwing the door open as I'm in mid-stream. These things are very near and dear to a mommy's heart, let me tell you.

Besides, my nephews are total energy blocks and if they're not there I can watch the Cartoon Network in peace. We don't get it here so I have to wait until we visit the in-laws to watch Johnny Bravo. Or have another baby, since our hospital of choice gets it. I'd rather go to SC though. I won't be bringing an extra person back from there.

Looks like it's gonna be a groovy trip after all.