Happy Blogiversary!
My How Time Flies!
I have checked my archives and my first post was 4 years ago on this day! In the past I've hosted blogiversary contests and given my readership prizes and gifts. Now I'm thinking I've gotten it reversed, that my adoring readership could send me gifts. To help out, I have reviewed what would be a traditional 4th year anniversary gift. According to FindGift.com, the traditional theme would be Fruit/Flowers, and the modern theme would be Appliances.In case you are wondering, the flowers that I enjoy are: carnations, roses, lilacs, lavender, heliotrope, snapdragons, and violets. Regarding fruit I like the following fruit flavors: lemon, lime, cherry, and raspberry.
Concerning appliances, does an iPod count, or would that be more of an electronic device? I guess I'm not much in need of standard kitchen appliances, so perhaps think more like "kitchen gadgets". I could use one of those vegetables slicers—I believe they are called a mandolin slicer. I've always wanted to make homemade pickled things, so maybe a pickling crock or one of those glass jars with the latched lid with a rubber seal.
So, there it is. Four years of blogging. I guess I'll be around for another year!
On Christmas Day I flew out to eventually arrive at my destination of Pinehurst, NC, home to my brother and his family. My hurried layover in Las Vegas afforded me a quick glimpse of The Strip, and right outside of the runway is the big black pyramid hotel complete with Sphinx replica.
After taking off from Vegas I think I had the pleasure of enjoying the Grand Canyon from an altitude of 20-something-thousand-feet. It was amazing! One thing I've learned is that something has to be pretty darn large in order to be seen from this height, which means the Colorado River must be very impressive at ground-level!
Though I had limited visibility because of the airplane window, I still think that I got to see an incredible amount of the canyon—enough to inspire me to see the real thing in person!
The Family
Quality time has been so far spent getting acquainted with Sara, Jonathan, and Rachel. Rachel lugs around a princess-pink rotary phone in which we frequently call celebrities, dignitaries, and the family cat: General Sherman. My brother and sister-in-law have showered me with incredible hospitality! The guest bed is very comfortable and I've got my own bathroom, which means that my visit here is all too comfortable and I am certain to want to return for future visits.General Sherman & Catie
Sherman who is a Siamese, is affectionately called The General as he was named after the famous southern general. Catie is far more spooky and she has so far only stared terrified at me. Sherman slept at my feet the first night and has since duly ignored me, but last night I tried winning his favor with small piece of my steak. My bribe didn't pay off as Sherman reposed elsewhere.Pine Trees Everywhere
I am in the midst of a pine forest and the soil looks like beach sand. The lawns here are red pine needles—very little grass is grown—most of the grass I've seen is on a golf course.Speaking of Golf Courses
Apprently this is one of the biggest golf centers around, with the US Open being held here a couple of years ago. Many elite resorts are to be found, all containing what I think of as southern flair. The resorts are white buildings that have a classic design. The people milling about all have an air of sophistication and tradition about them.Tobacco
We're off today to investigate some local history! Today's adventure is to the north where we'll take in the Duke Homestead, where everything we ever wanted to know about tobacco (but were afraid to ask) will be revealed. I chose this historic site because it is close, isn't closed for the holidays, and is a unique part of North Carolina history. I shall return with photos from this exciting adventure!Design My Own Shoes
I got this brainy idea that a nifty way to connect with my non-adult clients is to wear funky shoes that would be very noticeable and possibly start a conversation. The shoes would have to be child-friendly and yet express my Shrone nature all at the same time. I knew that I needed to acquire a pair of Converse Chuck Taylor's.Little did I know that I could design my own! Oh, blessed are the Shoe Gods for making this available to the masses like myself who desire control over colors! I am in absolute shoe-heaven-on-earth!
Immediately I told Pooky of my creative discovery, and so it came to pass that he said that if I wanted a pair (or two) of these specially created Shrone shoes that I could order them as his holiday present to me. So behold my creations:
Shrone low suede
Shrone low canvas
Both shoes are personalized with "SHRONE" on the heel. I'm sure people will want to know what that means and I shall say to them my usual statement about Shrones: "Think of a crazy cat lady, only she's sexy and would invite children into her gingerbread house, only she wouldn't eat them, because cannibalism is not her style."
I hope that my shoes arrive before I leave for North Carolina. I'd so love to be able to show off my new Shrone shoes as I travel.
I gave into the gravity of cooking a holiday meal. It's a stronger influence than gravity now that I think about it. What swayed me to buy a Butterball wasn't the low price—it was the thought of enjoying turkey panini sandwiches in our new sandwich maker; it was thinking I'd have an excuse to make green bean casserole, pecan pie, and Stove-Top stuffing.
Now that the Day of the Bird is here it also means the flood-gates of Christmas marketing have been opened. I think of it as Mr. Burns releasing his hounds. For the next 32 days there's going to be Christmas crammed down our throats—some of it will be enjoyable: like those cute Rankin/Bass productions with Rudolph and the Bumble.
As much as I do enjoy having a real tree in the house, I think I'll skip it this year. I'll be flying on Christmas Day and so we'll more than likely celebrate Christmas at someone else's house on Christmas Eve. Perhaps I'll look into putting up a Christmas Twig.
The year is winding down, winter is almost here, and that puts us into an introspective and reflective mood. How will I remember 2006? Will it truly be the year without a Santa Claus? Will 2007 not happen at all until Rudolph and previous Father Times find the lost Baby New Year?
In thinking about being thankful, I notice that each day I have a little bit of thanks and appreciation—though not a conscious and deliberate declaration of thanks. Examples: During the night when I am bone tired and would like to sleep un-interrupted, Smee decides that this is the ideal time to come and lay on my head and try to hatch me. He purrs with such happiness that whatever irritation and annoyance I initially felt is melted away into blissful love. I recall life before Smee and how I longed for this kind of feline companionship—the kind that transcends species differences and reaches a deep spiritual level.
And my thanks isn't all for Smee. I've been known to be thankful for the other 4 felines, and yes, thankfullness for Pooky. In my mind Pooky is the closest human there is to being a cat—minus the purring and kneading. Often I do take Pooky for granted, but then I catch myself and realize that though Pooky's behavior gets under my skin, I remember to laugh about it. It's silly to let little annoyances get in the way.
Least I not piss off the karma gods and powers that be, I give thanks, too, when things go right—and I've been known to be thankful for when things go horribly wrong. When things go wrong it teaches me a valuable lesson and I learn something from the experience. Mostly I learn that I'll never do the same thing again that made things go horribly wrong.
May your holiday feast be blessed with a moist turkey,
May you enjoy the warmth of love from family and friends,
May you get the bigger end of the wishbone, and
May you experience great joy and happiness on this day of celebrating thanks!
Happy 40-something birthday, Pooky!
Yesterday we celebrated Pooky's birthday! While the torrential rains came down (I believe we received 3.33 inches of rain yesterday which I'm sure is a record) we spent the day at the dentist for me and then we went to Endless Shrimp at Red Lobster where we enjoyed way too much scampi.
Earlier in the day I gave Pooky his "special" present ;-) and we've already enjoyed the nifty panini sandwich grill that I bought as his memorable birthday gift.
I awoke this morning and found this strange, brand-new car in the driveway. Pooky says that I shouldn't feed a strange car as it will think it belongs to us and it won't go away, and I certainly shouldn't give it a name, (which I am kind of thinking I might call it Inky), because once you name it, then you won't be able to take it back to the car lot where it followed us home.
Yesterday Pooky got the idea to car shop and do some comparisons. We've been planning on getting a second car as I have this lovely commute ahead of me each day I have my internship, and we were thinking we were about 2 weeks away from making a purchase. My eye has been on the Saturn Ion, and recently we stopped at looked at the new ones.
But then Pooky felt we should look at the top-rated models in comparison, so we went to Mazda, Toyota, Hyundai, et al, and we ended up back at the Saturn lot. I spotted a deep blue Ion immediately and scurried over to it. It was a bare-bones manual transmission with A/C. The price was just right! The dealer said that cars priced under $15K are moving fast, so the chances of the car being here in two weeks was slim, and doing a dealer swap would be slim since bare-bones cars are in high demand.
We pondered the idea of buying the car now and then paying it off once my loans come through. What would be the worst-case scenario with my loans? If in the small event there would be a delay, it wouldn't be more than a month, so we weighed that against the 45 day grace period before the first payment would be due.
After having lunch (or was it an early dinner?) we came back and signed the papers. The interest rate is wicked, but not surprising to us since Pooky's credit is in rehab/recovery. Let's just say that the sooner we pay off the car, the happier life will be and the more money in our pockets instead of the bank's. But, the good news is, out of the money we had figured for a second car, by getting the bare-bones model we came out ahead of budget by $2500! Yeah! Which means my credit cards can be paid down, and maybe have something left over for the holidays.
So, that leaves me to talk about the car's name. Our older Saturn is known as the C-Berry (for "Cranberry") and I was think this one could be called "B-Berry" for "Blue Berry" but that doesn't hit the spot. My sister suggest Inky. I kind of like Inky. She also suggest Nocturne, which is cool, too. In the direct sun the car looks a deep blue, but in direct shade it takes on that nighttime appearance.
The car has OnStar which means I will find out about my car's monthly diagnostics, and in case I lock myself out or need roadside assistance, I just press a button. The car has manual windows, semi-automatic locks, CD player/radio, 5-speed manual, hydraulic assisted clutch, regular disc brakes, and cup holders. Not bad for about $14,500.
It's weird we have a new car! I keep thinking it will drive itself back to the car lot—like it hasn't imprinted itself upon us yet. I have yet to see if my cello will fit in the car. That's a concern. The new cello I am renting has a larger case and it wouldn't fit in the C-Berry with the seats folded down; I had to wedge it in the back seat.
The new cello is named Shady Bourbon. I haven't even taken it out to tune it, let alone practice! As soon as I got it we went to Pennsylvania. Today I have to crack it open and get acquainted with it as tomorrow will be the 2nd week of rehearsal and since I missed the first week, I need to get up to speed.
Somehow I almost forgot my birthday did happen on Tuesday. With the hassles of flying on that day, it slipped my mind. I consider the weekend my birthday and not just the actual day. When we got back I realized that now on applications, forms, and surveys I get to claim I'm 34. I also returned to find gift surprises!
Gift Certificates
Special gift certificates were received from Shrone Ro (iTunes), Sister Elle Marz (Handy Hands Tatting), and my Dad (Amazon.com). The GC from my sister bought me a whole box of threads that I'll be drooling over—so many pretty colors and doilies awaiting to be crocheted! With the Amazon.com GC I bought the two crocheted Aran sweater books I've been drooling over, added to my Muppet movie collection, and got the third book in the K-Pax series. I think with the iTunes card I'll indulge in some favorite 80s music that I miss! Will I go with my favorites of k.d. land and Morrisey/The Smiths, or will I go the route of XTC and OMD?Thank You, Jen!
Jen of SheCrochets sent me Cool Crochet, another crochet book with awesome patterns! I've already picked out a sweater I want to make! This is such a wonderful surprise! Jen is also a fellow Shrone and now a fellow participant in Thursday 13.Ugly Dolls
The two plush critters up in the photo are part of the Ugly Dolls collection. They remind me of Lady Linoleum's creations with the odd number and style of eyeballs. The 3-eyed octopuss like creature, called Cinko, is for Pooky's birthday. The reversable doll, with two personalities, is called Bop N' Beep. I think it fits me because some days I do feel like the green monster and other days I feel like the pink one.There are so many more must-have Ugly Dolls that I'll be wanting them now for all holidays, birthdays, and assorted just-because moments.
Moon Mug
Rounding out the gifts is a new mug bought at the Puyallup Fair. It's a local ceramic artist who also have a starry night sky design, but I opted for the moon design as I was feeling more like a lunatic yesterday, and I am more partial to moons than stars.
Thank You!
Among the mail that I received upon coming back from Pennsvylania was an envelope containing the two ribbons pictured. I have no idea who sent them, the postmark isn't clear, but whomever you are, thank you do much for sending them to me! I feel blessed to have friends at C'Ville who would take the time to lift my dampened spirits regarding the outcome of the Tala doily at the fair.
When I get back the doily I shall put these two ribbons with it, and when I do get around to making a display, these ribbons will be what I put with it. This small gesture means more to me than I have words to express!
I've been curious for ages now about the local Sunshine Hill Garlic Festival and yesterday evening we sated that curiosity by attending and spending.
We had our dinner of garlicky goodness. I had a garlic filled hot dog, then for dessert bought a sample of garlic ice cream. It's not gross! It kind of reminds me a bit of a garlic alfredo sauce and shrimp scampi sauce. The cream of the ice cream blends well with the garlic, so it's like eating food only without the noodles or shrimp. It's not something you could eat a large serving of, I'm sure. I also bought a stick of deep-fried garlic. It had a salty batter and it was actually very good.
Somehow we bought a bottle of garlic seasoning for mushrooms, and I got my sister some garlic stuffed green olives soaked in chardonnay. I'm hoping she'll like them. I ate free samples of picked garlic. Pickled garlic is wonderful.
Ending our binge was a whole loaf of garlic bread. My tongue and mouth still feels assaulted by garlic. But it's a good assault.
Now I am curious to attend other local garlic festivals. I see there is one in June out on the ocean where people dress as garlic bulbs and dance. It touts over 80 vendors. Imagine all of the food! Yes, I know what I'll be wanting to do next year: visit as many garlic fests as our budget and time allow.
Fun at the Ren-Faire
Pooky and I went to the local Ren-Faire over the weekend with my sister and her husband. Pooky and I had never been to a historical re-enactment type faire before. It was open to fantasy, too, so there were elves, fairies, vikings, cave people, and Goth rockers.I got suckered into the Aura Photography booth and had my aura photographed. I'll be posting about it separately. I had Pooky get his aura photographed, too. Each picture came with a 10 minute reading, and the reader was very insightful! I'm sure she could see auras without the aid of a camera. She could tell things about us that would indicate she could see them.
The jousting was of course staged, but still they have to be able to be rough and tumble. While sitting in the stands I looked across the way and saw someone I recognized! I was certain it was a lady whose handfasting I had performed in May. So after the joust ended, I went over and sure enough, it was her! She was dressed up and looked mighty fine, like a real person come to life from the past. She plays a harp and does Medieval music.
Not everyone who attended the faire was in costume. Some were in modern clothes. Which makes me wonder if in 500 to 1000 years if there won't be "2000 Faires" in which people dress like us and marvel at the antiquated technology like cell phones and laptop computers.
Wings were put on just about everything—dogs, children, and women. I suppose having wings is a cheerful thing, only trying to fly with them wouldn't be wise. Men wore tights, which is probably the only venue in which most men will publicly be seen wearing them.
The pirates had also a large presence at the Faire. A couple of Jack Sparrows were roaming around. Many other assorted pirates were plundering about.
A bridge troll caused a traffic jam, and an ogre clomped through the faire to make sure everyone had a good scare.
I think it would be cool to dress up. I'm torn between having a costume as a noble lady, or going as a sorceress. I'm sure I'll settle for something totally Shrone. Whatever I dress up as, I'll have to have a magical element to my character, 'cause I'm all for magic!
There's much rejoicing which is why I've been MIA. I've not been partying like a lunatic but rather getting together all of the nuts and bolts aspects of my new internship!
Yes, I was accepted—finally!—at the agency I was hoping to be welcomed to join! It's Good Samaritan Community Center in Puyallup. I'll be working in the children and families division. Which means I get to work with the little ones! (Pooky says he thinks I'll do ok just as long as I think of the children as cats.)
Since being given the good news on Thursday, I've had to scramble to get my counselor's registration application completed, which meant taking a test about HIV/AIDS and paying $35 to take this test, buying my own malpractice insurance (only $25 for the year), tracking down my bachelor's degree diploma, and I've still got to get my immunization records and secure two more people for phone references.
I will be sent to an orientation in which I'll be put through the customary procedures: background check, TB test, photo ID card, and much, much more!
The drive to the center is about 1 hour away, and Pooky expertly calculated that means $10 a round-trip. It sucks, but I can't not take this internship. I tried to find something closer and that didn't work out. Besides, I like the supervisors. I think I fit in the facility, and apparently they think I fit too.
What's cool is I won't have to work early in the morning. Since most clients are seen after school, this means I can start my day around 11 am and work until 8 pm. These are the hours I am most functional. I am not a morning person.
As a wise fellow classmate said, your strength is also your weakness. I feel I have a lot of strengths regarding working with children, but I also see where I have a lot of weaknesses and room to fully grow and bloom. I'm sure by the time my internship is complete my feelings, thoughts, and experiences in working with children will have been completely changed. I'm looking forward to having my perceptions shattered, re-enforced, and having moments of total awe and surprise.
To celebrate the anniversary of discovering the kittens and rescuing them from certain death, let's have a fun-filled quiz to test your knowledge of each respective beastie! Note: You can answer via e-mail or by using the comments.
1. What is Smee's first name?
a. Luck Dragon
b. Mister
c. He is just Smee
2. What is Smee's nickname?
a. Smee-Baby-Smee
b. The Ami
c. both a and b
3. What is "Stash" short for?
a. Stash-Attack
b. Moustache
c. Stash-a-magee
4. How long is Stash's tail?
a. half-length
b. full-length
c. crooked
5. What is Theodore Montague's favorite snack?
a. tuna crunchies
b. potato chips
c. salmon snacks
6. Often Theodore thinks he is a:
a. sea otter
b. teddy bear
c. prairie dog
7. Who weighed the least as a kitten?
a. Teddy
b. Smee
c. Stash
8. Who weighs the most now?
a. Teddy
b. Smee
c. Stash
9. Which of the three is most like Mister Doo?
a. Smee
b. Stash
c. Theodore Montague
10. Who is most likely to pass gas while being loved?
a. Teddy
b. Smee
c. Stash
Happy Birthday to My Pair of Eyes
Mr. B was serendaded this morning when he came running down for his can of tuna. He was swooned over and loved, wishing him the best 3rd birthday ever! He was very happy to receive his morning tuna. Later on I gave him some cat snacks because it was his birthday.I've been trying to find him an inexpensive galvanized garbage can. I saw a tiny size one at a store in Bellvue for $20, but figure that because it was a specialty shop they were charging more. Alas, I've not had the chance to look in our local mom & pop hardware stores (yes, they still exist) and see if there isn't an Oscar Can waiting for Mr. B. If I do find him his own little can, I'll stuff it with pillows and soft so he can snuggle inside and hide and sleep and be just a pair of eyes.
Previously Posted
Mr. B is receiving information from the Mother Ship that his 3rd birthday is this coming Friday, March 31st! Now is your chance to send him birthday wishes!
Mr. B enjoys blending in with the darkness and shadows. He is not very social and prefers to glower from atop the cabinets. It is possible that he should have been named Oscar and given a galvanized garbage can to live in. He does resemble Grover when he is in a cute mode.
He is most likely to barf and is allergic to chicken. Upon constant begging he will receive a second can of tuna if there are enough cans stocked in the pantry.
It is definite that he is Second in Command taking orders only from Mr. Doo. He has shown the kittens that he is a black force to be reckoned with. He still will hiss and growl at them when he is in one of his dark moods.
Friends of B
BB * Tiger * Tux * Goofball | Topper * Arnold * Bat * Ash | Andrea | Elle Marz | Misfit | Kari * David * The Boy and Hambut | Spooky | Lena * Kit-Kat & Stacey | Ryaira
Ode to B by Elle Marz
Mr. B
how I worship THEE
in your black fur
so fluffy and demur
with your eyes a-glower
you have evil power
but you cannot be seen
you are so keen
how I worship THEE
Mr. B
Your fan,
Elle
My heart always soars a little when the first magnolia flowers open. Yesterday I spied a few that were preparing to open, and I expected it would be a day or two and there would be the first flowers of the season. But today the sun was doing what the sun is supposed to do: shine, and the buds just outside the window where I sit at the computer desk decided that they couldn't stand to wait—they were going to open!
Last night I heard the humming bird flit around and sure enough while we ate dinner the h-bird drank his nectar. We've both heard him zoom around for about two weeks but now we are able to capture a glimpse of him. He looks like either an Anna's or Rufous, hard to tell because I can't get too close to check him out. They are very shy birds and you have to look at them like you aren't there.
The hummer feeder is on the lowest branch of the magnolia, so there is a double eye-feast treat of seeing the flowers and the hummers.
Previously, the magnolia tree opened on these dates:
March 4, 2005
It's been six months since my second (and hopefully last) ostomy surgery. I celebrated the day by battling a urinary tract infection. Whoopee!
Other than that minor inconvenience, my strength and enduarance are returning, and I anticipate once the weather turns more vernal, I'll be outside working my muscles and getting the remaining portions of my previous self back. I can tell my back muscles need strengthening, but all in good time. As my abdominal muscles get stronger, so will my back.
The trick is to know how much to do without over-doing. That has always been a challenge for me because I tend to push myself and over extend, only to pay the price for it.
I seem to have gotten into a good routine with bag maintenance. I understand Ian-Sophia's habits, needs, and moods. I've learned that if I eat big I will have hell to pay within an hour with excessive output, and that certain foods give me more mileage than others. Much of the stuff I eat comes out in 3-4 hours. Just about everything is turned into liquid, with the exception of lettuce, olives, corn, and nuts.
Most importantly, thanks to my body's inclination in the winter to fatten up, I've regained the 30 pounds I lost six months ago.
My new challenge is to learn how to manage my fluids and food once I begin serious exercise. Dehydration is a main concern since my output is bile colored water. I'm not keen on sports drinks, but I suppose I will have to develop a taste for them, especially when we go bicycling.
I don't think this year I'll be able to pull off a 20 mile round trip bike ride—I figure that is for next year—but for this year I'd be very happy to pedal around town doing our 5-6 mile trips at least twice a week.
It all began two years ago...thereabouts since it was a Leap Day. We're half-way to our first anniversary, so for our ½ celebration we decided to do something different. We went to a screening of a locally produced movie supporting marriage equality. The name of the film is Inlaws and Outlaws. This was anything but a dry documentary! It was a funny, poignant, and meaningful look at what love is, whether it be between two people of the same or opposite sex.
Ever since leaving the northeast, Pooky and I have struggled to find a pizza that is what we are used to. Some places claim to be New York style around here, but the truth is, pizza in Seattle is more like California pizza. It should be known we lived in the Capital Hill district of Seattle for a summer, and we drove passed this pizzeria almost daily, but did we ever stop in the eat there? No, because we had been jaded by our previous pizza experiences and couldn't stand another disappointment. Until now.
Hey, it's our ½ Anniversary, why not live on the edge and try something new? Since we were going to be in the area to see the movie, may as well take the chance.
What this place lacks in customer service they made up with having a 98.9% authentic New York style pizza!
I am suffering so much from waiting that I almost give up and die. Pooky becomes un-amused and stands guard with a straw.
With nothing better to do, I thought we should have the obligatory picture of our ½ Anniversary to commemorate our waiting for the pizza. Maybe it felt like it took forever because I was so hungry, or perhaps things were moving slower than I am used to.
Pooky passed the time by reading the local counter-culture newspapers where you can sell your drug-free urine for $60 a pee, or connect with various and sundry single people looking for various and sundry sexual partners. I believe there are also ads to sell your eggs and sperm. One ad that was not about sex but was titled as such was: Don't give away your pussy in regard to low-cost spaying of your kitty.
Finally when the pizza came I was drawing my last breath of life. Not really, it was just my stomach growling. I ate until I was happy and contented. I wanted to get an ice cream later at Cold Stone but they close at 9pm and the movie let out at that time. I guess that will have to be for another merriment and celebration!
Here we are at Aberdeen's World Famous Hot Dog House celebrating a day early our 5th anniversary of Pooky-Pip togetherness! (Aberdeen's other claim to fame includes being the birthplace of my dad and where the band Nirvana calls "home".) There isn't much to the town so all we did was drive an hour to eat a delicious burger and for me, a hot dog as well.
We stumbled upon the hot dog house on an adventure we took to the coast. The rest is culinary history. Since then we've gone back to enjoy ourselves. We can get stuffed for under $15!
Some of you may know this already, but for those not in the know, my sister has recently joined C'Ville and she has her own knit/crochet blog. She is listed in the Hall of Shrones as Elle Marz.
While she says she envies my crochet doily skills, she has me beat when it comes to being able to knit and crochet—possibly at the same time! She's made her first sweater and she is a doily making maven, soon to rival me so I'm sure it will become a blood bath at the state fair this summer.
Her goal is to make socks and she has been practicing using dpns for making sleeves. She has yet to succumb to natural fiber yarns.
Swing by her way and give a howdy when you can!
Happy 4th Birthday Mr. Doo!
I wished Mr. Doo a Happy Birthday this morning and sang to him, calling him The Prince of Darkness. Now, you might wonder why I regard him evil, and what that all means. Do I think he is truly sinister? No, not really. He is spirited and full of personality. Too much personality for a cat. His evil is in the spirit of Baby Stewie.
I'd like to share the story of Mr. Doo. I've not told it and I think it would be most fitting today.
Four years ago around this time, Pooky and I were celebrating our first anniversary of being a couple. It was then that we knew we'd be moving to Washington and we agreed that we'd have a cat once again once we settled into our new living arrangements. We had lost his cat, Roo, when we went to visit my mother for two weeks. He wandered off from the house (he was indoor/outdoor) and I tend to think he met his fate through an encounter with a larger animal. He was always getting to scrapes with something.
I knew that I wanted a white with black spots styled cat. I fell in love with one while visiting a farm a friend lived on in New Jersey. I even have a picture of that kitty. Now, I also knew that the next cat I had I'd name him Fez. Usually I don't pre-name my kitties, but this time I just had to name a kitty Fez.
Come the merry month of May we traveled across the country and we settled into the Seattle area around the first of June. After a week of being in our apartment Pooky announced we could go look for a cat. We tried the animal shelters but none struck me as Fez. We tried a pet store and they had one black kitten that looked sickly and I didn't think he looked like a Fez.
Fearing that we'd never find a cat, I started to despair. But Pooky said we should go back to the pet store as he had a feeling. When we returned they suddendly had a bunch of kittens! Three of them were white with light gray patches, the black one was still there, and then in the middle was this large cat that had white with black patches and it was playing with the others. I thought the big cat was the mother, but I also knew that this was THE cat I had been looking for!
Pooky doesn't like female cats, says their personalities are different than a male, which is true. So my hopes of taking home this perfectly colored kitty was slim. Someone looking at the kittens asked the clerk if the big cat was the mother. She replied no, that he was an older kitten. My ears perked up! It was a male cat, and he was available!
So I asked immediately if I could hold him. She brought him out and put him in my arms. He purred loudly at me and I just knew: This was Fez! $99 later we had him in a box to take home. On the drive home he got upset about being in the box and he started to get evil. I wondered if this kitty was going to be one of those wild kind that always scratch and hiss, never permitting affection. He was 4 months old, whereas the other kittens in the shop were 8 weeks. Had he been previously adopted and returned?
I finally let him out of the box and he was happier. When we got him home we turned him loose and he followed me into the bedroom and helped me fold clothes and put them away. He helped by sitting on the clothes. By the end of the evening I was looking forward to him sleeping with us on the bed. NOT! He came up on the bed and immediately started to shred my feet!
It became his nightly ritual. He would stalk me from the bathroom, run and pounce on me once I turned off the light, then he'd attack me feet. He would then be tossed from the bedroom so we could sleep without fear of losing a toe. During the day he would run through the apartment gripping the carpet as he ran, and he'd fly across the furniture. Pooky would play with him and get him to go in circles. Fez was a ball of feline fury—it was apparent he possessed a strong evil gene. But I loved him!
He was fearless. One day his curiosity got the best of him and he joined me while I was taking a shower. He would climb up Pooky's back. He would sit on the dining room table and watch us eat our meals. He was determined to escape, too!
One day I realized that Fez had grown up into Mr. Doo. He had celebrated his first birthday and he had a more distinguished air about him. I also had realized that he needed feline companionship so when I saw someone was giving away free kittens, that's how we got Mr. B (Pair of Eyes) and that's a completely different story in itself.
Yesterday afternoon there was a blinding light streaming in the window in the computer room! What was this bright, shiny orb of fire? The very same that the ancient Egyptians called Ra, worshipping it as their God!
That's not all! There was this overhead as well:
Maybe it was a patch of cerulean just like this that gave the inspiration for the lyric: The bluest skies I've seen are in Seattle?
Outside of the house I captured this panormic:
Alas! The rainy streak has not ended to my knowledge. I will have to check with Weather.com tomorrow to see if there was any rainfall for today, but so far I haven't noticed any! Though the forecast calls for rain tonight...We'll just have to see!
I awoke this morning to a sound I have been wishing to hear: a songbird greeting the sun! It was a lovely melody and there was the sun, giving me a glimpse of the spring that is soon to come. I felt so inspired that I brought in the hummingbird feeder and cleaned it up in anticipation of luring some hummers here. Now is the time they will make their first appearances, establishing nests, etc.
*Making happy-hummy noises*
There was the best of intentions to stay up and welcome in the New Year with my sister, but about 10:30 I was falling asleep. I needed to go home and catch my 40 50 60 winks. I slept for 12 hours. I missed New Year's. This is the first one I've missed in a very long while. I have no regrets. I enjoyed sleeping as long as I did. Sleep is under-rated sometimes.
What was interesting...before we made our exit, I think Pooky must have felt he was among a bunch of nerdlings. Somehow, my sister, BIL, and my sister's life-long friend, and I, got started on a conversation about the Periodic Table of Elements. I think this came about because she had an old episode of The Outer Limits and this alien race came from the planet Xenon, and I said something like, "Why not the planet Argon or one of the other noble gasses?" and this set off a discussion not only about the noble gasses, but about the periodic table in general, and then we realized our minds had slipped and we needed one as a reference, only we couldn't find one to reference, and this was driving us all into a snit!
But this is what happens when you get a librarian (former schoolteacher), marine biologist, biologist and almost chemistry minor, and a geologist in the room together, who have a passion for knowledge. Pooky is out of the loop being a business major, or not having anyone in the carpentry field to discuss his ken of expertise.
Also, my sister and I have this quick repartee that we've honed all of our lives (and haven't lost) so we are something of a Dean & Lewis with are exchanges. Be it genetic or environmental, our humor is alike, and so I know whatever I say that I think is funny, she will find funny.
So, how was everyone's ringing in of the new year? I'm sure you all have blogged about it, but I confess now: I haven't been reading anyone's blog. I've skimmed and done a lot of "saving for later". I apologize if I've missed anything really juicy, good, immoral, fatten, or illegal. My excuse is (let me turn on my magic excuse generator): I have had to floss my cats.
Now here is something I didn't know that could happen! I've been putting a lot of use to my size 6.00 mm (size J for those who aren't metric) Clover Soft Touch hook, so much so that it broke! I was crocheting away on my sister's sweater when it happened. I was certain I'd have to re-order online, but found that my Michael's in Lacey carried them and thus the day was saved. I put in a lot of hours using my 6.00 mm hook, so to be without it for even a few hours is enough to make me sweat and have my nerves go raw.
I am filled with kitty love! Lately Smee-Ami has been my baby and we've had many wonderful love sessions in which he follows me around and will meow at me if I end the love too soon. And not to be out-done, Mr. Doo has also presented himself for a lot of love while I eat my breakfast. Mr. Doo has not been as affectionate as I would prefer, but he does have his moments where he will sleep at my feet and allow himself to be swooned over. I think though that Mr. Doo has a motive for the love: tuna. He took stock of how many cans were in the cupboard and realized that today I needed to buy him more. I did so—a whole 30 day supply, so his nerves should be all right for awhile.
I'll do this month by month because otherwise I might miss something, and I do like outlining and making lists.
January: My mind was on preparing for my surgery scheduled for February 23rd. I think I was eating more to fatten up for the surgery, as I estimated I'd lose about 10 pounds.
February: I attend Module and celebrate my Kiss My Ass Good-Bye party with friends and classmates. I come home and on that following Monday receive a call that changed everything: my surgeon was deathly ill and my operation was cancelled until further notice.
March: Life goes on. Spring arrives and the tulips we planted started to come up. Joy and happiness reigns.
April: Too much spring rain and wind causes the magnolia tree to lose most of its flowers. Many other trees are also effected. I find out that my surgeon will eventually do my operation and I patiently await for his return to work. The first Bona Fide Shrone Award is given to Ro. Shronedom begins!
May: One morning while going down into the basement to do a load of laundry I hear a peculiar sound. Is it birds? Mice? No, it is the sound of kittens! I alert Pooky to my discovery. Three little furballs are found in need of serious nourishment, love, and swooning. Before my very eyes, Pooky springs into action and begins to nursemaid the little babies. Within a couple of hours I've given one of them a name: Lucky Dragon. He is only 4.6 ounces and cannot stand up on his own. We recognized this one as being Mr. Doo 2, and this still holds true. His nickname is Sub-doo and The Magee. The third is overly cute and adorable. I call him Nermal, but Pooky christens him Teddy. His official name is now Theodore Montague, The Earl of Sandwich and Would-Be Sea Otter.
On the 25th anniversary of the eruption of Mt. St. Helens (May 18th), I go in for the surgery. I awake from the operation and can immediately sense that something is wrong. I try to convey this to my surgeon, but he dismisses my feelings, saying that it is normal for the bowel to stop working due to the trauma. By the tenth day after the operation it is apparent that something is wrong because I am vomitting fecal matter (well, what could be thought of being feces, since it was all liquid). I'm sent home with a tube to allow my gut to be drained. Thus begins my lost summer of sporadic memories.
June: I have only 8 entries for this month. They sum up quite well what things were like.
July: Lady Linoleum sends me a crocheted ostomy bag filled with eyeballs which I come to call The Orbs of Wisdom.
My health stabilizes and actually improves. I endure a painful cyst on my arm, yet receive a bill of clean health from my surgeon. My gut starts to work on its own. Life begins to feel more normal.
I read the latest Harry Potter book rapidly. The kittens continue to grow and become more adorable each day.
August: I hear from my dad after 15 years. We make arrangements to meet. Everything goes well. I find out he makes excellent homemade pizza.
On the 19th I'm hospitalized unexpectedly. My gut seized up within a matter of days. I lose track of time. Two weeks are lost with only spotty memories here and there. The surgeon informs me he is operating, no questions asked. This is a pivotal moment in my life. Because of this little snafu, my school is delayed and my health plunges to an all-time low. I require TPN, a blood transfusion, and have a collapsed lung as the result of a misplaced central line. Making it all the more fun, the epidural doesn't work so after surgery I feel the full intensity of the pain.
September: I come home from the hospital with everything working as it should. I begin to pick up the pieces of all that has happened.
On my birthday we go to the Puyallup Fair and I take second place for my two doilies. This only fuels me to do better next year so that I may finally capture the elusive first place.
October: I meet with my sister and her husband after an eight year hiatus. We pick up right were we left off. I get a tattoo. I attend Module 7 with the Winter track and almost give up, but after coming home to sleep in my own bed, I make it. My mom goes into the hospital with severe blood clots. She finds out she was literally an inch from death. Smee loses one of his nine lives by taking a tumble in the dryer.
November: The Shrone Nomination form is created and make available to all who would be considered for Shronedom. I pay an obscene amount of money to acquire a copy of the best board game ever made: Talisman. We host Thanksgiving and invite my dad and stepmom to enjoy turkey and three layer carrot cake.
December: The entirety of Shronedom and all of the marvelous gals who have been recognized as being Shrones is something that I come to truly understand as a magical blessing. To date 26 or so fellow Shrones have been named, and I'm sure next year more will join our esteemed group of gals who are destined to go our cruising for penis when we are old and withered (while wearing turbans, too!).
Though the summer was fraught with a travail of my health, I was blessed with the reunion of my family. All of the pain and slow torture seems to be part of something—something I don't know how to name or express, but necessary. I often feel that I connect with my future self and I know that things will turn out "right" in the end.
More than ever I love and respect Pooky. He has been steadfast and true through what has been a very trying year. Financially we faced many challenges, but we held true and wouldn't let the obstacles get to us. Physically and emotionally we went through a walk on flaming coals, and we came out without a burn on our feet.
One memory in particular sticks with me about something Pooky did during the depths of my hospitalizations. It was a nice summery day, and my being discharged was delayed because I wasn't up to par. He asked if he could take me outside to get some fresh air, perhaps across the street into the park. He thought if I saw how nice it was outside, I might want to go home.
At first I wasn't very keen on the idea, because moving and even sitting, was a strain. I hardly thought I'd care to see the outside world. I was like a wet cat: pissed off at the world and how I was. Yet, I went and tried to make the best of it.
I felt sad that I couldn't enjoy the day as much as I would have liked. My body hurt and I could feel that my chi was out of alignment. Still, I sat in the wheelchair and took in as much of the summery splendor as I could. I did feel a bit better.
It's strange how I remember this...I think of it now as Pooky giving me a special gift, one made of love and understanding.
As I look ahead to 2006, the whole year before me...I've learned that life goes in directions I could never imagine, and I smile to think of where the year ahead will go. The choices I've made now have already set things in motion. Where the next bend in the road lies ahead will soon reveal itself. Walking through life with Pooky at my side and our five wonder beasties makes me sigh with contentment. Life doesn't get any better than this...
This year was a bountiful year of gifts received! I never quite know what to expect, thus I am always pleasantly surprised! Santa was very good to me this year. I would like to think it was due to my being very good despite my summer of intestinal hell. In no particular order are the wonderful gifts!
Now We're Cookin'!
We used the money my dad gave us to buy (hopefully) the last set of pots and pans we'll ever purchase. We put up the rest of the money to get this spendy set, but according to all of the reviews Pooky read, this All Clad set is the best. We christened our set last night by making a garden vegetable chicken soup. I noticed right away that these pots cook differently. I didn't need to go beyond 5 on the heat dial, and they simmered very well.
I'm Not Bad!
My sister got us the book written by the creator of the www.mycathatesyou.com website. After looking through all of the photos, I'm thinking I have some potential entries of pictures I have of Smee, Mr. Doo, and Mr. B. For some reason, Smee takes a very "bad cat" picture at times.
Heaven Scent
From Pooky's younger sister we received three Old Virgina candles. These candles are fantastic! They are so strongly scented that I can burn them downstairs and the aroma drifts up and I can smell them in the computer room. Of course I shouldn't leave a burning candle unattended! Anyhow, I was so impressed that I bought a few more of these candles. I think they will last for an entire year. I think going the candle route is more cost-effective than incense.
But Wait, There's More!
From my mom we received a set of knives. The ones we had were all serated and couldn't be sharpened. These are nice and came with a sharpening stick. Now I can chop, dice, slice, and cut my fingers off! I'm very pleased to have knives that work. She also got us a new food chopper. I couldn't find where Pooky put it. It's a nice 3 cup size and will make life much easier to chop onions, nuts, etc. The old one I had I could tell the blade was getting dull. I've had it for five years and it has been a little work-horse. It shall now be retired.
Measuring Up
One day I went for the mail and found a box waiting for us. I had no idea what was inside. I opened it and I found myself with my mouth hanging open. My dad had sent us a complete set of stainless steel measuring cups (with odd sizes) and measuring spoons! Plus a garlic press. This set was very spendy! What was ironic about all of this was that just days before I was admiring some measuring sets at Bed, Bath, and Beyond and was longing for the day when I could afford to buy a set of cups and spoons that had the odd sizes!
My Secret Santa Was Very Good to Me!
This year my Secret Santa was very good to me! I mean really good! The rules of the Santa-ness are that you spend $15 on your recipient and buy them something from their Amazon.com Wishlist. Well, my Santa (aka Kelly), got me Family Guy Volume 3 and Bride and Prejudice!
Bosom Friend
From dear Ro I received this adorable little jewelry box with a mirror. She sent it to me because it reminded her of Anne of Green Gables. I have to agree, it is something that Anne or Diana may have had in their bedroom. What is curious is that Smee loves to lay near this. I think he likes to check himself out in the mirror!
Enough Yarn for a Year
All of this yarn will (hopefully) be made into various things in 2006. I have grand plans and designs! I have ambition and motivation to crochet. I just hope that I don't suffer a two month dry spell like I did starting in September!
Tunes
I couldn't find the CD—I'm sure it is somewhere in the chaos of everything (Pooky has been rearranging stuff)—so I apologize for not having a picture of it, but my long-time friend from grade school, April, sent me the soundtrack to Bride and Prejudice.The New Symbol of Christmas
While shopping at Archie McPhee, I was charmed by the new jumbo devil duckies! I had to have one with the additional Santa hat. This festive bird is nice and large and undeniably adorable! Smee was doing his best to curl up his ears to look like evil horns. Perhaps he should be known as The Prince of Darkness?
It all started with preparing the prime rib roast and seasoning it.
Then it went into the rotisserie where Jesus blessed the meat.
The roast cooked swiftly. Soon it was time to eat. The meat was laid out on a special snowman platter.
One of the accompaniments to the roast was a twice baked potato. They were so yummy! The meat was divine, too!
When we started to eat there was absolute silence for about 10 minutes. After eating a dessert of creme brulee, free range fruitcake, and assorted other yummies, we posed for the family photo-op.
I asked my sister about my older brother's gift giving habits, and I came to realize that my brother and I got our signals crossed about gift exchanging. I believe what set me off are some issues from my FOO, and that the long-held rivalry between us was triggered on my end.
My mother fawned and swooned over my brother. Let's say that she had a reversed Oedipal complex toward him. She lavished him, doted on him, "sacrificed" for him, and so on. I think what pissed me off is I went overboard—sort of like my mother—because she instilled in me this sense of "I must give" and within my brother she instilled a sense of "I will take". To summarize, my brother was not taught to be generous, self-sacrificing, attentive to others, considerate, kind, etc.
I also wanted to impress my brother. I wanted to compete with his wealth. (By the way, I estimate his income to be between 500K or more per year.) I didn't want to look like I am just scraping by. I also felt that because he does have that kind of money that he could easily spend $100 and not miss it, whereas I will be paying off that $100 over the next year (or possibly my lifetime).
I think Ro's comment has some truth in it for me, that I put myself into making the gifts (or at least buying them) whereas they pointed and clicked. But, I also fear that it is like Wendy suggested, that his wife bought the gift and felt that this was adequate. I have issues with his wife—there was some tension created early on because of my mother—and just because tension happens.
When the moment is right, I'll call my brother and discuss this with him. My plan is to negotiate an amount we'll spend on each other for the holidays. That probably should have been done sooner, but in the moment stuff like that doesn't come up. It only comes to the surface when a pinch happens.
Pooky has been a jewel with getting the house in order while I struggle to reserve my energy for tomorrow's big cooking day. I hate feeling this way: unable to do normal, minial tasks, because they add up and then wipe me out. I have been experimenting with how much I can safely accomplish in a day without overwhelming myself, but yet doing something to increase my strength and stamina.
I'll try to remember to take lots of photos, especially of the roast. Screw the presents, the roast is actually the star of tomorrow. I do hope it will turn out the way I want it to!
Blessings all around to everyone!
Well, the presents are wrapped. I thought we owned a tree skirt. Either we don't or we do; it can't be found. I am not going to buy one now. I still think Pooky got one while he worked at Lowe's after the holidays on clearance. It was a monster tree skirt. How could it be missing?
I resisted the urge to glue Mr. Doo to the couch with my glue gun, which I brought out to make bows using ribbon I got at discount. He kept annoying the heck out of me.
Not a good day for me. I tripped and fell while getting up out of my chair.
I may sound a bit ungrateful by saying this, but I need to get it off my chest. I sent out my box of gifts to my brother and his family. (I totally forget to get a picture of the finished Wool of the Andes sweater. It was all wrapped up in the box when I realized I had forgotten to photograph it!) I bought a few things for his kids, and then I got him a $30 gift card to Home Depot. I figure I spent about $100.
I get a box today from Amazon.com and he has sent me two DVDs, the Harry Potter movies we don't have. I think our collection is completed. I am making a BIG assumption, I realize in thinking this, but I fear this is all he is going to send us. I feel extremely shafted by this, because I spent a lot of time making my SIL's sweater, finding gifts for his kids, and then getting his gift card, wrapping it up nicely, and so on. It wasn't cheap to mail the box by Priority Mail, either.
For some kooky reason I'm obsessed with the value difference between what I have sent him and what he has given us. My brother co-owns a corporation and by no means is financially struggling. Thus, I find it very insulting and inequitable in the manifestation of his gift giving. I think that he should be more generous. I am totally projecting my beliefs and practices onto him: that what I do, he should do. It's a variation of the Golden Rule. I have treated him how I would like to be treated. Because this hasn't come back to me, I'm pissed off.
I have the perfect idea what to do next holiday season: I will make a donation to a very liberal organization in his name. (He's a bona fide conservative.) Does anyone have any suggestions which liberal charity/organization I should donate to?
Here comes the sun (du dn du du)
Here comes the sun
And I say
It's alright
Little darling
It's been a long cold lonely winter
Little darling
It seems like years since it's been here
Here comes the sun
Here comes the sun
And I say
It's alright
Little darling
The smiles returning to the faces
Little darling
It seems like years since it's been here
Here comes the sun (du dn du du)
Here comes the sun
And I say
It's alright
Sun, sun, sun, here it comes (four times)
Little darling
I see the ice is slowly melting
Little darling
It seems like years since it's been clear
Here comes the sun (du dn du du)
Here comes the sun
It's alright
Here comes the sun (du du du du)
Here comes the sun
It's alright
It's alright
Pooky's name wasn't in the drawing hat so he got stuck with one of the many consolation prizes of a $5 Starbucks card. Since neither of us drink their swill, I suggested he sell $1 raffle tickets to his coworkers to raffle it off. I'm sure we'd make $20. But then....
Drum roll, please....
I took the prize for both side dish and dessert!
(Ha! But, I think it is because we made everyone around us vote!)
So, we now have two CrApplebee's gift cards for $25 each. One of Pooky's coworkers said we could take her to lunch and I said forget that, come over to our house for a real gourmet dinner! She looked at me so strangely. Could someone's cooking be better than CrApplebee's?
As my sister and I have observed: If you were stranded in the middle of nowhere and your choices were Lenny's and CrApplebee's you'd pick CrApplebee's, but you'd wish for something else. At least you can rest assured with CrApplebee's you won't get food poisoning.
I asked my dad if he knew where a 9 foot tree could easily be found. Last year's adventure we went out on a drizzly day and procured this tree after traipsing over most of eastern Lewis County (which is not pleasant) and I shelled out $40 for the tree because it is Noble fir and those are more expensive.
My dad, being a former employee of Weyerhaeuser (the tree growing company), knows good trees. In fact, during my childhood he always "procured" us a nice tree, usually Noble fir, and so I got hooked on them. Anyhow, he said he knows of a few tree farms near his abode, and he'd go check them out.
He said he found a nice tree, shaped and all, for $20! I said cut one that he thought was nice. He's very fussy about these sorts of things, and I knew he'd find the best of the crop. Now, while I'm not very fond of shaped trees, I can live with it. All I care about is it being 9 feet tall. Why? Well, our ceilings are that height and a 6 foot tree would like too Charlie Brown.
My dad even delivered it for us since we are sans truck, and upon bringing it into the house, the aroma of said Treezilla began to inundate everything! It smells citrus-y to me, not true evergreen scent like gin flavored with juniper berries. What was peculiar was the smell was so strong I could taste it! Seriously, I'd get a taste in my mouth—very sweet and sticky&—if I opened my mouth to let the molecules in. Weird!
Treezilla isn't decorated just yet, we're saving that for Solstice, and also to allow the cats to get used to the tree. So far no one has climbed up the tree. They have only stared at it, nibbled the lower branches, and Theodore Montague has gotten into the water for the tree, but that is what Theodore Montague does. Mr. Doo seems less angry about the tree. He has observed it but now has a "who cares" attitude about it.
Of course once the garland tinsel, lights, and ornaments adorn the Treezilla, there will be issues. I'm thinking we'll not decorate the lower branches just to make sure any inticements are out of reach. Mr. B's tail (being very long and bushy) has a tendency to find delicate things (like ornaments) and I'm sure he may obliviously knock off a ball or two like he did last year.