Muse & Amuse

The Purse From Hell

2012-01-28T17:15:00.001-05:00

A few years ago I purchased a purse that eventually showed me that it was possessed by demons. When I purse shop, I look for just the right one. It has to have at least two compartments inside to keep certain things separate from one another. It also has to have a few little zippered compartments here and there on the outside for other smaller things.

On that particular day when I walked into that store I had hoped I would find what I was looking for because up until then I was having no luck at all. Eventually I found what I thought then was the right one. Little did I know what it had in store for me.

Months later, after I had everything in its correct place inside and outside of that precious purse, my husband and I went to a local Drunken Donuts shop to have a cup of coffee and a donut. I sat in a seat with my back to the window. After we felt we spent enough time there, we left to do some shopping.

It was about maybe 15-20 minutes later as we are driving down the road that I realized I did not have my purse with me. When I mentioned it to my husband, he almost went into convulsions. I keep a lot of stuff in my purse that I shouldn't and he knew it. He did the fastest U-ey I had ever been a part of and we were back at that donut shop lickety-split.

Unbelievably, my purse was right where I had left it. I grabbed it up like a long lost relative. And I didn't care what the man sitting nearby thought, other than he probably wished he had found it first. I mumbled something about it being mine and out the door I went.

Fast forward a few weeks when my husband and I had to go to the post office to make copies of something. Since there are no tables or shelves in there, I had to place my purse on the floor. Yes, you guessed it...I left it behind. Almost half an hour later we were back at the post office where that damn little black heathen still sat on the floor alongside the copy machine. And it looked like it was laughing at me.

After getting a good talking to by my husband, I finally decided I had had enough. I was not going to ever leave that purse behind. So I bought another one and banished the original one to never see the light of day again. Not in my possession anyway. I still have it. I need to be reminded of what an idiot I am at times. I had never left a purse behind prior to those two incidents, and I have yet to do it since.

It has to be the purse. The fact that I bought it at Wally-World might have a lot to do with it.

Last year I splurged and finally bought a genuine leather purse; I have always wanted one but never wanted to pay the price. So far this one has behaved. I think it knows better.

What's Wrong With This Picture?

2012-01-24T18:11:00.000-05:00

Go ahead, blow it up and check it out.

This photo is in a current upscale catalog I received in the mail. My husband looked through the catalog first and when he got to this page he showed it to me. When I first glanced at it (not knowing what catalog it was), my first thought was that there were errors to be found, such as my title for this post.

When I realized what it actually was, I could not believe what I was seeing. Because up until then, I was picking out all the errors. Seriously, since when do men wear polos over dress shirts and then put on a suit jacket that is clearly way too small? Those shoes he's wearing don't exactly match the look either. Well considering what he threw together up top, maybe they do.

OK, I know that in certain parts of the country men do not wear socks but I have yet to see it being done while sporting a suit and white shoes. My first thought when I looked at that guy on the left was PeeWee Herman was in town for the shoot.

Anything else you folks can find wrong with the picture will be appreciated by me. Just leave it in the comments and it goes directly to my email.

Off To The Super Bowl

2012-01-22T23:41:00.000-05:00

By winning the game against the San Francisco 49ers, the New York Giants are now the champions of the NFC. The score was 20-17 in overtime. I held my breath the entire game. Yes indeedy I certainly did.

'Tis Verra Cold Outside

2012-01-21T18:07:00.001-05:00

Yes, I am still alive. Yes, it feels like the middle of the tundra here. And that is why I haven't written much lately. I keep this computer room on the cool side so it's not pleasant to be in here all that long. And, yes, it is all I have to work with at this time.

I have a laptop but it's not connected to the system yet. And please don't ask me what I'm waiting for, because I really don't know. And I do not own any of those new-fangled smart phones or anything else to connect me to the Internet. It's my choice to not own those things.

We got snow overnight but I don't know how much since the amount doesn't matter...snow is snow and around here when we get snow and it's cold, who cares how much there is anyway. The only good thing is that by Monday the temperature is supposed to go up to the low 50's and hopefully most of this crap will be taken away.

Meanwhile, I am looking forward to the football games on Sunday as well as the BBQ spare ribs I will be making in the slow cooker. Frigid cold weather and snow can't take that away from me.

Groundhog Day is February 2nd and Daylight Saving Time starts March 11th. And once both those are gone Spring is not far behind. Not that I am wanting to have these days pass by faster than they already do, but my favorite time of the year is Spring. And it can never get here fast enough after the crazy winters we have in these parts.

And that, folks, is all I can think of to write about for now.

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Update: We ended up with 6 inches of snow which is a lot more than they predicted for our area.

What A Great Game

2012-01-16T00:56:00.000-05:00

I was a little apprehensive leading up to the game between the New York Giants and the Green Bay Packers Sunday. Green Bay's quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, is really, really good, not to mention the entire team. They have been hard to beat all season.

But when push came to shove, the New York Giants put it to them winning by a margin of 17 points. The end result? Giants over the Packers 37-20 and they did that in Green Bay territory at Lambeau Field.

The Giants will be playing my other favorite team, the San Francisco 49ers, for the NFC Championship. Whoever wins that game will go on to play in the Super Bowl. It's a win-win situation for me since I like both teams, although a little bit of me wants it to be the Giants.

Guess What I'm Doing?

2012-01-12T14:42:00.000-05:00

I am watching Sprint Cup cars winter testing in Daytona. Three whole days of cars going around the track, always turning left. I am in heaven.

These testing sessions are a treat since the Daytona 500 was pushed back a week and now will take place February 26th making us fans wait a week longer than in the past.

Speed weeks starts, so I read, February 17th with the Bud Shootout the next evening. That will be the first race of the season. It is a non-points race but can be quite exciting since these guys are chomping at the bit to get the season going after sitting since the end of November.

...and we're off and running...

Waiting ~ The Story of My Life

2012-01-08T00:01:00.000-05:00

Saturday my husband had an MRI done. I don't know how many he's had since we are married, but it seems like a lot. I have never had one. I hope I never need one. I don't know which is worse: waiting for him to get done or actually having an MRI. I guess I had the easiest part. We go to an open air facility which is the only way to have an MRI in my opinion. But then what do I know since I've never had one to begin with.

I spent two hours waiting for him to get finished. I am glad I took my current book along (I am a chain reader), but when I got tired of reading I leafed through some magazines. There were two copies of a magazine titled Caribbean. Boy, did I get lost in that magazine. I transplanted myself (in my mind) in that part of the world and just dreamed away. It wasn't hard to do. I could live there year 'round. By there, I mean any of those islands would do. I'm not fussy.

Oh yeah, the reason for my husband's MRI is something that happened to him over two months ago. The first step was visiting an ER and having X-rays done. That doctor said he had partially torn his bicep muscle. It took my husband over two weeks to decide to do something in the first place and when his arm turned every color imaginable, he decided it was time.

After the ER and with nothing really settled other than to keep his arm in the sling they sent home with him, he wanted more answers. He called his family doctor to see if they would OK an MRI. Of course, things aren't done that way anymore, you now have to go through hoop after hoop to get to the place you want to be. Finally the appointment was made and yesterday was the day.

They gave him a CD of the results. I guess the next step is to go back to the family doctor with the CD so that he can look at it and take it from there, which means another co-pay. They get you coming and going.

Health care in this day and age truly amazes me. And not in a good way. It is appalling as to what a person must go through these days to get anything done. And it is only going to get worse as the years go by. Oh, and don't expect the doctor or his office to call you...you have to call them for every little thing. We always find that out the hard way when we sit around waiting for them to call either with results or with an appointment and we end up calling them for said information. It never used to be that way.

Brrrrrr...

2012-01-04T23:46:00.000-05:00

It's bitter cold and I feel like someone sat me down in the middle of Alaska and the worst storm they could imagine.

That's all I'm going to say for now.

NFC East Champions

2012-01-02T01:56:00.000-05:00

May All Your Wishes Come True

2011-12-30T18:04:00.000-05:00

I think I am going to like 2012 much better than 2011. I don't like things with uneven numbers in them.

This year we will be doing the same thing we have been doing for years now...staying home and watching the ball drop in New York Times Square.

I will have my small glass of wine with some fancy multigrain crackers and port wine cheese spread.

My four fur babies will join us in the celebration of the new year.

Things I won't have to worry about: getting dressed and putting on makeup, rubbing elbows with people, over-eating, driving on the same road with maniacs that insist on driving while drunk and multi-tasking like using their phone to talk or text, and best of all I won't have to worry about what I say or do in my own house.

So, to all of you out there in cyberland, have a safe and happy holiday.

Merry Christmas To All

2011-12-24T00:09:00.012-05:00

This is for the politically correct:

Did Someone Ask Me If I Am Ready For Christmas?

2011-12-20T00:28:00.000-05:00

The answer is a simple no.

Yes, I have the gifts but they are not wrapped.

Yes, I have everything needed for the meal.

And that is all I can answer yes to. There will be no crazed woman baking cookies this year like she has for the past few years. Why, you ask? Because that same woman ended up eating most of those cookies.

There will be little decorating going on in this house. Why, you ask? Because this woman is tired of traipsing up and down the basement steps to decorate and then having to do the same thing when the holidays are over by taking them back downstairs.

There will be a tree, but only what I call my wall tree. It looks like a real tree but it is flat against the wall and high enough that the cats can't get at it. There are lights and balls and decorations on it, too.

If I get really jazzed about this holiday, I might even bring my poinsettias up and set some around the house.

Now, I 'll bet you are asking yourself, what is wrong with this woman? Well, I will tell you what is wrong with me. I have been doing this decorating thing for so long that I am just tired of it. I don't have any grandchildren and I don't have to entertain anyone, so I just feel it is a waste of my time to go through all that for nothing.

I used to wonder why people stopped decorating or having a tree, especially when my parents stopped. I never understood it. I thought they lost their minds. Well, let me tell you that I truly believe just about everyone will hit this same wall sooner or later.

I have not lost the Christmas spirit or my religion or anything like that. I hate the commercialism that has been brought to this most sacred of holidays and I prefer to celebrate it in my own way with my husband and my four fur-babies. And I can't forget my daughter and her boyfriend.

Just A Little Note

2011-12-16T19:27:00.000-05:00

This little fella, aka Eli, has been given a clean bill of health from his vet.
What a great Christmas gift to me!

When he was first tested for FIV (feline AIDS) he tested positive. I was told that happens with a lot of kittens as their mothers pass the antibodies on to their young. That is what happened in Eli's case. Most kittens then do not test negative until they are around 6 months old. I am very thankful that at the age of 3 months Eli tested negative, so I didn't have to wait another three months to get good results.

In the beginning of January Eli will get his final distemper shot (there are three in the series), and then sometime in early March he will be neutered at the age of 6 months old. Our vet won't do it any earlier than that.

Raising any kitten that is a product of a feral colony can be hit or miss as to whether it is healthy or not. Most of them have worms, fleas, ear mites, parasites etc. With Eli we really lucked out...he had none of those. But he sure did give us a few scares along the way.

When we brought him inside that first day and then took him to the vet a few days later, he only weighed 9.5 oz. He was 5 weeks old. He is now almost 15 weeks old and weighs 3 lbs. 14 oz. I don't think Eli will be small like Punkin' is. Eli is quite a handful now already, especially when he is overtired, which happens a lot in the evenings when I have him out to run and play. His morning sessions go a little better.

Summing this up...I couldn't ask for a better Christmas gift than Eli being negative in all his tests.

Christmas Dreaming

2011-12-14T00:19:00.002-05:00

If anyone out there is feeling overly generous this Christmas season, I would be more than happy to accept your gift of the 2012 black Harley-Davidson Trike as show above.

Seriously.

Finally! The Giants Won A Game

2011-12-11T23:59:00.001-05:00

What an exciting game it was. So exciting it gave me a headache. I really thought they were going to lose another one but Eli Manning came through and the G-men backed him up.

Final score: Cowboys 34 ~ Giants 37

Do They See Me Coming?

2011-12-10T00:01:00.001-05:00

There are three times I can think of right now where I have been given shoddy merchandise. And the more I think about it, the angrier I get. The latest one happened when I ordered something online and picked it up in the store. Oh, the store is close enough and I am sure they may have had product on the shelves, but it was an item on sale in their flyer and I didn't want to take any chances of getting there and finding nothing. I was also able to get 10% off the sale price by ordering online, too. I will discuss this incident last.

The other two times I will talk about are the most recent and also are the most freshest in my mind. The first one was the stainless steel breadbox I ordered online. When I am in the market for something I do my homework, meaning I drive myself crazy making sure I get the right thing from the right people for the right price. In my mind, that is.

I ordered the breadbox and when it arrived the outer box was fine. The box the manufacturer put it in was not. It had some tear spots at places. When I removed the item from its box there was a small dent in the top. Needless to say I was on the phone fairly fast to get that problem rectified. They deducted money from what I paid and I kept the semi-damaged breadbox.

The next item was a water fountain for my cats to drink from because I don't trust the public water we are offered. The fountain uses filters that have to be changed every so often and I use filtered water also. When that fountain arrived I was quite eager to get it working for them since the one I had been using quit on me. I dug into the box without thinking about anything other than getting the fountain cleaned and working for my cats. The thing that puzzled me the most was there was no instruction booklet inside. That was my first clue. And then I remembered none of the pieces were in plastic, both main pieces were put together and the pump was already in its proper place. But like I said, my eagerness to get it up and running surpassed any common sense I should have had at the time. Of course, I called the people I bought it from and making a long story short they did not charge me for the fountain. Which is no more than right since it was ascertained they sent me a return item. Which made me think that the breadbox may have been a returned item also. They were both ordered from the same place. You know the place...named after a great river in South America...yep, that's the one.

Now we are at the third item. This just happened this week. Like I said, I ordered it online, got a confirmation and instructions when to pick it up and where. On Wednesday we went to layaway for the slow cooker I ordered. When the box was brought out and placed before me I took one look at it and was appalled at its condition. This line of slow cookers was introduced into this store in September and there is absolutely no reason for its box to look like this one did. It looked like it had gone through WWII. Dented and crushed corners, the tabs where you open the lid looked like they had been opened and closed so many times I shudder to think just how many times. I opened it, and on the top of the cooker was the glass lid encased in a plastic bag that looked old and dusty not to mention there was a rather large hole in the bag. When I saw that all I could say was, "This is not acceptable. I cannot accept this in this condition." Yes, it was for me but it could have been a gift for someone so the point is, when I purchase something everything should be in nearly pristine condition whether it's for someone else or for me...it's the principle of it.

To again make a story short, another cooker was taken off the floor and brought to me. Still not the condition I was looking for but ten times better than the first one, so I accepted it. I used to shop this particular store a lot but their credibility with me took a huge nosedive with what they tried to pull.

So my question is this: Do I look like a loser? Do I look stupid? Do I look like I just fell off the turnip wagon? The answer is no to all three questions. So why is it these stores try to pawn off their crap to me? They don't even know me. I just don't get it. Here it is, three days later and I am still fuming.

But you should have heard me on Wednesday. My husband sure did. He kept telling me to let it go...how can I? I can see something like this happening once, maybe twice, but this has been going on most of my life and I am getting tired of it.

One day I will get even. And when I figure out how, you will be the first to know.

R.I.P. Gizmo

2011-12-04T00:02:00.025-05:00

This is a picture of Gizmo with one of her many kittens. She is responsible for most of the cats that we have outside in one form or another and she was Punkin's grandmother. She was a good mother to all her litters. Recently we lost her to an unknown illness.
This picture is her when she was a kitten herself. She grew up to become one of my favorite outside cats. She is the only cat, besides one of her kittens, that allowed me to touch her and she was always at my feet when I went out to feed.
This was Gizmo's mother, Kallie. I don't remember when we lost her.

I don't know what caused Gizmo's death. It was really strange the way it happened. One of our black cats had been lying around not feeling well I suppose and the next day Gizmo had joined the black one on a large pillow outside the hothouse. She never left the black one's side even after it passed on. We think she died of a broken heart...

Catching Up

2011-11-28T00:24:00.000-05:00

What a weird weekend this has been. No racing. The first weekend since February with no racing. I can't stand it. Well, maybe I can. But the new season starts a week later than usual. I think the Daytona 500 will be held on the 26th. That is three months away. Thirteen long weeks. But at least there will be some racing prior to the 500, so that's not too bad. I think I can last that long.

Actually, I am glad for this break. There are a lot of things NASCAR needs to do to spiffy up their racing. It was getting a bit boring there for awhile. Plus I was tired of hearing all the antics the Busch brothers were doing and it led me to believe they are in some kind of contest to see which one is the biggest butthead. And that's putting it nicely. So far I believe they are even.

We decided to go shopping Sunday because the kitten (Eli) needed his canned wet kitten food. We started at the pet store, continued on to get gas in the truck, and ended up at one of our two favorite grocery stores. Between the three of those places, we spent almost $250.00. Half of it was for all the cats. Dry food, wet food, treats, another litter box for Eli, and litter. I look at it this way: I don't have any grandkids so we spend our money on our grandcats. How's that for justification?

And speaking of Eli, he now weighs 2 lbs. 12 oz. By Wednesday he will probably weigh 3 lbs. He is 12 weeks old. Punkin' didn't weigh 3 lbs. until he was almost 16 weeks old.

We now have one holiday under our belts with two left, Christmas and New Years Day. At this stage of my life, I am not one to rush the days but I will be glad when these holidays are over with and we get back to a normal life. I say this every year.

One more thing before I end this: last week those rag-tag bullies with a dog-killer for a quarterback made my Giants look like fools. On Sunday the New England Patriots made those same Eagles look like fools. I feel so much better now.

The Day After

2011-11-25T12:38:00.000-05:00

I hope you all had a nice Thanksgiving. Ours was quiet. Just the two of us...and our four fur babies.

When my parents were still with us we always had our Thanksgiving Day at their house and most times my brother and sister and their families would be there too. Toward the end they kind of drifted away and had their celebrations at their own homes with their growing families. But since I only had one child, we continued to be with my parents. My mother always loved having her family around her for the holidays and we weren't going to deny her that enjoyment.

Our dinner yesterday consisted of a honey brined turkey breast, stuffing, gravy, mashed sweet potatoes, green beans, cranberry sauce and Bisquick's Impossible Pumpkin Pie that I made for the first time. I have always wanted to try one of their Impossible pies and just never got around to doing it, so this time I made the time and got it done. Now I want to try others.

Today I am going to be making a pumpkin-apple dessert in the crock pot. Oh yeah, I am looking for a new one of those, too. The dial broke off about a year ago and I have been turning it with some difficulty never knowing where it was, whether it was on low, high, or keep warm. I want to make things easier by getting one that is programmable (digital). Making things easier at this stage of my life makes me happier also. Nothing worse than being cross at a crock pot.

Getting back to yesterday...we watched all three football games. Although the Giants are now my number one team, I still have a spot in my heart for the 49ers so I enjoyed watching that game despite the fact that they lost and are now 9-2. Joe Montana and Steve Young and winning Super Bowls was right up my alley back then, until all those things went away and they became just another team. Yes, I kind of turned my back on them but don't forget that they are still number two and that's not so bad. Everybody should have a reserve team in case one goes wonky now and then.

So as I said, yesterday was quiet, just the two of us, watching football and doing other things off and on. No visitors, no phone calls...just the way I like it. I take after my father in that respect. And I have never complained about it. So naturally that meant there would be no craziness the day after, Black Friday. We always stay home. Where it's safe from all those frenzied nuts. If I need to buy something I am willing to pay a few more dollars and keep my sanity, what little I have left. No sense in losing all of it.

So once again, I truly hope you all had a nice day and for those of you who decided to mingle amongst the pepper-spraying crazies...good luck with your bargain hunting!

Ho-Hum

2011-11-22T12:24:00.000-05:00

Things have been mighty busy since little Eli has come into our lives. My schedule has been changed and almost everything is focused around him. Not everything, I shouldn't say that...but for the most part he is the center of most of our actions these days.

Mornings around here are so different from before. My first chore is to feed the three older cats, Dakota-Sioux, Junior, and Punkin'. After that the cats outside get fed, and then I can devote the next two hours to Eli while he is fenced off in the kitchen. I usually stay there with him doing odd things. For Eli, those two hours are filled with eating, drinking, and playing. He plays so hard that he tires himself out and usually falls asleep as soon as I put him in his pen.

That gives me approximately five hours before it is time to feed the cats outside. Once that is done, I can start on our dinner. Sometimes that is just where I slap anything on the table as long as it's food, or I cook a meal of meat, starch, and a vegetable or something similar to that.

And then once again it is time to get Eli out for at least another two hours. As you can see from all this, there isn't much time to do computer stuff like post more often than I have been doing.

Once our dinner is eaten and the dishes cleared away I do have an hour or two on the computer unless something else is more pressing. By 8:00 I am ready to sit in my recliner and watch TV. Once the news comes on at 11:00, guess what? It is time to get Eli out for at least an hour or so. I usually try to get him back into his pen by 12:30am or earlier.

By then I am so ready to watch The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, that crazy Scot. Once his show is over it is time for me to get to bed which is usually around 1:45am.

So there you have it, the reasons why I don't post as much as I would like to. Once we get an OK from the vet and can let all the cats mingle, things will be a lot different. Keep your fingers crossed that Eli gets a clean bill of health soon.

I Can Relate

2011-11-17T12:30:00.003-05:00

I am forever doing this. And I still haven't learned to feel on my head. And if I didn't have a husband to tell me where they are, or a mirror, I would never find them...

Pain In The...

2011-11-11T11:11:00.003-05:00

It goes without saying that I have had pain in my lower back for more years than I care to remember. And the worst of the pain is always felt immediately after getting out of bed. Years ago I decided maybe a memory foam topper would ease the pain. No dice. I kept it on the mattress though because it felt so good to sleep on it. Until I arose, that is. The pain stayed with me over the course of the day, especially since I spent most of my days sitting in a chair at a desk job for long stretches at a time. I learned to get up and walk around to ease the pain.

I have had X-rays done which show that the last three or four vertebrae are in sad shape, mostly due to the aging process I suppose.

I also have visited a chiropractor for relief and was eventually told that they could no longer help my back and offered other alternatives. None of which thrilled me.

Because of having a new kitten in the house, I sleep in my recliner so I am aware of any problems he might have during the night. My recliner is larger than most, and plumper (more plump?) I might add, so it is not uncomfortable in the least. I have also slept in it whenever my husband has been in the hospital. What I have discovered is that whenever I get out of that recliner after having spent the night in it sleeping, my back does not hurt. Not one bit.

I prefer sleeping in my bed due to many factors: it is quieter, it is cooler (I cannot sleep in a warm or hot room), and the three adult cats do not bother me all night long because I keep the door shut. Try getting a good night's rest with three cats walking all over you during the night. Not happening.

So now I guess all I have to do is find a way to make my bed seem like I am sleeping in my recliner. I have seen bed wedges but they are far too much of an incline; I only need a slight incline.

Maybe I can figure out the solution to this problem somehow. Until then, I will take turns sleeping in the recliner or the bed. And keep on complaining.

Here He Is, Our Newest Fur-Face

2011-11-03T17:50:00.001-04:00

The morning of October 10th was a very sad morning for me. I awoke at 7:00 AM which is very unusual but something told me to check on the kitten I brought into the house eleven days prior. I knew he was sick but I did have an appointment for him later that day at the veterinarian. I don't need to go into detail because it still saddens me, but the little guy passed away in his sleep during the night.

I took care of business for his burial and then removed everything that was associated with him. I told myself he was in a better place but that didn't make me feel any different. I felt a loss for the little guy but I also felt if I put everything away maybe I would feel better. That didn't happen.

Fast forward to around 7:00 PM that same night and I was sitting right where I am now doing what I do best: playing on the computer. There was a knock on my window and when I looked out there stood my husband with a tiny kitten in his arms, an almost exact replica of the one we lost that very morning.

I opened the window and my husband said, "Do you want him? he's healthy." Well, I couldn't say no...and husband didn't know where he came from either so there was no putting him back. He said he was standing by our shed thinking of what to do next, when this little ball of fur came running over to him, stopped and looked up, and then chirped away as if to say: "Take me home. The lady human needs me." And that is what I meant in one of my earlier posts when I said he came to us in sort of a divine intervention. I can't explain how or why all this happened, but it did, and I am more than thankful for it.

I now would like to formally present to you our little Eli two days after he came into our lives:
Of course you know who he was named after, don't you? Yes, that Eli...Eli Manning, quarterback for the NY Giants. (I forgot to use the flash)

Little Eli went to see the vet two days later, all 9.5 ounces of him. They wanted to draw blood to check for any viruses he might have but found that he was much too tiny for that. They sent him home with us, told me he was to be quarantined from the rest of our cats, and when he was bigger in a few weeks we should bring him back.

It didn't take him long to grow. Within two weeks he more than doubled his size to 20 ounces, or 1 lb. 2 oz., so I called the vet and made another appointment.

And here is Eli doing what he does best: play hard.
Today he was moved into larger quarters. Prior to this crate he was in a cardboard box with a much smaller litter pan. Here he is doing his business in the larger litter pan:
Eli is trying to escape. He eventually calmed down and stopped trying to find a way out.

Today Eli weighs 1# 9oz. By the end of November he will be seeing the vet again to make sure things are going OK with him. He has a few issues that need to be monitored till he is a few months older. And me? As with Punkin' two years ago I am taking it one day at a time with Eli.

Flying Time

2011-10-29T00:18:00.000-04:00

I was going to title this Time Flies but that's so common, so I changed it around to humor myself.

I honestly don't know where time flies to but it has been soaring lately. I am wrapped up in the kitten I am now raising and I am glad to report that he is coming along nicely. He has been quarantined from the other cats in the house because he hasn't had his blood analyzed yet. When I took him to the vet he was too tiny, but he has since doubled his weight so Monday he will have blood drawn.

Besides the kitten keeping me busy there is my normal housework (yuck!) and playing on the computer when I can find time. And let's not forget TV. That is something I take time out to do from 8-11 and a lot of times beyond. I have been making it a point to watch Craig Ferguson, that crazy Scot. He really cracks me up after a long, hard day.

My main reason for this post is to let folks know I am still here, and as soon as we get the results back from the test on Monday I will take pictures and let you know all about our newest addition. How he came into our lives, how he must have been the runt of the litter, and all kinds of things that weren't so good a few weeks ago and are so much better now.

So...stay tuned because I will be back.

On A Wild Goose Chase

2011-10-23T00:48:00.000-04:00

I am taking time out of my busy schedule to write about something that has me puzzled. My kitten is currently on kitten milk replacement and if you take the first letter of those three words you will get the brand name. He's 7 weeks old and they advise using it till they are 6 weeks old, but my little guy was probably the runt of the litter and is probably 2 or 3 weeks behind the curve, maybe more.

Trying to find that product is like looking for a needle in a haystack. Before we left in search of it, I checked at Wally World and found they had it at a great price. The highest price is $7.99 for an 8 oz. can. There is no way in hell I will pay that much, so when I found it at WW for only $3.46 I was elated. Till we got there and the shelf was empty. My husband spoke to someone on the floor and she said she could order it for us. They would get it in January 2nd. Oh, please, I won't be needing it then anymore.

Their next step was to call another store to see if they had any and of course they didn't. Then our next step was to go in search of it at the various pet stores in our area. What a joke. It seems they can't keep it in stock. Well, that's not true. What we found out from several sources is that the distributor only releases a small amount to each store on their list. The distributor apparently doesn't want their product sitting in warehouses. And that has me really baffled as to their reasoning behind that thinking. The cans I have been purchasing have a use by date well into 2013.

The can states that it is #1 but I can't see how if they are chintzy with their distribution. There is no other product out there that comes close to it though. And I guess because of that they "play" with the customer. I don't know if that's true, I'm only trying to justify why they do what they do.

We went to our old standby store that has great prices on their products. All they had were the bigger sized cans and since you have to use the entire product within 72 hours, I was afraid it wouldn't be used within that time frame and that I'd have to throw it out as instructed on the can. And if there's one thing I really hate doing it's throwing things like that away. It's a waste of money.

I ended up leaving that store empty handed. Our next stop was one of the high-end pet stores and even they didn't have any in stock. We ended up going back to the standby store and purchasing the 11 oz. size because it was the only thing we could find and besides I really needed it.

I think the smart thing to do at this point is to wean the kitten off this product and get him on their 2nd Step Kitten Weaning Food. I tried feeding the little guy wet kitten food from a tiny plate as well as a saucer of the replacement milk and he didn't handle it very well. He would get so tired of sucking the wet food that he would fall asleep, face first, into it. That resulted in him not being able to eat as much as he should have been eating and the result was that he wasn't getting enough food.

As a result of that I took matters into my own hands and concocted a mixture of baby food, the replacement milk and the wet kitten food and I feed it to him via a syringe. It has been working quite well, but I think it's time to do a little experimenting with his food again. If it doesn't work and he doesn't get enough food, then it's back to the syringe.

I am happy to say he is gaining weight...not much, but it's better than not gaining or losing for that matter.

When we finally got home today after all that running into and out of stores and I looked at that lonely can of milk replacement in my hand, I felt as if I had just gotten off the proverbial merry-go-round...finally.

I'm Not Going Anywhere

2011-10-19T19:07:00.000-04:00

I am thinking all the time as to what I can write about. There are many things I could say, but not enough to make into a meaty piece of writing. So one day passes into another and then I remember I have a blog and it's not being updated as much as I would like.

Let's see...my NY Giants are on top in their division and the SF 49'ers are doing very well this year (they are my second team). I was a bit sad to see the Phillies not make the playoffs even though I am a Mets fan first, and as far as the Eagles are concerned...they don't exist. Not as long as their quarterback is on the team. And I truly feel the time has come for their coach to walk off into the sunset...and take his friend (QB) with him. They deserve one another.

I am still reeling over the unnecessary death of Dan Wheldon. He was going to fill Danica Patrick's seat next year driving for Michael Andretti. Danica is moving to NASCAR full time. I think what hurts me the most is not only the untimely death of Dan, but the fact that he left a young wife and two little boys, the youngest only 6 months old. Sebastian and Oliver ~ they will never know their daddy. Such a loss.

You will remember I recently lost a kitten that probably didn't stand a chance even had I been able to get it to a vet. It passed away the morning of the vet appointment. Well, that same night another kitten came into our lives in a way that can not be explained other than divine intervention. Yes, I believe in those things.

The new kitten is now 6-1/2 weeks old but is very small for his size. He walked into our lives October 10th and two days later went to see the vet. The office girls estimated his age as being around 3 weeks old. I knew he was older and when the vet looked at him she said he was between 5 and 6 weeks old. He should weigh about a pound at this age, but he's only 11 ounces.

We finally have figured out a way for him to eat today and he did with such gusto it made my heart proud to watch him. I am working on a post solely about him, with at least one or two pictures, but I don't know how soon I will get to that.

Life in this house these days is frantic at best. With three other cats demanding my attention and many more outside depending on me for their food and water, I can only say I am loving every minute of it. They keep me busy and on my toes and I like it that way. Because without any of them, I would be sitting all day long either watching TV or on the computer. By having these cats in my life I feel that I have a purpose.

So if I don't write as much as you would like me to, just remember that I am always thinking of this blog and my readers and I will try to be better in the future. Once the little guy is bigger and we can put him in a crate instead of a cardboard box with a heating pad, things will be better.

Until then, be patient.

Rest In Peace

2011-10-17T01:08:00.000-04:00

1978 ~ 2011
Dan Wheldon

My Mistake

2011-10-14T15:30:00.000-04:00

My last post was about the kitten we took in from outside that was found wandering around without a mother or siblings. I suppose mom abandoned him because he was sick and I just could not see leaving him outside to the elements. It broke my heart everytime I would see him, so for eleven days I took care of him until he passed away in his sleep his last night on earth.

My other three cats are fine. I should say, my other four cats are fine. We have another kitten that has already been to the vet and is in good health. I will be writing a post about him when I find time.

Another Angel Is Among Us

2011-10-10T09:24:00.000-04:00

And God asked the feline spirit Are you ready to come home? Oh, yes, quite so, replied the precious soul And, as a cat, I am most able To decide anything for myself
Are you coming then? asked God. Soon, replied the whiskered angel But I must come slowly. For my human friends are troubled.

For you see, they need me, quite certainly. But don't they understand? asked God That you'll never leave them? That your souls are intertwined for all eternity? That nothing is created or destroyed? It just is...forever and ever and ever.

Eventually they will understand, Replied the glorious cat. For I will whisper into their hearts That I am always with them I just am...forever and ever and ever.
******************************************************

Rest in peace sweet baby, you will be missed forever and ever...

Another Addition

2011-10-05T19:27:00.000-04:00

My posts will be a lot less than normal for a few weeks because I am currently raising another little one that is approximately four weeks old, maybe a week to a week and a half older. It's hard to tell because I don't know when he was born.

After observing him for about three days, last Friday I decided to bring him into the house for a bath and also to try and raise him myself. He seemed to be very neglected and was just wandering around by himself. A very good telltale sign was a dirty hind end including his legs and tail.

It's not exactly what I had planned since I felt three cats in the house was plenty but this one couldn't be helped. I couldn't let him starve to death or freeze either since the weather changed from really nice to cold and ugly.

So I will be devoting a lot of my time and energy to him. In another week or so I can get him to the vet since they won't see kittens before six weeks for shots, etc. He will get his name (which I have already picked out) when he goes to the vet. Until then, nobody knows it but me.

This isn't a photo of him, but it's very close to what he looks like.

The Giants Pulled ANother One Out

2011-10-03T01:08:00.000-04:00

31-27 over the Arizona Cardinals

At least one good thing happened on Sunday. I won't go into detail about the Cup race and how Dale Jr. did because it's nothing to write home about. And that's all I'm going to write.

Just Dew It

2011-09-30T01:15:00.002-04:00

A sneak peak at Dale Jr's ride for 2012 starting with the Daytona 500.

Diet Mountain Dew will be his major sponsor along with National Guard and Amp (which is his major sponsor for 2011).

This is a Dale Jr.-designed car from start to finish. I think he did a great job.

A Very Busy Three Days

2011-09-26T15:15:00.010-04:00

My birthday was on Friday the 23rd and my husband's birthday was on Sunday the 25th. We usually celebrate both birthdays on one day but this year we celebrated them over the course of three days.

On Friday we started our weekend by going here:

This was the kick-off of the three days of eating. The food was good but I didn't over-eat, something that can be easily done at that place.

On Saturday we went to America On Wheels. It opened in April of 2008 and is not far from where we live but we just never got around to visiting the place. It is a museum that celebrates the heritage of over-the-road transportation in the US. There are all types of vehicles including many old trucks, motorcycles, cars etc. They recently opened a '50's style eatery inside called The Hub Cap Cafe but it was closed due to a private party. Someone was celebrating their 60th birthday. It was a raucous crowd...we took a peek in the door.

The old building on the right is part of a former meat packing company that was well-known in downtown Allentown, PA. It's nice that the museum kept that part and just built around it.

When we left there we ate at this place:

This was only our second visit to RT's and I enjoy going there, too, but we don't visit it enough to suit me. We both enjoyed one of their hand-crafted burgers which are large enough to feed two. That is why half of mine came home with me.

On Sunday we finally got around to going here:

I am so glad we saved this for last. It was worth the wait. They aren't open that long and we finally used the gift card my daughter and her boyfriend gave us for Christmas. I don't know what took me so long to go there, but once a procrastinator, always a procrastinator. I guess I am as bad as my husband when it comes to being one of those.

If you have one of these nearby I suggest you pay them a visit. Be forewarned though...they're not cheap. But the food is fantastic and we will be going again. But I highly doubt I will be ordering one of their desserts. We both chose the cheesecake drizzled with strawberry sauce with a few berries and a small dollop of whipped cream. Over the past years whenever we ordered cheesecake the piece given was always so small you could hardly see it on your plate. Well let me tell you that the cheesecake we got at this place was humongous. I couldn't believe my eyes when she placed it in front of me. But I had no trouble downing the entire piece and enjoying every bite of it. It is probably the last piece of cheesecake I will be having and it was the first piece of cheesecake I have had in a thousand years.

Bon apetit!

And Now The Fun Begins...Not

2011-09-23T01:18:00.000-04:00

I did something stupid again. Yeah, I use that phrase a lot.

This past Monday I received an email alert from one of the larger places that sell all kinds of racing memorabilia for just about any driver on the NASCAR circuit. I have ordered from them a lot over the years.

The offer that I got seemed like a good one, so I chose some items for Christmas gifts, gave my credit card information, and off I went to do something else.

The next day I got another email from the same company with a greater offer and decided I would also order the two items I almost ordered the day before but had decided not to.

Again, I gave my credit card information and was on my way. I used the same credit card. I only have two and I always pay them off every month no matter what the amount is. Sometimes there isn't an amount because I don't order that often.

On the third day I received another email from the same company...alerting me to the fact that my credit card was declined by V*sa on the second order. OK, now I am confused. If they took it Monday for an order, why was it turned down on Tuesday for another order? I checked my order at their website and sure enough it said right across the top: Cancelled. Well, how rude is that?

I whipped off an email to their customer service asking what was going on, why was my credit card good one day and not the next? I also called the number provided but had to leave voicemail since it was after hours. I hate when companies do that: send you emails to call them but they're no longer on the premises and you have to wait till the next day, and by then you are all calmed down and the urge to kill is gone. Takes all the fun out of life, doesn't it?

They called me the next day. The fault lay at my feet. I gave the wrong credit card information the second time. It is the new check card I just got from the bank and I haven't activated it yet, but I had added it to my list of cards. I had crossed the good one out when I added it so on that second day my brain deleted the good card numbers and saw only the non-activated card numbers. I don't blame V*sa for declining the card because they probably figured the card had fallen into the wrong hands and someone was up to no good. They didn't know they were dealing with stupid.

The good news is, my order was still intact and it is on its way to me. At least I hope it is. I received another email today stating that fact. However, that email told me my Ryan Newman Bass Pro Shops diecast was on its way. Ryan Newman? Really? I don't even like Ryan Newman. Well, I like him ~ just not as a fan.

I sent a reply to that email telling them they have their information wrong, do not send me a diecast (geez, they cost around $90 these days), just send me the two t-shirts of Dale Jr. that I initially ordered thank you very much.

It doesn't get any better than this, folks. I just cannot get rid of that darn bulls-eye on my back.

Monday, Monday

2011-09-20T00:26:00.000-04:00

Monday Monday, so good to me,
Monday Monday, it was all I hoped it would be.

Those are the first two lines of that Mamas and Papas song. Some of you might remember it, some won't. No matter, after Monday's good fortune I began singing it and couldn't get it out of my head. Now I know why.

The race at Chicagoland in Joliet IL was rained out on Sunday so it was held Monday. Junior started 19th. It was the first of ten races in the Chase For The Championship, and Junior finished 3rd. Can you believe that? Third! And he went from 10th in the points to 5th.

The Giants beat the Rams 28-16 on Monday Night Football.

It doesn't get any better than that.

Monday, Monday...

It Was Just A Simple Flu Shot

2011-09-16T00:01:00.018-04:00

...or so we thought.

It was a year ago today when we walked into the store that rhymes with Tall-Tart when we saw this sign above. That was our first mistake. The nurse that took our cards said it was only our primary insurance card that was needed. At least that's what I thought she said. That was the second mistake. Somehow in my mind I believe our insurance information didn't go through correctly and I had to give them the right information many months later. I think she asked for the wrong card even though I protested and thought she was wrong, so I'm still a little hazy on what actually took place that day. But what has happened since then is/was a tad of a nightmare for me.

The good thing is that as of now, the mess has finally been resolved and cleared up but the road getting to this point has been long, hard and rocky at best. I will try and keep it short, but believe me it will be difficult.

The insurance we had last year covered flu shots 100%. That was a given, no questions asked. So you are now thinking if they are covered 100% whatever problem could culminate from that? Oh dear Lord...go get a cup of whatever, pull up a chair, and listen to what I have to say:

Many months after our shots, we received two checks in the mail from the insurance company for those shots. That is not how things are done. The insurance company was supposed to send the checks to the lab that gave out the shots who had set up their little clinic for that purpose.

I called the insurance company and was instructed to send the checks back and was told at the time what to write on the front of the envlope so they get to the correct department. I was only too glad to do that since it was long overdue for the lab to receive their portion from the insurance company and they were already hounding me for payment. No amount of explaining to them as to what happened would soothe the person I was talking to at the lab. Which is in Arizona, by the way...clear across the country from where I reside.

Because I thought at the time that my problem was resolved, I did not document anything, nor did I write down the name and number I was instructed to write on that return envelope. That was my third mistake. Now it's three strikes and I am out. Every month thereafter I received a bill from the lab looking for their money. I felt it would take the insurance company awhile to convert those checks they sent us and forward new ones to the lab. Wrong!

Many months later I finally called the insurance company to find out why the bill wasn't being paid by them to the lab. They had no record of receiving those checks from me. Good grief! Now my panties were in a bunch. Meanwhile the bills from the lab are never-ending. So I called them this past April and the person I talked to said she would look into it. She did and she got my bill paid by the insurance company in May. At that time I thought my husband's was paid because we were not receiving any bills for his. Once mine was paid we then started getting bills from the lab for my husband's flu shot. All I could think was, here we go again, round and round...

I called the lab, I called the insurance company, and at that point I would have called the Governor or anyone else that would listen to my dilemma, which I knew was useless so I didn't call anyone else. The point is, when I called the lab I was told to call the insurance company, and when I called the insurance company, you guessed it, I was told to call the lab. I got frustrated and decided to try and forget about the entire situation thinking it would go away. But every month another bill would arrive from the lab. The nice thing is they never threatened us, never hinted about a collection agency, and that is why I wasn't too concerned at that point and I had hoped that eventually between the two of them they would get it fixed.

My last phone call to the lab finally got through the head of the person I spoke to because I said if my bill was paid why isn't my husband's bill being paid, since we both got the shot at the same place, at the same time, with the same insurance company, and using our same cards. I wanted to talk to the person that resolved mine and was told she no longer worked there. And to make things worse the person I was talking to needed to talk to my husband due to that privacy law and my husband wasn't home. I said I would have him call her when he was available. Apparently I had found another saint, because she started working on the problem as soon as I reluctantly hung up the phone not wanting to let go of that precious lifeline I had with her.

That afternoon, before my husband came home, the lab called to let me know they had received payment from the insurance company and the account was now closed. Can you say relieved?

This year's flu shots will be given by the drug store affiliated with our current insurance company. I will make darn sure things go correctly.

******************************

On another issue with the same insurance company, I had blood work done last November. That was another merry-go-round for me and I am happy to say it was resolved and has also been paid at the end of last month. My doctor's office used the wrong codes when they sent the claim to the insurance company and I didn't find that out for quite some time. That lab threatened a collection agency in not so many words, but I could read between the lines. Back in July when I saw my doctor and told him about it he said it would be taken care of. It took them over a month and that was not without a few phone calls from me to stick a pin in their behind.

We have new insurance this year, and so far things are moving along quite smoothly. Keeping my fingers crossed big time.

OK Already, I'll Write Something

2011-09-10T01:31:00.001-04:00

My reason for not writing can be blamed on the weather.

All this rain just made me so blue that I went into hibernation.

Nah, not really.

But I did build a boat.

Nah, not really.

OK, seriously, with all this rain we decided to check out a location that usually floods. I took my camera. I was a little disappointed when we didn't find anything. But I guess I should be glad because that means nobody in our general area was affected.

Places to the north, east, south, and west of us all had severe flooding. Hershey Park lost two of its bison because the water rose so suddenly they couldn't find higher ground and both drowned. How sad is that.

The sun came out today. I forgot what that was like. My cats outside were basking in the warmth and loving every minute of it. The ones that choose not to use the greenhouse to get out of the rain find shelter elsewhere and I imagine they aren't the best places to stay warm and dry.

Today is the last NASCAR race before the Chase. Yeah, I know that rhymes but I am too tired at this point to make anything out of it. What I am trying to say is that Dale Jr. is hanging on to 9th place by the skin of his teeth and he has to really roll up his sleeves and finish 20th or better in tonight's race if he wants to stay in the Chase.

I guess this will have to do until I come up with something brilliant to write about. Uh...don't hold your breath, I'm not that talented.

Can't Catch A Break No How

2011-09-05T00:35:00.000-04:00

Geez, I thought it was safe to go into the water, especially after having to fret through a hurricane and its aftermath and having to wonder why the ground was shaking a few days prior to the hurricane. Isn't that enough for one week? Do we need any more drama than that? Apparently so. let me explain...

My husband and I were sitting peacefully watching 20/20 tonight because the NASCAR race in Atlanta was being inundated by the remnants of tropical storm Lee and eventually was canceled till Tuesday morning.

At 9:45 the phone rang. Well, you know what they say about phone calls so late at night. It's never good. It was a recording from our water company and as it turned out, it wasn't good.

To make a long story short, we were told to boil our water before drinking, brushing our teeth, washing our dishes, or preparing food. Ah, just what I need at 9:45 on a Sunday evening. So now my TV show is interrupted and I have to get myself into survivor mode. Not so much for me, but what about my cats? They drink water all the time. And I just cleaned their water fountain today. I'm glad I didn't put a new filter in because I would have had to throw it out. What really upsets me the most, I guess, is the fact that they never addressed the issue of pets drinking the water. Why is that? Well, my cats are like my children and I was not taking any chances.

Our spigots outside are still connected to our well so those cats outside are OK. One less thing to worry about. The water authority said the water could contain disease-causing organisms. Ewwwwwww...

Oh yeah, those organisms can cause symptoms of diarrhea, nausea, cramps, and associated headaches. So I don't particularly care to see my cats with stuff coming out of both ends.

My husband came to the rescue by going to the grocery store and bringing back a large supply of bottled water, because they don't expect to have this remedied until Thursday. I can only hope they are true to their word.

What next? Didn't I just ask that in a recent post?

2011-09-02T01:38:00.000-04:00

Although we never lost power during the recent hurricane, we finally did something that we have been talking about for years. We bought a generator. We have lived in this house 25 years and in all that time we have lost power only once for quite some time. It wasn't long enough to have the food in both freezers thaw, but it did give me a lot of anxiety wondering if and when that would happen.

And now that we have this generator, I am sure we will never lose power because that is just the way things go with us.

On the other hand, I fried my microwave two nights ago. I was going to make baked potatoes like I always do. I hit the button for potatoes and after many minutes I finally tuned in to the sound of the microwave. It did not sound right at all. It was getting louder, as if it were kind of yelling at me. I walked over, looked inside, and saw nothing. Nothing! I quickly turned it off, took the potatoes that were setting right beside the door, and shoved them inside. They took quite long to get done, but they did get soft enough to eat.

Then I thought while I was on a kick I may as well try to heat the pickled red beets. No dice. My next step was to do the water test. I put water in a measuring cup and set the timer for three minutes. When the three minutes was up I stuck my finger into the water. It was as cold as when I put it in, and it was then that I knew my poor microwave done croaked. With my help.

We bought it in November 2008 so it isn't even three years old yet. I had a microwave that lasted well over 20 years, but the ones they make today are two- to three-year-old throw-aways. That's just the American way.

We Survived!

2011-08-29T01:31:00.000-04:00

The best part (if there is one) about Hurricane Irene is that she arrived after I went to sleep and for the most part she was pretty much gone when I woke up. The nasty high winds lasted long after the rain stopped though. We have a lot of tree limbs down and there are leaves all over the yard, but other than that everything seems to be OK. We never lost power, although my daughter did.

My first duty this morning was to go downstairs and check the basement and make sure it was still dry. After what happened to us back in 2008, I don't want to take any chances.

All the cats outside found shelter somewhere, with a lot of them hanging out in the greenhouse. And that included the latest kitten that is around two weeks old. The cats were my biggest concern when I heard nasty Irene was going to sail over our house for a bit.

First the earthquake, then a hurricane...now I am left to wonder what is next for this little corner of the world. Any ideas? No, don't tell me. I worry enough as it is.

What Next?

2011-08-27T01:37:00.000-04:00

First an earthquake and now a hurricane. I don't know which way to turn. Dear me. I think I will climb into bed, snuggle under the covers, and stay there till sometime next week.

Every living thing in this house (one person, three cats) will just have to help themselves because I do not like storms of any kind. Especially those that have wind and rain in them. No way, no how...I never did like the name Irene. And I don't mean to offend anyone with that name who is reading this now. I apologize. But I still don't like it.

Earthquake!

2011-08-23T17:51:00.000-04:00

As I sat at the dining room table reading the newspaper and having a cup of coffee, my chair was being attacked it seemed. My biggest cat, Junior, usually bullies that chair and I thought he was just doing his normal thing of putting his paws at the seat edge and pushing. I told him to stop and when he didn't I looked down and all around the chair and he wasn't there. But the chair was still being pushed.

It was one of those hmmmmm moments. I looked up at the chain hanging from our overhead fan and it was dancing and jumping back and forth. But the fan was on and I thought that may be the cause of the chain's movement. Finally, I looked at my philodendron plant and the leaves were waving like a small gust of wind went through the plant. It was at that very moment when the hmmmmm became WTF.

OK, so we have huge quarries in our area with one behind our house. It's far enough away but when they blast we can feel it slightly rock the ground. But never like what I was feeling today. It felt, actually, like something big was outside the house and pushing it back and forth...so I stuck my head out the front door to see if perhaps a car kissed the house. Or maybe the Jolly Green Giant was in town and nobody told me. Nope. I then walked from room to room looking out each window to see the cause of the movement and still saw nothing.

Giving up, I sat back down and continued on with my paper and coffee. Ten minutes later the phone rang. It was my daughter. She said she had just gotten up from a long nap when her phone rang. It was her boyfriend's father calling her to tell her we just had an earthquake. Wow, I never gave that one a thought. That would have been my last guess.

I've never experienced an earthquake. Older than dirt and yet the dirt has never moved me.

I checked it out on the computer and sure enough, we had a 5.9 'quake that emanated from Virginia and was felt as far north as Rhode Island and even into parts of Canada. They are saying on the news channels that this was the strongest one we've had in a hundred years. Gosh, I feel honored.

Great Game

2011-08-23T01:25:00.000-04:00

41-13, NY Giants beat the chicago Bears.

The King Is Dead...Burger, That Is

2011-08-21T00:25:00.000-04:00

I'm a grown-up (at least I think I am), but BK's mascot always scared the you-know-what out of me. Especially when he appeared in their TV commercials within the past year. I'm not sad to see him go, not in the least.

I always thought he was a deterrent rather than a plus in their advertisements and always questioned the Madison Avenue commercial gurus that elevated him to such extremes.

I have always preferred BK over Mickey D's and I still do. But since I stopped eating fast food hamburgers due to their fat content, not to mention crazy calories, my preference as to where we go for a quick bite to eat has changed.

Now, it's whichever place is closest when the hungries hit us.

So, goodbye King, your time has come and you are finally gone. I won't miss you.

To Grill Or Not To Grill

2011-08-17T23:59:00.000-04:00

There wasn't a week gone by that we never had food on the grill at least once. Sometimes it was a couple times during the week, too. But that was when I could go out to the deck through the patio doors to get to the grill. Not anymore. The doors have plastic sheeting on the outside and the inside has duct tape all around it. Welcome to my world!

Those things were done before winter set in. It seems a lot of cold air was coming in via the windows and all around the casing, too. So my husband did a quick fix. And now he figures it will keep the hot air out during the summer. Winter is looming ahead with nothing being done one way or the other. But I digress...

I was fairly happy I could no longer get to the grill because to be honest with you, I was getting tired of grilling. And I certainly wasn't going to be checking on the stuff on the grill while it was cooking by going out the front door and walking around the side of the house to get to the back yard where the grill was. That's asking an awful lot of me.

Of course, I could still grill in the driveway and pretend I was a redneck. Did I just write that? I don't mean to offend, because I would do that if I really wanted to and not think anything of it. I just don't want to grill anymore.

What I'm really getting at here is I will use every excuse in the book so I don't have to cook on the grill. Why, you ask? It's simple ~ after doing it all my married life (it all started with a hibachi) I finally put my foot down and said enough. Grilling, to me, is a man's job. Most men I know love to grill. My father always did it, my brother and most other men in my immediate family all take to the grill like a duck takes to water. So how did I get stuck with doing it, not only in my first marriage but my second one also.

And so another chapter in my life comes to an end. Since my husband has never grilled his entire life, I'm the one that is the loser with my choice to stop doing it. And the German part of me refuses to start doing it once again. It's been quite a few years since I wielded a spatula over a grill and I am not about to start again. I will quit while I am ahead.

On the other hand...if I had something like this I just might change my mind. I said might, so don't get too excited:

Sons of Anarchy Season 4

2011-08-13T22:45:00.009-04:00

This is my all-time favorite show besides Rescue Me (last season this year) and Justified which will not return until early next year for the third season. I was glad to see Timothy Olyphant was nominated for an Emmy for Justified.

Back to Sons of Anarchy:
When we left Jax Teller at the end of Season 3, this is what he looked like:

Pretty scruffy, huh?
And this is what he will look like when Season 4 begins on September 6th:

I will admit, I was a little shocked when I first saw his new 'do but the longer I looked at him, the more I liked him. He cleans up pretty nicely.

From what I have read, 14 months have passed from the last season to the start of this season and since the boys were in the slammer, Jax decided to go short while incarcerated. That was for the show, but I think the haircut was the result of a movie he did and he had to have shorter hair.

Either way, he looks yummy to me.

I Have One Child And I Am Blessed

2011-08-08T00:20:00.000-04:00

When I was growing up I never could relate to kids. As I got older into my 20's, that didn't change much. Until my sister had her first daughter. Then I wanted one too. And I wanted one right that very minute. Yes, I was married at the time. We weren't exactly the picture-perfect couple and we did have our moments, but I didn't care...I wanted my very own little girl.

She did't come easy. Her father had problems. His little swimmers weren't exactly Olympic champions. So off to the hospital I went to have a device inserted to help those little swimmers get to where they needed to go and do their business. There was nothing wrong with my innards, but his were very questionable. To make a long story short, I had an operation so I could have children. But I only wanted one child. And it had to be a girl. I was given three months for it to happen. And happen it did...at the last possible moment of the last month.

Back then we weren't privy to what sex the child would be. We had to rely on the needle test or some other crazy voodoo way of trying to tell what it would be. I always said it had better be a girl because if I had a boy I would leave him at the hospital. And I wasn't kidding. I didn't think I had it in me to raise a boy. Besides, I wasn't planning on staying with the father.

And so, seven years after she was born, I left him. I walked away from a 3 bedroom brick ranch home that we built and had almost paid off. But that wasn't important to me. I needed to keep my sanity and also feared for my life. For those seven years I walked on eggs. He kept a shotgun in the house and only he knew where the bullets were. Eventually I got up the nerve to leave and in the middle of the night, while he was out drinking, we did just that.

I raised her on my own for the next eight years until the both of us were rescued by the man I am married to now. A saint and a savior. He helped me raise my daughter through the toughest years: the teens. We must have done something right because she turned out absolutely fine.

My little baby girl is no longer little or a baby. But she is the only one I have because that's all I ever wanted. The Lord blessed me in many ways and I am very thankful for that.

We're Off To See The Vet Today Updated

2011-08-02T00:51:00.001-04:00

Doesn't she look nice and peaceful? She won't be that way once I get her in the softside carrier and we are on our way to the vet. She will whine and caterwaul like the dickens from the time we pull out of the driveway till we walk in the door at the vet. Once we're inside she calms down right away.

She carries on like someone is torturing her. It hurts my ears. I have no idea where she thinks she's going and what we're going to do to her. Other than the shot she will be getting, this should be a breeze for her. Where do they get the idea we are taking them to some nasty place anyway? Like I would ever do that...or even think of it.

And we get to do this all over again in another month when Punkin' has his appointment. But he's easy. Yes, he cries, but because of his lack of vocal cords, it's not half as bad as Dakota and her wailing.

***************************************************

We almost didn't make the vet appointment today due to Dakota not wanting to get into the carrier. I had her in but she jumped out just that quickly. And the chase was on. Her first safe place to hide is under one of the sofas and there are three of those to choose from. First it was in the family room. I pulled everything to the middle of the room and that is when she ran into the living room where there is a three-seater and two-seater. Back and forth, back and forth...till I was frazzled beyond belief.

To make a long story short I was able to corner her and get her into the carrier. But by then the appointment was less than five minutes away and it is a 10-15 minute drive to the vet. I called ahead and they weren't sure about taking us and wanted to reschedule for later this afternoon. Not wanting to go through what I did already, I talked them into taking us because I assured them we would be there within ten minutes or less. And we were. And Dakota sang all the way to the vet and then all the way home. I think she is practicing for American Idol or maybe that new show, The Voice. She'd win, hands down.

Don't Tell Me What To Do ~ Ask First

2011-07-28T15:40:00.002-04:00

I'm not one to take direction lightly. Unless you ask first, of course. If someone tells me what to do I will react accordingly and it ain't pretty. But if someone asks me, in a decent way, I will be more than happy to accomodate.

This has been a problem all my life. I am what many people call a loner. And that means that I prefer to be left alone, sometimes in my own little world. I get along with other people; it's just that I prefer to not only do things by myself, but to be left alone the majority of the time.

And looking back to my last job (yeah, that one...where I was cast aside like someone's half-eaten breakfast), that is what may have started some of the people in my office to not like me. I am the type that if I like someone I will most definitely talk to them. But if I do not like someone, I will go out of my way to ignore them. Of course, if spoken to, I will converse back. Just don't ask for it to be something profound. More often, it will only be my hidden politeness coming out. And that doesn't happen very often.

I have found that the older a person gets, the more ballsy they are. I am living testament of that. These days, there is hardly the person who will get ahead of me when it comes to conversation, or anything else for that matter. My best behavior comes out when I am on the phone. Call me at the wrong time, and they will not be happy they did. But the best is when I find an error in, perhaps, a bill from the our health insurance company or any health-related bill for that matter (and there are plenty of those these days because nobody seems to want to do their jobs right anymore), and I will practically rip them a new one.

No, I'm not a loner to the extent that you would call me a hermit. I do have a husband and three cats. I am quite normal, I think. I do talk on the phone and I can be civil. I don't cotton to stupidity much either. I had friends throughout my entire life. But it was always one close friend, and not several at a time. I can't handle too much of that friend stuff. It gives me a closed in feeling and I can't breathe. I like to have all the freedom I can get when I can get it, which is much of the time.

So there you have it; a little peek into my psyche. Aren't you glad you did?

*************************************************************
I wrote this and stored it away a few years ago. Since I haven't written anything in over a week, this will have to do until my brain stops cooking from all this heat and I can think once again.

Finally...It's My Turn

2011-07-21T00:15:00.019-04:00

Hi, my name is Punkin'. I came into this world on August 9, 2009, along with several brothers and sisters. I can't remember how many or what colors they were anymore, but eventually I was the only one that survived.

My mother, who the lady human called Mini-Me because she was exactly like her mother (my grandmother), found a great place to keep me dry and off the ground: underneath an overturned pickup truck bed-liner on a trailer full of landscaping blocks. My home, when my mother left me for a few hours, was on a board and that is where I slept till she would come back.

When I was 5 weeks old, Mother went on her usual adventure one rainy Saturday after feeding me and saying she would be back for the next feeding. She liked to walk alongside the road to get wherever it was she was going. The humans left that Saturday in their truck and were gone most of the day. Mother didn't come when I called for her and I was hungry. I cried. And cried. And soon I couldn't cry anymore because my vocal cords stopped working. I tried to sleep but with an empty tummy it wasn't easy.

Finally I heard the human's truck pull into the driveway and they were only a few feet away from me. I kept quiet because I didn't want them to know I was there, just like mother taught me. Oh, she and grandmother would let the lady human pet them but Mother told me, be careful, son.

The humans went into their house but soon one of them came out and walked by me. When she came back from what she went to do, I decided enough is enough, I am hungry, so I made a few chirps because that's all I could muster up by then. The human went back into the house and I felt I was not going to be rescued. And then a great thing happened...they both came back out and while one lifted my shelter up the other one scooped me up and put me into a soft warm blanket inside a box. And the lady human comforted me with her warm soft hand...it made me feel so much better. I didn't know that some reckless nogood swerved for Mother while she was walking alongside the road and left her to lay in the rain. The humans found Mother and cried while they buried her.

That box became my bed for the next several weeks in the same room the humans slept. I would be brought out in the morning and would play till I got sleepy. I have since been told that when the lady human awoke she never heard me and was always afraid to look in the box. I just sat there like a good boy and waited for her to pick me up and feed me.

Here I am in one of the many things the humans had at that time:

This is my older brother. He always cuddled with me and took good care of me. He and I spent a lot of time on this ledge looking out the window at the birds:
The human lady tells me this is her favorite picture of me. I'm a little poser, can't you tell?
This is pretty much how I look today. Quite the good-looking man wouldn't you say? I think I turned out pretty good for all that I went through. This was taken almost a year ago and I have grown a tad since then, but not much:
I'm told I was a very sick kitty and the humans were so worried that they thought I wasn't going to make it. But after what they did for me how could I let them down? Of course, I had to visit that place that had what they call a vet and the first visit wasn't so bad because I didn't know what it was. Actually the ones that followed weren't too bad either, but I was young...what did I know? Now? I let them know in no uncertain terms that it is the absolute last place I want to go. They don't listen, though.

The vet said I was carrying a nasty parasite inside me from when I was outside and I probably would have died eventually. The medicine I had to take (yuck!) chased the parasite away but it didn't happen for quite some time. I know the humans were worried sick over me and I tried my best to get better. And then one day it happened: the parasite was gone and the vet said I was going to be all right. I know she was worried too because when I made my first visit to her she just shook her head and had a sad face. She said I was very tiny for my age.

But I am here today and I will be having my second birthday in a few weeks and I will be celebrating with my sister, Dakota-Sioux, and my brother, Junior, who were born August 8th of 2006 and adopted by my humans when they were both 13 weeks old. And, oh yeah, the lady human? I now refer to her as Mommy.

(Mommy's note: to this day, Punkin' does not "talk" due to the overuse of his vocal cords on that damp, rainy Saturday in early September. He will always be my baby no matter how old he gets. My miracle baby.)

Here We Go Again

2011-07-19T01:09:00.000-04:00

OK, I know the majority of this country is hot. And I know others are complaining about the heat. But I have had it up to here with these dang heat waves. We are now in the middle of one and when it ends another one will start right up the next day with no break in between. Now, this I cannot understand. Wouldn't that just be considered one long heat wave? Why break it up in two segments? Goofy meteorologists.
Husband has one day left for physical therapy and that will be this Thursday. Another chapter over and done with. Three knee operations in six years. He's a very brave man, I tell ya. I hope I never have to get any of my knees operated on. Or anything else for that matter. I am cranky enough as it is without having to sit around and wait for something to heal.

Punkin' has been tweaking his contribution to this blog and should have it finalized sometime this week, I hope. See you then.

Just Another Friday...Not

2011-07-16T02:05:00.000-04:00

My Fridays are usually spent watching racing on TV. They have a few practice sessions and then there is qualifying, things of that nature. But yesterday was a tad different. My husband had an appointment to see his knee surgeon. It is almost three months since his operation. I am glad to report that things are looking good despite his almost constant pain. Doc just told him to take his pain meds. Not the addicting ones, thank you.

After we left the doctor we went to McDonald's across the street from Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom. As we ate our lunch we watched the different rides which included the roller coaster. I miss going on those rides but since my husband doesn't like them, we don't go on them.

A lot of times when we visit McDonald's we get the soft-serve ice cream cone for a buck. It's a nice sized cone for that price, you can't go wrong. But today my husband had something else on his mind: going to a local mom and pop type store in search of Hershey's Ice Cream, not associated with Hershey Park. He called a lot of places Thursday to ask if they sell Hershey's and found two close to us. There was a time you could get that brand in most of the larger grocery stores in our area but those days are over. Now the few stores that sell it are far and few between and the products are in freezers with sliding doors on top. There is a distribution center in our area so we may try to visit that and see if we can purchase from them directly.

We each got a cup of ice cream, his had chocolate and marshmallow and mine had vanilla and caramel, but they were really frozen solid so we ate them when we got home. Delicious. I cannot remember when I last ate Hershey's Ice Cream.

I was able to watch qualifying for Sunday's race. Another disappointing qualifying run for Dale Jr. He is as bad as his father was when it comes to qualifying. But at least his father went on to win a lot of races. I am beginning to think Dale Jr. won't be winning any races anymore, and it is very frustrating. All his fans (Junior Nation) are wishing him the best for Sunday's race at Loudon, NH.

Before I sign off, I want to wish my best friend a very happy birthday. She knows who she is.

Holy Hell It's Hot Again

2011-07-12T00:59:00.000-04:00

Sorry for the cuss word in my title, but it's how I feel. Who opened the door to hell anyway? Where is all this dang heat coming from? I am so sick and tired of it. I can't remember it being this hot for as many days as it has in my entire lifetime. Thank God for air conditioning. I just wish I could pass some of it on to the cats outside.

OK, so I am a tad depressed. Who wouldn't be? What with this heat, the stupid verdict for the Anthony trial, and all the other trials and tribulations going on with this country. Every morning when I get up and read the paper I am wondering which country it will be that will own us. Because our leaders sure as shootin' are taking us to hell in a handbasket.

And to make matters worse I am currently fasting because first thing in the morning I have to get blood drawn again. I swear my doctor thinks I'm a pin-cushion and that I just enjoy the hell out of having someone stick a needle in my arm and then wait till they get the amount of blood needed. I have never liked needles and I always look away when that nasty deed is being done.

I have given space here to both my older cats in recent days and I would like to say that my youngest, Punkin', is helping me create his post. Stay tuned. He's a baby yet, so it takes him a little longer.

She's Getting What?????

2011-07-08T01:23:00.000-04:00

Good grief, that Anthony woman is getting out of prison already. At first they said it would be Wednesday, July 13, 2011. It has since been changed to Sunday, July 17th.

Everybody run for cover! Hide your kids!

Seriously, I am really wondering how she is going to handle herself out in the public. The very same public that views her as Public Enemy #1. For now, I am thinking eventually the public will get over what she did (or didn't do in her mind), and things will get back to normal.

As of now, the judge asked for a "cooling off" period as to whether or not the jurors' names should be released. Do we really want to know them? Those very same people that could not convict a baby killer? Accident or no, she is still the reason that little girl is dead.

Lightning struck a tree yesterday at the memorial where Caylee's remains were found. Somebody is telling someone something. And like one of the analysts on HLN said, Karma has a short leash. And like I always say, what goes around comes around. I just hope Caylee gets redemption before I leave this earth. It would be a shame to miss that.

No Justice For Caylee

2011-07-05T18:28:00.001-04:00

Rest In Peace, Sweet Baby

Somehow, sometime, somewhere this innocent child will get justice. It doesn't always happen right away. They say good things take time, and I believe when that time comes, a certain person had better be prepared.

I was absolutely disgusted when I heard those not guilty verdicts. They say she didn't murder her daughter. Well, then, who the hell did? Who did those unspeakable things to that precious little girl?

Like OJ (and we all know who I mean), Caylee's mother will get her just due. Maybe she didn't "murder" her, but she is totally responsible for her death in one way or another. That I firmly believe and always will.

What a crock of shit when 12 people somehow justify their verdict and come up with the BS that they did. And then they don't even have the balls to hang around and tell us why they went that way. They are all a piece of work, aren't they? I could go on and on about this, but I am tired after all these weeks of testimony. And, by the way, what a waste of taxpayers' money, what a waste of our time, what a waste of TV, what a waste...

Did She Or Didn't She?

2011-07-03T00:52:00.000-04:00

Since I wrote about the trial and was asked about the outcome, I will put a few thoughts out there. I don't want to say too much because I don't want to bring attention to my little blog because of "her".

I think her daughter was getting to the point of being able to say a lot of things like mommy doesn't go to work, mommy doesn't have a nanny, well...you get the picture. She did not need her baby to tell the grandparents what was actually going on. Because of that, the little one had to be quieted, and the less she knew the better off mommy was. So mommy searched chlor-o-form back in March and I believe that was used to keep the little one quiet. Where she put her I have no idea, because the trunk of a car is just too hot in mid-June. But then again, the little one did die so that could have been the cause. Mommy panicked. She knew she was in a hell of a lot of trouble, so for 31 days she went on her merry way concocting story after story and the more she told, the bolder she grew. Each lie was said with greater conviction till she actually started believing them. To this day I think she still believes her own lies.

The outcome? Guilty, but no death penalty.

The Trial Is Nearing The End

2011-06-30T15:50:00.000-04:00

Sorry for not posting more than I have been, but the Casey Anthony trial has me so mesmerized that I cannot tear myself away from it.

I turn the TV on, after making sure I get up early enough, around 8:30 or 9:00, depending on when Judge Perry tells us court will start the next day.

And then I watch all day long, and I hate it when they take little recesses, and I especially hate it when they take an hour and a half for lunch. Usually they go till 5:00 but some days they go longer. And when they finish long before 5, I really get irritated.

It is winding down now, the defense rested their case earlier today. I can only say at this point that after watching this trial from day one, I would not want any of those lawyers on the defense team to represent me. Ever.

So bear with me folks because as long as this trial is ongoing, I will be of no use to anyone.

And I would like to add that I tried to post this after midnight but Blogger was being a royal pain in the butt and no one could access their blogs to post.

Marco Finally Wins One

2011-06-26T00:02:00.001-04:00

I have been following Marco's career since he started racing, and last night for the second time in his career I was able to see him win. He won his first race as a rookie back in 2006 at a road course in Sonoma, California.

Saturday he won the Iowa Corn Indy 250 which is an oval course. The last time an Andretti won on an oval course was when his father, Michael, won in 2000 at Motegi in Japan.

It's been a long time since I've been able to see him win, and race after race all I could do was hope. Saturday made it real. Finally.

The Andretti clan resides in the Lehigh Valley and that makes us neighbors so to speak since I live in the Lehigh Valley also.

Congratulations Marco! Now, give us some more wins this year.

DoraTheExplorer

2011-06-21T01:16:00.000-04:00

Her real name is Dakota-Sioux. I call her Dora every time a new empty box appears in our house. Dakota is always the first one to find it. And of course, just finding it doesn't do the trick. No, the trick is to crawl into it and make it hers so no one else can get in. And God forbid anyone tries to get in because she will bat them into next week.

She's not a fighter...she just doesn't want to share her new found space. I remember when this box arrived in the house. It came in the mail and inside it was my breadbox. I put the empty box up fairly high and before I knew it there was Dakota making it her own. She is, after all, our little princess and the two boys just don't stand a chance with her around.

Sillipuss

2011-06-17T00:29:00.000-04:00

With nothing much to write about these boring days, I was scrolling through my older photos when I came upon this one of our Junior.

This is the soft-side carrier I use to take the cats to the vet. When we bring the cat home (whichever one was the luckier of the two that visit the vet), I usually just let the carrier on the floor somewhere until I have time to put it away out of their sight.

Both Punkin' and Dakota cannot be shown that carrier on a day one of them is going to the vet. They would hide themselves so deep under the furniture I wouldn't find either one for days. And on the ride to that famous place, they both howl like it's a full moon. I have to keep the carrier out of their sight until it is time to leave, carry either one into the bedroom where the carrier is on the bed, and pop them in. And sometimes that's not even easy to do.

Needless to say, Junior has never been to the vet since he got his you-know-whats cut off. So he has no idea what that carrier is or what it's used for because if he did he would not want to crawl in it and wait to be taken away.

Nope...this particular day he just thought it was another place to crash. He's a big boy, so he took up the entire space inside. And it makes me giggle every time I look at this photo.

Pulling My Hair Out

2011-06-13T00:02:00.000-04:00

I rely heavily on my Favorites list. Today I wiped it out. I don't know why or how it happened. I was deleting my daily cache inquiries and I guess I went a tad too far.

I thought a system restore would do the job but every time I have tried that since purchasing this computer I have not been successful. I used to do that all the time on the other computer and it always worked when I got myself into a stupid jam. I probably could have retrieved what I tossed from the recycle bin but that was emptied before I realized what happened.

So I spent a good portion of today trying to remember what I had in my Favorites list. Not an easy task. I am sure a lot will come to me as I skip down the merry lane of stupidity.

I can live with what I did to my list but what really has me scratching my head is not being able to do a system restore on this computer. It's only a little over a year old. Does anyone out there know what it could be? I have Windows 7.

There was a boring race on TV Sunday at the Pocono Race Track. The driver who has been holding on to first place in the points with a healthy lead got bit in the butt today and had to drop out of the race. The drivers under him made major advances because of his stumble. With this new points system it doesn't take much to scramble the drivers after any given race. As a result of Carl Edwards' mishap Sunday, Dale Jr. is still in 3rd place but is now only 10 points out of first place, and 4 points out of 2nd place. Before yesterday's race, he was 41 points out of first place, so by finishing 6th in the race he gained 31 points. Good deal.

One of these days he is going to win a race and all hell will break loose. I will party till the cows come home, even though there are no cows within miles of here. Suffice it to say, that will be a long party.

Back To Square One

2011-06-09T00:00:00.000-04:00

We hit 97 degrees today and Thursday will be hotter yet. The only good thing is that by Friday the heat won't be quite as bad. They say a cold front is moving in and we will drop to the mid-eighties. Cold front? The only time I get a cold front is when I stand with the refrigerator doors (they're French) open.

I spent the entire day watching (or at least listening) to the Casey Anthony trial. They started the day off with the second cadaver dog and then went into the computer inquiries. Now THAT was very interesting. Especially some of the things that were looked up on her computer when her parents weren't home. Yet they still cannot prove it was her that used the computer those two days back in March...yeah, three months before her baby went missing. Pre-meditated?

NASCAR will be racing at Pocono this weekend. Once again it will be hot for the drivers. It seems the heat follows them. Last weekend they were in Kansas and it was hotter 'n Hades there, too. Speaking of NASCAR...someone finally took a shot at that vile Kyle (CRYle) Busch and tried to put him in his place. The only trouble is, it was a car owner and he was fined $150,000.00 and put on probation until December 31st. But he said it was worth it. He got tired of Busch beating and banging and wrecking his equipment. Richard Childress is my latest hero. He walked up to the kid in the garage, handed his watch to his grandson, put Busch in a headlock and commenced to bounce his fist off his face. No shiner though. Too bad on that account. Busch told him he hits like an old man. Well, Mr. Childress is 65, what did he expect?

Another Close One Sunday

2011-06-06T00:38:00.000-04:00

By that, I mean Dale Jr. almost won the race. Last week he was leading and on the fourth turn just before the finish line he ran out of gas but was able to finish seventh. And this Sunday he was in second place just hoping what they were saying about the leader was true: that he would run out of gas and Junior would win the race. Didn't happen, folks. And so we wait another week. Next Sunday the race will be north of me at Pocono Raceway. I've been there a few times and two years ago I was lucky to see Dale Jr.

Now for the weather: more heat and humidity is on the way. We have air conditioning, but for some reason when it gets so dang hot outside it just seems more unbearable inside. Husband hasn't installed the new air conditioner in my computer room yet and I have been using a personal fan. It works fine on most days but when we get high humidity the poor little thing just doesn't cut it.

I will miss much of the Casey Anthony trial today because husband is having his annual stress test along with two other tests. We will be at the cardiologist's facility for almost four hours. I have my goody bag packed and ready to go. My current book and the newspaper will keep me occupied also. The best part will be when he is done and we go somewhere to eat dinner.

This is also husband's last week of physical therapy for his knee and then he sees his knee surgeon again next Monday. With all these appointments we will be out and about every day. I am getting too old for this.

The cats that had kittens finally took them elsewhere so they can teach them how to hunt and fear humans. One mother decided she would rather stay close to home so her three kittens are still up here by the house. She lets me pick them up without a fuss but I don't know how long that will last till she too decides to take them away. I've had a rough couple of weeks since most of them were born but things are a whole lot different now that I no longer have to worry about them 24/7. Finally.

Ahhhhhh...I Can Breathe Again

2011-06-03T00:48:00.000-04:00

This cooler weather is much, much better than that 90's crap the past three days. When I stepped outside this morning I couldn't believe how beautiful it was. So much so that I actually hated to come back inside. There was such a nice breeze on the front porch, it was very tempting to just sit there and read the newspaper I retrieved from the end of the driveway. That was out of the question since a husband and three cats were waiting for breakfast.

I could live with this weather year round. But life is not nice and here I am in Podunk USA where the weather has many, many seasons.

I have been spending a lot of time watching the Casey Anthony trial on HLN and also live streaming on the computer. For those of you unaware of the case, little Caylee, a beautiful 2-1/2 year old toddler, went missing and her mother didn't report it for 31 days and then only because she was confronted about where her child really was. That was back in 2008 and now she is on trial for murder. Everyone knows she did it, and the state is pushing for the death penalty. I have never seen someone lie as well as Casey. And I think she believes her own lies. To say that she is a sociopath in every sense of the word is putting it mildly. Her defense lawyer is a real putz, he makes me want to reach out and slap him silly.

So for the next few weeks I will be glued to the trial and my housework will just have to wait. Like that really bothers me anyway.

HOT HOT HOT

2011-05-30T23:52:00.001-04:00

I tried to post something last night and couldn't get in, so when I tried again tonight and still couldn't get in I became concerned. I fiddled around until I found a backdoor and entered and here I am. I just hope this is not going to be an issue with my not being able to access my blog to post.

It is now 11:45pm and the temperature outside is 80 degrees. Ho-ly hell. We were in the lower 90's today and they expect it to be that for the next couple of days. What did we do to be punished thusly? This country is going to hell in a hand basket in more ways than one. I don't like this weather. The cats and their kittens outside are not amused by it either.

To make matters worse, the weather people said there would be no rain overnight. Liars. At 5:25am I was awakened by thunder and lightning with a lot of that wet stuff pouring out of the sky. I was able to somehow get myself back to sleep so I have no idea how long it lasted. When I went out to take care of the animals the heat just smacked me in the face. All that rain...for nothing. And as much as I groused about all that rain day after day a week or so ago, I would welcome it now. So would the cats.

Today was a long day for me. It was just the two of us so it didn't seem like a holiday at all. We decided to go out to eat for dinner but we came right back home to our air conditioned home. Husband starts his third week of physical therapy tomorrow but only has two days this week. Next week will be his final week hopefully, and then it is off to see his surgeon again.

Going 128 MPH in a 45 MPH Zone

2011-05-25T18:42:00.000-04:00

Yes, you read that correctly. That is exactly what NASCAR driver Kyle Busch was doing in Iredell County, North Carolina, yesterday.

It seems that Toyota gave him a 2012 Lexus to test drive and with his wife, Samantha, by his side he decided the best place to do that was on a two lane curvy road in North Carolina. When he was finally pulled over by police, it was in a church parking lot. He should have headed straight inside and gotten on his knees.

Just beyond where he was stopped they say there are two schools, both of which were ready to dismiss classes for the day.

Why am I writing about this? Certainly not because I am a fan of Kyle Busch, because I'm not. I wouldn't give him the time of day and I don't like giving him space on my blog either. What has me really pissed off about this whole situation is the fact that NASCAR said he didn't do anything wrong and they are staying out of it, saying it's a police matter.

Say what? The little jerk is already on probation from NASCAR for what he did at the track a few weeks ago when the race was over and he rammed Kevin Harvick's driver-less car and sent it into the wall on pit road.

It's an outrage how he is left go and is unpunished for his childish rants. I guess once he kills someone maybe then they will sit up and take notice. But by then, it will be too late.

Under The Weather

2011-05-23T00:08:00.000-04:00

Just when I thought it was safe to go into the water we are getting more rain. That water quote is from the movie Jaws. I use it a lot.

Right now there is not much going on with me. I'm not exactly sick, per se, but I would consider myself under the weather a bit. I am in a sort of funk these days. I would say it was one main thing but really it's not...it's a combination of a lot of things.

I will deal with it myself and figure out a way to kick me in the butt and get me back to normal. That may take awhile. I'm a slow learner.

Going Crazy From All This Rain

2011-05-18T00:29:00.001-04:00

The past few days have been nothing but rainy and dismal which is enough to depress even the happiest person.

Husband started outpatient therapy on Monday and has appointment times set up for two more days this week. He also has his times set for the following three weeks before going back to see his surgeon.

This Friday it will be four weeks since his surgery and I can't believe how that time slipped by at such amazing speed. I'm surprised I don't have whiplash.

All the female cats decided to have their kittens in the greenhouse this year. Probably because the weather is so nasty. I have never seen so many kittens at one time. I have three boxes out there so the little ones don't get lost. I have no idea which kittens belong to which mother. It's like a hippie commune.

There is one cute story about them. One of the mothers had her two kittens two weeks before the others started having theirs. At that time she and another female were playing musical kittens. It was put and take for many days. I sort of lost track of them, too. Now that mother keeps trying to steal one of the other kittens that doesn't belong to her. Twice I have seen her with it in her mouth trying to make a beeline for somewhere else and twice I have seen the mother of that kitten stop her and make her bring it back. It's really comical to watch.

A Successful Day

2011-05-14T00:54:00.000-04:00

Friday the 13th started out with a trip to husband's surgeon. It was his first visit after having surgery on his knee. We found out he only lost 7 lbs. during the entire three weeks. Let me tell you, his appetite still hasn't come back, so I thought he would have lost at least 15 lbs. That was kind of a shock to both of us.

His surgeon was very pleased with the way things have gone so far and we are all keeping our fingers crossed that they continue to go well. After having his knee cut open for the third time, we are kind of hoping it is the last time. Neither of us want to go through this again. But both of us said that last time, too.

There has been one nagging problem as a result of this recent operation, and that is husband's blood pressure. When the visiting nurse took his BP I would write it down because I couldn't believe what I was hearing. It was always very low. Too low for my comfort. He has always been in the range of 114/70 but when that bottom number was no better than 50 with some readings at 48 and the top number around 90-95, it was cause for me to be very concerned. I mentioned it to the surgeon's main nurse in his office and she agreed. She suggested we talk to his cardiologist and see if he would rearrange his meds.

When we came home I called his doctor and was able to get an afternoon appointment. The outcome of that meeting got some of his meds changed. He was told to stop taking one (his second most expensive one), cut another in half, plus they added a generic to take the place of the expensive name brand med. Since his blood pressure was so dangerously low, it was causing him to be lightheaded and dizzy and that in itself is very scary for me. I can't risk him falling and damaging his knee.

The other good news is he is now cleared to drive. He drove to and from the cardiologist's office. I wasn't looking forward to that (I was going to drive) because it is quite some distance on a major thruway, so when he said he would drive I was quite relieved. I must say, my little Mustang sure has had a workout since this knee operation.

The major portion of this operation is behind us. Monday he starts out-patient physical therapy. The script says three times a week for four weeks. I thought I would have to drive him the first week at least but that's no longer the case. Another relief.

Friday the 13th turned out to be a good day after all.

A Time For Celebration

2011-05-10T00:28:00.002-04:00

The weather has finally turned gorgeous. Warm, soft breezes without the humidity. A beautiful day to be outside with more to come...until that nasty old rain shows its ugly head again come the weekend.

You would think my husband would want to go outside and at least sit on the front porch and take in the fresh air. Nope...he prefers to stay inside moving from bed to table to chair and back to bed again. In between there he reads the paper, eats, uses the bathroom, and does little else. Sometimes I just don't understand him. He hasn't been outside since he came home two weeks ago.

But he will be going out Friday when he has an appointment to see his surgeon.

Meanwhile, the physical therapist was here yesterday and was so pleased with my husband's progression. He is much farther along than anyone expected him to be at this stage of the game. His measurement numbers and angles of knee bends are off the charts so at least he has that going for him.

The knee wound has butterfly bandages on, and once they drop off it means another chapter over and done with. The physical therapist returns Thursday and will discharge him then. He is currently using the walker but PT hopes to have him using a cane to go to the doctor.

Next week is the start of outpatient physical therapy. The place we chose is a little over two miles from the house. The health network wanted him to go to their place which is ten miles one way. With the price of gas these days we chose to stay closer to home.

So things are kind of looking up and soon this will be behind us. I truly hope this is the last of these operations. The first replacement he had inserted in 2005 has since been recalled and this second one (inserted in 2008) is the star of some major lawsuits that are currently cooking with several law firms. They chose to move ahead without waiting for the FDA to recall this one.

So you see how lucky my husband is? Of all the knee replacement companies out there (and there are a lot), both of his are on the no-no list now. We always tell people that both of us have a bulls-eye on our backs and it is forever being shot at...and hit.

The Staples Are Out!

2011-05-07T00:02:00.000-04:00

And it's just one more step in the right direction in this play we call life. It has only been two weeks since his operation but believe me, it seems more like two months. And I told the nurse that today as she was extracting those dastardly staples. She was amused. I'm slowly getting there.

It will be another week of in-home physical therapy and then next Friday (the 13th no less) it's off to see the surgeon. He will then put our lives back in order to some extent. Husband will be able to start taking the two pills he had to stop taking and at the same time stop taking the two they added into his regime.

He is still using a walker but I am hoping he can convert to a cane (or crutches at least) before he goes back to the surgeon. People are still marveling at how well he is doing and how far ahead of the game he always was.

Yep, he's my little soldier.

Catching Up

2011-05-03T00:39:00.000-04:00

I missed the Royal Wedding but caught bits and pieces on the news. Loved her dress...simple, yet elegant.

Husband is coming along quite well. His incision (36 staples) had a little drainage the first day home but has been dry ever since. He gets physical therapy three times a week at home and is doing well. This Friday the staples will be taken out by the nurse that visits twice a week. It seems like an eternity and it's only twelve days since the operation. I feel like I have been put through many wash machine wringers. Remember those?

Ding Dong the witch is dead, the wicked witch is dead. Thank you U.S. Navy Seals...my new heroes. You did well.

Yesterday I found three kittens in the box in the greenhouse. A large one, a medium one, and a teeny tiny one that was just born the day before. All three are from different litters. I think they are trying to confuse me. It's working.

Updates: The Other Half And The Kittens

2011-04-28T17:10:00.000-04:00

Husband had his first physical therapy session today away from the hospital. It went well. The therapist was quite amazed at how well it went. You see, my husband did not want the pain pills he was getting in the hospital. You know the ones...they are loaded with narcotics. If there is one thing he absolutely detests, it is narcotics. Yes, he tolerated them the first two knee operations, but this time he put his foot down. So to speak.

He was sent home with two prescriptions: one for the Oxy and one for the Perco (I have cut them short for obvious reasons). Needless to say I did not have them filled. Instead, the visiting nurse called a prescription in to our pharmacy for the non-narcotic pain pill, tramadol. He discovered that medication for pain three years ago with the second knee operation after they had started him on the narcotics. I couldn't pick the pills up yesterday because it was too late, so this morning off I went in a terrible thunderstorm rife with tornado warnings. Someone had to do it, and since I was the only one available I got elected. That's my job now till he can drive. Nerts.

The physical therapist was amazed how well he was tolerating any pain he may have. I told the man that he has been in pain for so long he doesn't know the difference now that there is a different type of pain in that area. Mr. PT just shook his head. He was also amazed that husband has not used ice and that his knee has hardly any swelling, but he did advise to start icing 20 minutes per hour.

And the biggest amazement? how well husband did after being put through the paces of the initial exercises. He surprised both of us, as we stood with mouths agape. That's my little soldier, and besides what else would one expect out of a person that is half German and half Russian? Nothing less than what he delivered.

***************

When I went out to feed the cats this morning I was surprised to see that two of the kittens were back. And not in the same box they were in when they left. The older red one and the younger black and white one were still there tonight when I fed again. Missing in action is the older calico and the younger red and white one. And, of course, the older black one that the mother took in a different direction. Thank goodness there is such a difference in their sizes so that I can keep tabs on who belongs to who (whom?), although that doesn't seem to matter either. It looks like the cat that had the younger ones is also taking care of the older ones. Time will tell whether all of them made it through these terrible storms we are having.

Witnessing Cats' Behavior

2011-04-27T00:02:00.001-04:00

Three weeks ago one of the cats outside gave birth to three beautiful kittens. A red, a black, and a calico. She chose to have them in our greenhouse. Two weeks later, another female decided she would use the box I supplied in the greenhouse to have her two kittens. The first cat never did get the hint when I put the box out there the day after she gave birth. Until she saw what it was really for.

It didn't take long before all five kittens were in the box and I never did figure out how feeding time was done. I have no idea if one cat fed them all or if they took turns or what. I just felt that nature would take its course.

The weather has turned to hot. Like 80 degrees hot. And that makes for a very uncomfortable greenhouse, even with the door open and the roof vented. When I went to feed yesterday morning I saw that all five kittens were panting heavily so I put the box outside in the shade.

Before long, the mother of the two youngest kittens removed them one by one to a place that was cooler. She then came back for two of the other cats' kittens and left the black one in the box. This is where I interfered. I went outside and took the box with the black kitten and placed it by its mother in the shade. She took her kitten out of the box and trotted off with it in the opposite direction of where the first cat took the other four, including two of hers.

At that point I was so confused at what I had just witnessed that I didn't even try to justify what happened. I was just so glad that the responsibility of those kittens was taken from me and placed where it belongs: with the mothers.

End of story.

He's Getting Sprung

2011-04-26T00:43:00.000-04:00

The good news is, my husband will probably be coming home today. He was supposed to come home Monday but I sort of kind of manipulated another day out of them since I didn't think he was ready to leave the safe cocoon of the hospital. And here's my reasoning for that: knee operations as he had usually are done on a Thursday or Friday (the same day they are admitted) and the patient is released three days later. That is the standard most insurance companies have set. If the surgeon feels the patient is not ready to be released, he may ask for an extension. As far as I know that was not done for my husband.

Since his hospital stay included Easter and the hospital staff was reduced tremendously, I felt he needed that extra day. I spent a lot of time in the hospital on Easter and it was like being in the twilight zone...very few nurses or associates. Doctors weren't anywhere to be found although my husband's surgeon had been in to see him Easter morning.

My husband called me yesterday morning telling me they were discussing his release. I told him I felt he was not ready to be released so he mentioned something to the caseworker that was there when he called me, and I guess that kind of threw a monkey wrench into their plans. I had other plans. After all, it would be my problem once he was home and if anything happened, what would I do? I am helpless in that department. I've been a secretary all my life, not a nurse or aide for that matter.

On Monday I decided I would go in later than usual (past the normal release time) and when I arrived he was sleeping (of course...he's good at that) and no one was around. When he woke up I asked him what the deal was and he said they would let him know later. Finally around 4-ish someone arrived with a male associate and she was telling him everything she knew about my husband. She interjected at one point that he was going to rehab but she did not have a bed for him. I waited till she was done with her litany and told her that technically he could go home. She said, yes he could. That is when I said he would be doing that on Tuesday (today). I told her there was a misunderstanding about him going to rehab. He had told me he didn't want to go in the first place. We did that the first time he had his knee operated on and the parking is horrendous. It's at another hospital in town and they have one postage stamp lot for parking. Right across the street from the hospital is the fair grounds. But you can't park there. That's strictly for staff. Try parking there and you risk getting a ticket. I've never had a ticket in my life and I don't want one now.

So I will probably be bringing him home later today. The fun part is just beginning. The pain pills, the dressing, the staples being removed after 13-14 days, and the rehab visits. Oh, I just love those. What a pain. Three times a week, three co-pays. The last time he had this knee done he went to his surgeon's rehab but that is 9.5 miles from the house one way and with the price of gas these days, we must be more conservative so we are going to go to a rehab center closer to home. I think it's only three or four miles one way. The shoe is on the other foot: I am now the chauffer.

Wish me luck.

Today Is Our Anniversary

2011-04-21T00:22:00.001-04:00

And how are we celebrating our anniversary you ask? Well, there are three cemeteries we have to visit so that we can place flowers on them for Easter. Then we are going to Sam's to do some shopping. I haven't been there this year yet...that I can remember.

Knowing my husband, though, he may throw in a few surprises, I will be taking it one hour at a time.

Friday the 22nd is our daughter's birthday. It is also the day my husband will have his knee operated on for the third time. And that means he will be in the hospital for Easter, too. That is part of the reason why I haven't been blogging much lately. We have had to do things every day for quite some time and there just weren't enough hours in our days.

So here we are, the day before the big day, which is the day I did not want to face. It sure got here in a rush. I was hoping it would take a bit longer. It means spending my nights alone...something that doesn't sit too well with me. But I've done it before and I can do it again. I always like to say that I will soldier on.

The Taxman Cometh...

2011-04-16T00:45:00.001-04:00

but the taxman didn't taketh. I have procrastinated with the taxes just about every year, but I think this is the longest I went before doing them. I finally broke down and did them on the 14th.

It's not that they're hard to do, it's just such a chore. Especially when you don't know what's in store at the end. Do we owe or do we get? Thankfully, this year we had a surprise and are getting a refund. Last year we broke even because we had the energy credit from the turbine, but since our deductions went with the standard this year, no energy credit could be applied. It rolled over to next year.

I think we got a refund two years ago and that was a surprise but it was a smaller refund than this year's is.    We are only getting back the money the government withheld from one of our income accounts, so it's nothing to get excited about since it was our money in the first place. They just took care of it for a year. Nice of them, no?

At least now I can sit back and relax and not have to worry about doing taxes for another year. There was some drama attached to them, however.    Nothing comes easy for us. I did them online and when I was all finished I was asked how I wanted to pay for them. Say what?! They were supposed to be free. I started free and at the end I was asked to fork over almost $53. At that point you have two choices: you either pay via credit card (or have it deducted from any refund) or you can back out and do it all over again at a different site or just use the same site but don't use your passwords from the previous year.

Since I wasn't about to sit through another session with a different company (especially after having waited this long to finally do them), I took the easy way and just paid via credit card, and when it was all finished I quickly sent an e-mail to let them know how unhappy I was with their tactics. $50? Please. That's like bait and switch. We went with the standard deduction and I only filed federal and not state, so at the very most it could have been $20 like I paid last year. But $50 blew my mind way into next week. I'm still quite upset by that whole deal. And I'm afraid they haven't heard the end of me yet either.

To make a long story short, they supposedly are going to refund my card. But I have to follow up and make sure they don't pull another fast one.    Because that loud noise you will hear is me hitting the ceiling (and a few other things)...once again.

You Just Can't Get Ahead

2011-04-13T18:34:00.000-04:00

Today is my grocery shopping day so off we went to my favorite grocery store. This one has its origins in New York and is well known throughout our area.

Recently they stated that they would not raise prices on at least 40-plus store brand items lasting through the end of the year. I thought, how generous of them.

Today I was in need of paper towels. Living with three cats is cause to have such an item in the house, and I don't like being without them so I stock up when the price is right. I bought the store brand today for the same price I have been paying all of this year. I also noticed there was new packaging and thought, nice. Still 8 rolls, still the same price. I guess they weren't lying.

For some unknown reason I decided to compare the fine print on the package. Not so fine, but you get the idea. What I discovered by doing that is, although they did not raise the price, they did take some of the product away. There are now 8 sheets less per roll for a loss of 64 sheets and the square foot size went from 403.3 to 330.4. And that's not all! Each towel is now 11 x 10.4 inches compared to 11 x 11 for the other ones.

The front of the package, however, states NOW! EVEN STRONGER & MORE ABSORBENT. I certainly hope so, since they got smaller. Wait! How can they be more absorbent if there is less product? Oh, never mind, that's not the idea, I understand I think.

So the overall price did not get raised, but the unit price did. Ah, therein lies the rub...they didn't mention that in their statement about not raising prices. So we are paying the same and getting less product. Just like the big brand manufacturers have been doing for quite some time now. For instance, when is the last time you actually purchased a half gallon of ice cream?

See what I mean? You just cannot get ahead these days.

It's About Dang Time

2011-04-11T00:50:00.000-04:00

I have been waiting on my daffodils to bloom longer than I care to think about. This is the longest it has taken them to bloom, and its only the ones at the side of the house where the morning and afternoon sun hits them. Nothing else has erupted yet, other than the forsythia we planted last year. The trees are full of buds though. Great promise. Have I ever told you all how much I love Spring? It is and always will be my favorite season of the year.

I am writing this at 12:30 am on a day that we are expecting the temperature to tickle 80. Our record for today is 83. Maybe we can beat that.

I almost forgot. There is one more thing (three things actually) that has erupted. Last Tuesday, April 5th, my oldest cat outside presented us with three little kittens. She had them in the greenhouse. One is black, one is a tiger, and the other is a calico. So there is at least one male and one female, and the black one could be either. Time will tell.

Remember the calico that was on the roof a few weeks back? She was up there again this morning. Since we had to go somewhere in a hurry I didn't have time to try and coax her down. I thought she would come down on her own once I put the wet food out for the others. But she was being stubborn again. When we got back she was still up there. I tried to chase her with a broom handle that didn't reach, but she only ran to the other side of the roof. But once I walked over to that side and she saw me coming, she jumped down because I saw her run over to the neighbor's yard.

***************

Dale Jr. finished 9th in the race Saturday night at Texas and moved from 8th to 6th in the points, and is now 21 points out of first place.

Justified ~ The Second Season

2011-04-07T01:04:00.000-04:00

I started watching this show from the very first episode in the first season and fell in love with it right then and there. I have not missed one episode. This is Timothy Olyphant as Raylan Givens, the main character:

And these two are Timothy as himself:

Up until I started watching Justified I didn't know who Timothy Olyphant was. Since then I realize he has been in numerous films I have seen, I just never noticed him. How did that happen? How can one not notice him? He is very easy on my eyes, believe me.

I rate Justified right up there with Sons of Anarchy, another one of my favorites, as well as Rescue Me. The final season for that will be shown starting in mid-July. I will miss that show when it is over.

But meanwhile, I can savor Mr. Olyphant and his quiet demeanor as Mr. Givens.

Making Progress

2011-04-04T00:02:00.003-04:00

Dale Jr. finished second to Kevin Harvick after being passed with three laps to go at Martinsville on Sunday. He almost won. Had he won, I would have gone into cardiac arrest probably. A win also would have snapped his losing streak of 99.

Today's run was very strong and this member of Junior Nation feels that a win is just around the corner. Maybe next Saturday night at Texas. Dale Jr. won his first Nationwide (aka Busch) race there as well as his first Sprint Cup (aka Winston Cup) race.

His second place finish took him from 12th in the points up to 8th. He is consistent and that means everything when it comes to racing. Consistency brings wins.

A note of warning: the day Junior wins a race will cause the Earth to shake with great tremors due to all his fans rejoicing. He hasn't won a race since May of 2008. Needless to say, a win is long overdue.

Hello April ~ Glad To See Ya

2011-04-01T00:05:00.003-04:00

We hit the lottery for thousands of dollars and have decided to tour most of the European countries. Scotland and Wales are first on my list as are Ireland, Switzerland. and Germany. Wherever we go after those countries will be icing on the cake.

I am going to see Rod Stewart and Stevie Nicks in concert when they come to Philadelphia later this year. I can hardly wait since I have been a fan of Rod's since he started singing. And I might add I am so glad he has gotten back to his roots.

I have lost enough weight to finally be happy with myself. And, boy, it wasn't easy.

My entire house has finally been painted not only inside, but outside too. And that includes the deck. We decided to hire out to do the job instead of making ourselves crazy by us doing it alone.

APRIL FOOL!

How far did you read before you knew I was lying?

If I Didn't Know Better...

2011-03-29T00:35:00.002-04:00

...I'd swear we were still in January or February. Our temps in these parts are still in the 40's, whereas they should be in the 50's this time of year.

To make matters worse we are in the way of two separate storms over the next few days, one of which might bring a little snow with it. WTF? What did we do wrong to deserve this anyway?

It has gotten to the point where I don't even want to leave the house anymore due to this darn cold weather. And even when the sun is out, there's still the cold wind to contend with. But that's a Godsend since at least it turns the blades on our turbine.

Oh, I do believe I just now remembered what I was supposed to do at the end of last Fall: hibernate. How stupid of me to forget.

Here We Go Again

2011-03-24T19:35:00.001-04:00

Husband's knee surgery date has been moved up twice since he got the original date, and it may change again if something else opens. He requested to be on the list of cancellations. He met with his surgeon yesterday. Today he had his pre-admission tests. And in four weeks his revision of the current replacement part(s) will be done. Doc thinks that only the tibia (lower) portion needs replacing. But if he thinks any other part is not right, he will make that call while the leg is open. That wasn't easy for me to write. I am very squeamish, to say the least. Health classes were the pits for me in high school. Especially when we had to sit on those rock hard chairs, it seemed as if my butt bones were sharper than usual during those classes.

Anyway, back to this knee surgery. I am not looking forward to this. I know the procedure too well as this will be his third surgery on the same knee. The fact that it will be done on Good Friday doesn't bother me. At least it is a non-race weekend so if he is released that Sunday (Easter) there will be no conflicting problems on my part. Yeah, I know...do I pick up the husband or do I watch the race? See? I won't have that problem. Unless, of course, they change his date again.

Now all we have to do is gather the necessary items the doctor and the hospital prefer we use before stepping foot into the facility the day of the operation. We've already purchased the special soap (anti-bacterial) from the surgeon's office. Next step is the iron which he is to take twice a day (325 mgs) as well as Senokot since the iron causes constipation. And then there is this new stuff we have to get via a prescription: it's an anti-bacterial gel that is put on a Q-tip and inserted into each lower nostril. It seems that the nose harbors the most germs. Centuries and decades later and they are just finding this out now? Sure we have good insurance coverage, but all these other odds and ends come out of our pocket.

I would so love to take a magic stick and flick it over my head so I could put myself seven weeks into the future. The four weeks of waiting would be over, the operation would be over, and the three weeks of heavy-duty rehab would be over. But that's too easy.

Thanks A Lot, Spring

2011-03-21T13:11:00.006-04:00

We woke up to what they call a wintry mix this morning. Rain and snow and just plain miserable crap. Another blast of this pre-summer concoction is coming our way on Wednesday.

And to think, just last week we were enjoying temps in the low 70's, high 60's. My favorite season is Spring, but it takes so long in getting here - so many obstacles to hurdle. But once it's here, it's mind-boggling. I never cease to be amazed by it. Especially when the flowers are blooming and the trees burst forth with pinks and whites. Pure magical. It never gets old for me.
********************
And now a few notes on Sunday's race. Dale Jr. started 22nd and after his final practice he was very happy and pleased with how his car was running. But later that evening there was a meeting among the crew chief, some engineers, and Junior; they decided to make a few minor changes to the car. And it came out of the gate squeeling like a pig.

Leave it up to Steve Letarte his crew chief (a saviour in my opinion) to get it running fairly decent. After a pit road penalty for speeding and also being a lap down earlier in the race, the car redeemed itself. Dale Jr. finished 11th and that was good enough to elevate him one position in the points to 9th place. With this new points system they implemented this year, that is a feat in itself, to move up. Just one screwup during a race and the driver falls like a hot potato.

So I am hoping Dale continues to have good runs as the season progresses. My fingers are crossed.

I Hate To Admit This...

2011-03-17T00:42:00.002-04:00

...but I have become very lazy these last few weeks of winter. It seems I just don't want to do much around the house anymore. Hopefully the start of Spring will put a spring in my step and I can get off this strange kick. I think having more daylight toward the end of the day will help. I never did like the dark. Scares the bejesus out of me.

Husband is doing well, finally. He still has a little cough now and then but nothing like he used to have just a few days ago. His surgery for his knee revision has been moved up three weeks due to a cancellation by someone else. And that just makes it scarier for me knowing that three weeks just got tossed and it is closer than I want it to be. Oh, he is thrilled because of all the pain he goes through every day, worried that the replacement inside his knee might give at any time. For me it's not so great. I've been through this with him twice before and those times weren't much fun and now I get to do it again.

We are finally getting warmer weather. And all I can say is it's about darn time. Winter just did not want to go. Stubborn booger. I guess it is fairly safe to assume that we won't have any more snow till November. Fingers crossed.

And last but not least, racing takes place in Bristol, Tennessee, this weekend. Dale Jr. will be in the Nationwide race, with his teammate Danica Patrick, as well as the Sprint Cup race so getting to see him race twice in as many days is always a great treat for me. Let's hope he does well in both races, especially the Sprint Cup race. That's the one that counts the most.

It's That Time Again

2011-03-12T13:52:00.002-05:00

This is one of my favorite times of the year. I like having more light at the end of the day. I wish we could have it this way all year 'round.

Of course, I do have to try and make sure the cats get fed at their proper times. The three inside tell me when they are hungry, but those outside start gathering at their built-in time so all I have to do is wait till most of them are out there and then feed them. Within a week or two we are usually on the same level.

It makes me cringe when I see the phrase Daylight Savings Time; there is no 's' on the end of Saving. This is not a Savings and Loan thing; we are simply saving time, as it were. As it were? What does that mean anyway? I have no idea, it just sounded good.

Husband is doing well but last night was touch and go. His prescribed cough medicine has codeine in it. He was taking the prescribed dose every four hours, never missed a dose. Last night it finally caught up with him and he was so dizzy and lightheaded I was ready to call 911. When I finally determined it was in fact the codeine causing his problems, I told him to go back to his OTC cough medicine and stop taking the other stuff.

As of this morning he is a different man and should be back to almost normal within a few days. We always have to learn the hard way. I really don't think he should have been prescribed codeine due to his other medications, especially since he did not see his regular family doctor. We go to a practice run by a father and his son and it is the son that we always see. But because it was a same day appointment call, we got the father who was the only one there that day. We had to take what we could get.

A Sick Man Is No Picnic To Be Around

2011-03-10T19:08:00.003-05:00

No, I don't have a bug, my husband does, but I couldn't resist using this cute picture.

It all started ever so slightly two days ago and yesterday was a little worse than the day before. But this morning when I heard him hacking and carrying on I knew it was time to do something about it other than the cough medicine he picked up yesterday.

I called the doctor and was lucky to get an afternoon appointment. But really, my biggest surprise was getting a human to answer the phone on the first try. I almost hung up when someone answered, I was that shocked. Usually it is like trying to break into Fort Knox with that medical practice where our family doctor is.

So we find out that husband has a low grade fever. Two prescriptions no less and we are off to the pharmacy to see how much they will rob us this time. Actually, it wasn't too bad because we used his insurance plan.

So, with a little bit of this:

And five of these pills over four days...

...he should be good to go. I told him to climb into bed and stay there for the next several days...like maybe until Monday or Tuesday. And maybe I can get some work done around this place for a change.

Cat On A Hot Tin Roof

2011-03-06T00:32:00.002-05:00

Well not exactly a hot tin roof but she was on the roof. I didn't see her till I was finished feeding the evening meal. I looked up and there she was. Normally, I wouldn't have been too concerned but I believe she has kittens somewhere and I was worried about her getting off the roof and taking care of them. Plus it was a very windy day today and I had no idea how long she was up there.

I went inside and informed my husband about her and he immediately went out to his shed to concoct something so she could get down. By the time he was finished with it, she had already come down and trotted off to see her little ones. He never saw her leave.

I've had cats on the roof before but they were always able to get down easily via the cherry tree at the side of the house. But my husband recently cut a lot of the branches off that led to the house, so there she sat...hunched down and eyeing up the tree branch that was too far away to latch onto without falling and breaking her neck or a leg or two.

I have no idea how she got down and I do hope she learned a valuable lesson today. Because I sure did. I just haven't figured out what it is yet.

It's All Gone...For Now

2011-03-03T14:58:00.001-05:00

Here are some photos I forgot I had taken to explain what needs to be done with our deck. I need to take it back so I can use it for what it was built for: us, not the cats.

This is the pile of snow I ended up with when I shoveled all around the greenhouse we have for the outside cats. The greenhouse is behind me in this photo. Some of the cats are peeking out from under the deck.

Here you can see three of the cats. They love to go under the deck, especially when I walk around the corner of the house to feed them. That's their escape route. Some of them run to the back of the property to our garage/barn that you can see beyond the little shed on the right.

This is how it has been for the past few years. We get gale-force winds at times and all the resin chairs just blow across the entire deck. I got tired of setting them upright all the time. The cats play on them and sleep under them at times. The pole in the back is our wind turbine. The swing and cushions are in the basement but the swing holder is still there.

I am hoping to get the deck power washed and then painted sometime this spring. Husband is scheduled to get his knee worked on (again) in mid-May and I would like him to do the deck before that happens. If not, who knows when it will get done. I guess I have to start nagging again because I don't want to go through another summer without the use of the deck. It's just not right to have something like that and not be able to use it for what it was intended. Right?

A Day Late

2011-03-01T02:18:00.002-05:00

We had a rather busy Monday and I didn't get a chance to post about Sunday's race in Phoenix so I will take the opportunity and do it now before I forget about it.

Congratulations to Jeff Gordon on finally winning one. Hopefully Dale Jr. will follow suit and bring one home soon.

Speaking of Dale Jr., he did a bang-up (no pun intended) job in the race coming home 10th. He didn't have an easy day of it starting 35th. He got busted for speeding on pit road, his team had a wheel break off a jack, he had to pit under green with a loose wheel and fell back a lap, and he also overshot his pit and had to back up which meant precious seconds were sucked up.

But all in all I was pleased with the 10th place finish. Las Vegas is the next stop and we all know who rules that track. Hint: both brothers were raised there and usually dominate the weekend, much like one of the brothers almost swept all three series last weekend. So a second congratulations goes out to Jeff Gordon once again for taking that win away from he-who-won't-be-mentioned.

Still Shiverin'

2011-02-24T00:05:00.001-05:00

Nothing much has happened since I last posted. I don't know if that's good or bad.

We had a little snow since then but most of it is already gone. I heard on the news that another storm is heading our way tonight.

Here's a little tidbit you might like to know: my husband had a knee replacement back in 2005. They didn't want to do it at first saying he was too young. But the wear and tear on his knees from jumping out of trucks most of his life took its toll. I kept telling him that is why they made steps but you know how that is.

Three years later he needed another total replacement as the original had worked its way loose somehow causing much pain. He went to a different surgeon to get that done. Well here we are another three years and now the bottom part of the second replacement has to be replaced. He won't be having a total replacement, just a revision of the tibular part. And I don't have to tell you that I am just a tad sick and tired of it.

Because it is just a revision of one part, his surgeon said the operation will take longer. And so will the rehab. I am not looking forward to this at all. His surgery date is in May. I really don't think his loose tibular part will last that long. Yesterday after we came home from shopping it went one way and his leg went the other. He caught himself in time so no major damage was done, but it sure did put a hurtin' on him.

And on a different subject, I haven't seen any new kittens yet but that doesn't mean there aren't any around. Once this cold weather and the snow goes away and the grass starts to green up with the sun warming everything, I am sure the mothers will bring their little ones around to show us. I just hope we don't have a bumper crop like last year.

And the last subject is near and dear to my heart: NASCAR. We are headed to Phoenix this weekend. The last couple years they would go to California after Daytona but the schedule has been changed. Things are looking up for Dale Jr. this year mainly due to his new crew chief. Finally a crew chief that understands him and wants to give him what he wants: to be competitive and win some races. I'll drink to that! Coffee, that is.

Never Trust A Meteorologist

2011-02-19T00:25:00.002-05:00

I was all set to enjoy the next few days of warm weather as predicted by our local station and newspaper. Actually, the station is in Philadelphia which is not all that close to us. Maybe 75 miles south of us.

Well, we had a fairly decent day today until it started raining. Huh? Where did that come from? I asked my husband if there was rain in any forecast and he said he didn't think so. Nothing in the paper either. I double checked.

Instead of warm weather the next few days they are now telling us we will have high winds ( some at least 60 mph) and it will be cold. Well thank you, people. And the worst of it is they are predicting snow soon.

I knew I should have stayed in that cave this morning but, nooooo...I had to come out and check the forecast.

Well, That Knocked The Wind Outta My Sails

2011-02-16T18:15:00.003-05:00

Dale Jr. was on the pole for Sunday's Daytona 500 race. But that all changed when he was practicing today tucked behind Jimmie Johnson, his teammate, who had no place to go when they came up on slower moving cars that drifted up in front of them. So Jimmie lifted and Dale Jr. would've been OK except Martin Truex Jr. was behind Dale Jr. and turned him sideways.

Result? Two wrecked cars, bring out the backups, Junior going to the rear in the first Duel race tomorrow with no practice in the backup car, and Junior also going to the rear of the 500 on Sunday since the first two positions had been filled by Junior and Jeff Gordon respectively.

Can somebody please give this guy a break? PLEASE??????? I am getting so damned tired of Junior's bad luck.

Congratulations Dale Jr!

2011-02-13T17:45:00.002-05:00

The front row of the 2011 Daytona 500 has been determined. Dale Earnhardt, Jr., secured the pole position and will start the race alongside his teammate, Jeff Gordon, who will start in the second position.

The remainder of the field will be determined on Thursday, the 17th, with the Duel races starting around 1:00 pm.

Dale Jr. also sat on the pole for Saturday night's Budweiser Shootout after being the lucky one to draw that position the previous night. He wasn't so lucky, however, during the race when he was taken out by an accident involving Regan Smith and Carl Edwards.

Speaking of that race, I am not a fan of this "new" racing at Daytona...the two-car tango. It might look like fun to others, not to mention some of the drivers loving it, but I would like to see restrictor plate racing like we are used to seeing it.

And for me, it is now time to take a deep breath, hold it...hold it...hold it...and don't breathe till the last lap of the last race at the end of November.

I Did It Again

2011-02-10T00:20:00.002-05:00

I am using this picture because it's the only one I have to explain what happened to me last week. I would go out and take a picture with the snow and ice all around and the greenhouse, but every time I upload pictures from my camera they all come along for the ride and then I have to delete the duplicates and that is such a pain in the a$$.

Now, in the photo above you can barely see the cellar doors right below the kitchen window. The greenhouse we erected is currently to the left of the cellar doors on the concrete, but it's not in this picture because we didn't have it when this was taken.

Fast forward to last week with all the snow and ice all around that greenhouse, on the cellar doors, and coming off the roof at the juncture above the kitchen window. Try to imagine all that snow and thick ice.

Once the weather warmed up a bit and things started melting, because of the buildup of snow and ice, what melted didn't have many places to drain and a lot of water found its way into the greenhouse. What a mess that was. At least half of it has a wooden pallet covered with plywood so whatever bedding I put in there for the cats is kept off the concrete floor. That half was OK and the bedding was dry, but what was in front of it right where you go inside was what concerned me. A mini swimming pool. That is their feeding area and it is also where they go into the greenhouse. Cats don't like pools of water so I had to get that water out.

My mission was to clear away the snow and ice between the cellar doors and the greenhouse because that is where the problem was. I shoveled, I picked, I poked till my hands were red (I didn't go out prepared because I didn't know about the water till I got out there so I had limited things to work with and no gloves).

At one point I had the cellar doors cleared off, so I braced my right foot up as high as I could and my left foot was at the bottom of the cellar doors but on the ice-covered concrete. It didn't take long for my left foot to slowly start sliding...sliding...sliding and I soon found myself doing an unwanted split. And down I went plopping my butt right in the pool of water outside the greenhouse. My saving grace was the fact that no one could see me. You know how that goes, you fall and immediately look around to see if anyone saw you being a doofus.

Since it didn't hurt right away I just picked myself up and kept working away at the snow and ice thinking I would pay for that split the next day. And for some unknown reason I never did get sore from it. I must be doing something right. Well, I mean, other than doing something stupid in the first place.

As soon as we can we are going to move the greenhouse away from the cellar doors so there will be no further problems in the future.

It all works out. So just stay tuned to follow the misadventures of this crazy lady.

Congratulations...

2011-02-07T00:11:00.001-05:00

...to Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers. They were one of my picks to go to the Super Bowl and win it.

Offended

2011-02-05T01:09:00.004-05:00

I am sick and tired of hearing that word. Why is it that no matter what someone does or says there is always someone else who is offended by it? Come on people...get a freakin' life already. This "I was offended" crap is driving me insane.

And it's not just in this country either. It seems to have invaded the entire world. I do believe it has become the catch word of the decade. Maybe longer. If someone is so dang offended by something someone else has said or done, why do they have to make such a big deal out of it? Why even bring it up in the first place?

Geez, when I was growing up, and especially in my teens, I guess I was offended at a lot of things but we didn't use that word. Pissed off, or a nicer version would be ticked off, were the words we used. I still use them. They don't get me anywhere other than feeling better for having said them, but my life goes on.

The next time you hear I was offended send those morons to me and I'll give them a piece of MY mind.

I am climbing down off my soapbox for now and going back to waiting for the next storm to hit us. It's just around the corner. And then another one will be coming along next Tuesday. Just one more thing to piss me off.

Taking My Deck Back

2011-02-04T00:28:00.000-05:00

This is an older photo of one half of the deck. Actually, it is the better half. You can see one of the shelters to the right and in the middle is the table turned upside down. The other half is the messy part. I took a picture of it and wanted to post it but it's still in the camera. Yeah, I know, a lot of good it's doing still in the camera.

It's been years since we have used our deck for which it was built. It's also been a few years since it was cleaned and painted and it is in dire need of both.

Our colony of feral cats took it over awhile back and things haven't been the same since. At first I didn't mind, but there came the day when I longed to be able to use the sliding patio doors to walk outside and sit in the sun to read or just to relax. That hasn't happened for many years now.

It's time!

...time to clear off the upturned resin chairs, the swing skeleton whose swing and pillows are in the basement, the table turned upside down so it didn't blow over from the wind, the totes used for shelter prior to the greenhouse (for the cats), and the two-piece plastic dog shelter used for the same reason. Everything has to go.

...time to languish in the sun with a book after walking through the patio doors. Those doors have masking tape on the inside and plastic on the outside to keep the cold out for now. We are planning on replacing the entire unit this summer.

...time to pressure wash that poor deck and then paint it a different color.

Yes, it's damn time!

Can't Catch A Break

2011-01-30T00:05:00.000-05:00

The past two days have been hellish for me. But they have been far worse for my husband. He started getting sick on Thursday. The commode was fast becoming his best friend. Or not. Neither of us thought anything of it other than something he may have eaten. So we dismissed it as just another one of those bad days.

Until the following day. Oh boy. That's when everything went haywire. You know the old story: coming out of both ends. Not even remotely funny. So I did some research and his symptoms were like that of stomach flu, or gastroenteritis. How one picks that up is beyond me, but pick it up he did. I can only assume it happened the day before, either at the diner where we had breakfast or at the grocery store.

We both try to be so careful when it comes to germs, but they never cease to amaze me in that they always manage to track us down and invade our bodies. Damn little peckerheads. I am getting so tired of this because now it's my turn. Yeah, we have been taking turns when it comes to that type sickness. All the more reason that hibernation business looks rather lucrative these days.

My daughter called me last week to let me know she was sick. Now that I look back on it, she probably had the same thing my husband just got over. Last night I decided I needed to sleep in the recliner so I would be near him should anything go wrong during the night. He mentioned something about calling 911 should the need arise. I prayed it wouldn't arise. Going through that once was enough, I didn't want to experience it again. That time he passed out due to dehydration. We know better now that once the body starts getting rid of fluids to drink electrolytes to replenish what is lost and so I always keep a couple bottles on hand.

Sleeping on a recliner is not the best when one is riddled with joint pains off and on. And try doing that with a couple cats lying on you or alongside of you like they were attached. By 5:30 I had a strong urge to use the bathroom facilities but didn't have the heart to disturb either cat so I tried to change positions to ease my bladder. Easier said than done. Fifteen minutes later the cat that was lying on my stomach decided he wanted to go somewhere else and I was able to leave, taking my pillow with me and climbing into another bed, closing the door behind me. Ah, sweet bliss. I slept till 10 am.

By Saturday morning all was well once again in this house. Husband was almost back to normal and asked that I make oatmeal because he was hungry as heck. He hadn't eaten anything for almost two days.

What really irks me the most is these episodes usually hit us during the night or on a weekend when it is impossible to do anything about it as far as a doctor is concerned. I was relieved to read that gastroenteritis only lasts one to two days and it is treatable at home, and it's unnecessary to call a doctor or 911 unless severely dehydrated. At least that was one thing we didn't have to worry about.

Muse & Amuse

The Purse From Hell

What's Wrong With This Picture?

Off To The Super Bowl

'Tis Verra Cold Outside

What A Great Game

Guess What I'm Doing?

Waiting ~ The Story of My Life

Brrrrrr...

NFC East Champions

May All Your Wishes Come True

Merry Christmas To All

Did Someone Ask Me If I Am Ready For Christmas?

Just A Little Note

Christmas Dreaming

Finally! The Giants Won A Game

Do They See Me Coming?

R.I.P. Gizmo

Catching Up

The Day After

Ho-Hum

I Can Relate

Pain In The...

Here He Is, Our Newest Fur-Face

Flying Time

On A Wild Goose Chase

I'm Not Going Anywhere

Rest In Peace

My Mistake

Another Angel Is Among Us

Another Addition

The Giants Pulled ANother One Out

Just Dew It

A Very Busy Three Days

And Now The Fun Begins...Not

Monday, Monday

It Was Just A Simple Flu Shot

OK Already, I'll Write Something

Can't Catch A Break No How

We Survived!

What Next?

Earthquake!

Great Game

The King Is Dead...Burger, That Is

To Grill Or Not To Grill

Sons of Anarchy Season 4

I Have One Child And I Am Blessed

We're Off To See The Vet Today *Updated*

Don't Tell Me What To Do ~ Ask First

Finally...It's My Turn

Here We Go Again

Just Another Friday...Not

Holy Hell It's Hot Again

She's Getting What?????

No Justice For Caylee

Did She Or Didn't She?

The Trial Is Nearing The End

Marco Finally Wins One

DoraTheExplorer

Sillipuss

Pulling My Hair Out

Back To Square One

Another Close One Sunday

Ahhhhhh...I Can Breathe Again

HOT HOT HOT

Going 128 MPH in a 45 MPH Zone

Under The Weather

Going Crazy From All This Rain

A Successful Day

A Time For Celebration

The Staples Are Out!

Catching Up

Updates: The Other Half And The Kittens

Witnessing Cats' Behavior

He's Getting Sprung

Today Is Our Anniversary

The Taxman Cometh...

You Just Can't Get Ahead

It's About Dang Time

Justified ~ The Second Season

We're Off To See The Vet Today Updated