Looking up . . .

Threats of rain today but we went to the grocery store, anyway. No rain. Overcast. It was ten degrees cooler today, but the humidity might have allowed a venturesome fish to have some beach time. I am ignoring the weather reports and just looking up when I need to go somewhere. I am just a accurate, locally, as the weather person.

Right now, there are three umbrellas on my car's rear seat. Two of them were left inadvertently and one is a permanent resident. There may be another short one waayyyy underneath the front seat as a short one is missing. That would bring the count up to four that I am taking for rides.

I finally remembered to cash the tiny checks from TastyKake at the bank. Collectively they would buy about a gallon and a half of gas. We were given reimbursement for some unopened packages that had developed internal mold. The dates on the packages were in code, which the representative decoded for me. I think we will pass, thanks, in the future. Mold really got my attention.

I do miss them though. The un-moldy ones were delicious . . .

All star consequences . . .

We are usually up early. Mew has a morning routine of being brushed and combed as soon as she sees us, which is then followed by her breakfast being served right away.

Last night, the All Star game tied and went extra innings. I caved in and went to bed about 12:45 and J came even later. We still did not know who won when we got up this morning.

Because we woke late, Miss Mew's routine was shot all to, I mean, was interrupted. She was ticked at the world, refused to cooperate and finally ate under protest.

Having such a late breakfast was her idea of a desperate hunger strike . . .

One nevah know, do one?

Every once in a while, the number lock gets struck. This can set me up to log in as someone not known to the free world, much less Blogger. Who could be doing the deed? It's a "UR doin' it rong" moment.

Today, the soft rain down is falling. Thunder rumbles distantly and our cat is sleeping through it all. She raised her head and looked at me accusingly. She thinks we humans are in charge of the thunder thing. If we fail to perform adequately, she will disappear, as I have mentioned before. I gave her three soft strokes between the ears and told her to go back to sleep.

Sometimes, she does listen to me . . .

Renewal and expiry dates . . .

This evening, we celebrate A's birthday at Zeta's and M's home. We will be one fewer this time as David N. has his military obligation calling him back. I think. He may still be in country, elsewhere and I have not heard.

The birthday person chooses the menu. Except for the barbecue which is everyone's favorite, there are different items on the agenda. All good, though. A also likes the things we all appreciate. So did S, last week.

As I said, July is a month of renewals for quite a few of us. There are days, though, when it seems as if I have already passed my expiration date . . .

Out of the mailer . . . or not?

Back when we were having confused issues and lengthy wrangles with ATT and its cross pollenation of our telephone accounts, we were sent a free upgrade to our DSL account as an apology of sorts. The modem is still sitting in the mailer in which it arrived. I do suspect that *free* services and merchandise are worth what they cost.

Our present DSL speed is fine with me. Still, I wonder. Am I wrong in this case?

All better . . .

This morning, a screen popup told me that ZoneAlarm had a fix for the problem with the Windows download encountered yesterday. Did I want to download it? Why not? I could only get into more trouble.

It downloaded and installed, requiring a restart. Now I am running in stealth mode again and feel invisible.

That's a powerful feeling . . .

Ready, Aim, Firewall . . .

This morning, the internet was not accessible from this infernal machine. I spoke with our ISP and discovered that if we turned off our firewall, we could see the 'net. Not a good solution, but a tiny hint, almost a clue.

Trial and error led me to discover several things: The newest security download from MS Windows causes problems for ZoneAlarm users. Accepting automatic downloads from MS Windows: bad idea. Formerly, they had to ask me for permission and I used to evaluate each download. I got lazy. No more lazy for me.

The ZoneAlarm site has a couple of easy fixes displayed on their home page. I had already found one of these fixes for myself. Otherwise? I would still be trying the toll free number and grinding my molars.

The automated voice at the toll free number for ZA said that there were no free lines, so call later. I would guess they have an overloaded system. This is a definite Catch 22. You have to find a fix before you can get to the site with fixes displayed.

Hello? Microsoft? You out there making friends, again?

You wanna be brushed?

Going down Sunset (72 Street), we crossed 72 Avenue which reminded me that we needed to go to the vet (whose office is thirty blocks down the Avenue from where we were) and get more ProPlan for Mew. It is always a chancy thing whether they have the flavor she will eat willingly, or not. We try not to let her run so closely to being actually out that it is serious if the vet doesn't have hers.

She has no clue that there is not a plentiful supply at all times. It appears in her bowl like magic, in the morning, right after she gets groomed. She loves being brushed and I can sneak some combing in, too, while she is fixated on the brush. As far as she knows, being brushed produces the food. She has a strange vision of comb plus brush equals two bowls, one of which is fresh water.

She thinks her name means come and get fed . . .

Listen, whatcha think . . .

S is our computer guru. In fact, he chose the components and built the PC being used to write this. When they come up with laptops that you can build and customize yourself, we will turn to him again and wait in line for his help.

Wouldn't that be a good idea? I mean interchangeable components, from no matter what brand, for a laptop. I know some PCs are proprietary but all laptops seem to be.

Gateway, Dell, Toshiba, HP, etc., are you listening? I know, I know, the proprietary laptops are sold with differing levels of peripherals, but they are pretty much a menu of expensive choices. We need would like to be able to cobble together our own laptops (say, using choices from newegg.com) without breaking the bank . . .

Announcing . . .

S was the center of attention as he opened his Garmin GPS, a combined birthday gift from the assembled group. Thereafter, the GPS was the center of his own fascination as he set it up, chose a language (he decided after some consideration that English would do), a time zone, etc. He had to wait, however until after the delicious barbecue lunch was devoured and the table cleared before the time was declared to open the gift. He was requested to read every word of the various cards aloud. Being thorough, he included the envelopes and logos from the backs of the cards.

Zeta and M can seat ten in their dining room and there were exactly that many of us around the table. We had a joyous time.

David N. came but he had to leave right after lunch to attend his sister's wedding. Actually he had to pick her up. We made sure he left on time. J, Big Ed, and I had not seen him for nine years. He had been a member of the same scout troop as S and even lived with Zeta and M during some of his high school years. He has been in the Army for nine years now.

S is now emblety-emp years old, which does not seem possible.

July is a busy birthday month for Zeta and M:
1) S.
2) A.
3) M.
4) M's twin bro D.
5) their mother Mrs. A.
6) me.

This is an official announcement. I am not doing my personal birthdays any longer. A cake, a card and a "have a nice one" will do, thank you. And I mean that wholeheartedly. Pay attention, y'all!

Waiting for . . .

At present, I am in M's son's new condo, waiting for their new furniture to be delivered. I have their laptop and am in some kind of heaven. Just in case, I brought a magazine, three books, soda, coffee, snacks, and lunch.

J had received a tote bag from the Colonial Williamsburg people. I filled it up. It looks as if I am moving in.

There is a screened balcony off the living room which is shaded by two big Oak trees. It is like being in a tree house and so peaceful. Past the trees, I can see a pool which is a mighty lure in this weather.

You never know down here. Yesterday, I went out to the post office and do some other errands. The sky was low and distantly threatening rain. Those clouds rushed together and formed a white squall which stayed for a while. The car and I crept home and waited together for it to pass.

Good thing the furniture wasn't scheduled for yesterday. It would have had an upstream swim to get here . . .

Modern tech . . .

Almost asleep, nearly out. Vaguely thought that I heard a cell phone cry that its battery was dying. Decided to ignore it. J asked me what that sound was. Groggy and one eye still shut, I went to find it. I thought it was in the dining room. No. It refused to make another noise so I decided call and see if it was more awake than I was.

There was a faint sound of music from behind me. The phone, safely in my handbag, and next to my side of the bed, mocked me by going silent. I had, however, echo-located it. By now, both eyes open, vertical and moving, I was extremely awake.

Next time, that little silver baby can just cry . . .

Tag, we're it . . .

The state is most efficient. We received a notice that our vehicle tags were to expire soon and an offer to renew by mail, which we accepted. When the new decals arrived, one was accompanied by a whole new tag which had to be put on the older car. J did that with dispatch, which I admired. He did it before we might misplace it: a clever move.

Today's mail bore more evidence of the efficiency of the state. It was a notice that we were in violation of a toll payment on the Turnpike. They even included a picture of the tag on the rear of the car. It was blurred, but readable.

At first we thought it might be a bad battery in the transponder. But then, I realized that duhh I had neglected to notify them of the change of tag number. The young woman I spoke with at the other end of the 800 number took care of recording the tag change, subtracted the toll amount from our account, and wished me a nice day.

She also took care of the second violation notice which is on the way to us. Wouldn't you think that, if they are so dreadfully efficient, they should have known?

Plant-icide . . .

A neighbor, not directly behind us, is having a party. This neighbor has been playing his party loudly for most of the day, off and on. Right now, he is playing thump-THUMP, thump-THUMP. Earlier there was playing of thumpety-BAM, thumpety-BANG. Sometimes it is hard to tell the difference. Wait, it just changed to thump-bang-THUMP, so there is a difference.

Why will this will not give a massive headache to the partier? Perhaps, if there will be a hangover anyway, there may be nothing to choose between the two kinds of pain.

This may kill our hibiscus, to say nothing of the new roses . . .

Back, back . . .

This morning, I was a teenager in the summer again: carefree, waking naturally and not by a regimented clock, wandering out to see what was up. Then, I was unkindly slammed right back to that part of high school where the oversleeping thing resided. Checking the morning paper at leisure, I realized this is a Thursday. In two hours, I had an appointment.

I can still do it. I still have it. I can still shower, wash and dry hair, put on an approximate face, and scoot in an hour and fifteen minutes. Okay, an hour and twenty.

But, I never want to have to do it, again . . .

Bring it . . . closer

We received an E-mail from a national chain store (okay, Sears) informing us that, today, it is opening an outlet on Killian at 79th AV. The communication also included a printable coupon. How happy am I? So much so that if I don't go today, I surely will on Monday. The nearest outlet of this kind is so far north of us, it might as well be in another county.

This is almost close enough to pogo stick over . . .

Cat-mentary . . .

In the interest of family unity, it may be just as well that the U of M lost last night. At least the team did not defeat itself with errors. Although the incidents from the Georgia game had repercussions: their win-or-go-home status being the most obvious.

This morning, we had what I am beginning to think of as scared-y-cat weather. Mew took the thunder as long as she could and then bolted, low to the ground, for sanctuary. The door to our bedroom was left only cat-wide to discourage intruders. She came out after all was quiet and joined us.

I guarantee that a cat can look embarrassed: she did . . .

Oh, those Florida State fans . . .

We watched the U of M play Fla. State. I could hardly stand the suspense in the ninth inning. We had seen the U of M fall apart while losing to GA. Glad to see them pull themselves together to edge out a rival.

We also watched the US Open's extra 18 holes with Mediate and Woods. Who would have thought a golf game could be as suspenseful as a college playoff?

Well, almost . . .

Stuffing and stuff . . .

Yesterday, five of us went to the Golden Corral down at the southern end of the Turnpike. J and I had not been down that far for years and the changes in the place are impressive. According to J, that is the fastest growing town, for its size, in the U.S. I do believe it. We found a Lowes, a Kohls, and lots of other shopping in a concentrated area. Plus more new multi-level housing than you would believe could be shoe-horned in.

We thought the restaurant might be crowded but it wasn't. Where are most people on the day before Father's Day? Turned out that many are in the malls or outlets frantically scooping up what Father might like. To me, a great deal of the fun of going someplace like the GC is seeing what other browsers score bring back from the serving areas. What's that you have? Oooh, where it it? Dessert? Who has room for dessert? Turns out several of us left room.

We really enjoyed going with Zeta, M, and Big Ed.

Happy Father's Day!

Rite vs Rong . . .

Sleep: UR doin' it rite.








Sleep: UR doin' it rong.

Does not compute . . .

We are having computer problems and I don't believe it is the computer's fault.

First of all, our old, and I really mean old, scanner died. I ordered and installed a replacement from Amazon. After that install, an ancient and useless page displays when the computer boots up. It requires me to click on my name before it will load settings. I have to wait for it to come up before I can leave the computer alone to arrange itself in the usual way.

My copy of AdAware from Lavasoft downloaded the 2008 version, with my complete permission. It is not working correctly. Yet. I am still tweaking and not successfully.

At Susan's site this morning, I wrote a comment and forgot to delete a word when I was editing that comment. Then I posted an oops to explain. When I posted the oops, the comment repeated itself in all of its error-ful glory.

I should probably shut this machine down gracefully and clomp back to bed . . .

I wish it had been "Cats"

I entered a contest just a few minutes ago. The method of entering was to post in the comments section of Pioneer Woman and mention any live concert where I had been present. At the time, I could only think of a Chicago concert presented by the Youth Fair plus a couple of Broadway musicals that traveled here to the semi-tropics. I forgot completely about visiting the Grand Ole Opry when we went to visit J's brother in Nashville. It didn't "take" as I am still not a fan.

Perhaps it was a Freudian slip of memory or maybe it was that the temperature that evening was announced on public media as five below zero. I was dressed in layers underneath an overcoat that was bought here in the semi-tropics. It wasn't heavy enough. Twice as many layers plus mukluks and a parka would not have been heavy enough.

Possibly that was the lifetime nadir of my being cold. Certainly, I hope so . . .

Under the clouds . . .

The weather was really nice, today. Too bad that I was under it. Even large quantities of Imodium didn't help, which may give you some idea. My doctor's office was a peach and faxed a prescription to CVS. I take back everything negative I ever thought about CVS. They had it ready by the time the collector arrived to pick it up. Thanks B.E.

Much better now. Dining on scrambled eggs and dry toast felt like a filling feast. At present, all-the-fish-in-the-sea and I are inhaling water, big time.

Market value, yeah right ...

David Pogue writes a technology column that appears in the NY Times on Thursdays. He also authors a blog called Pogue's Posts. The following URL will take you to a specific post about zillow that I found fascinating. I’d bet you would too. Plus, you can discover what your house is ... never mind, go see.

http://pogue.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/06/02/a-zeal-for-zillow-in-this-crazy-home-market/

Go leave a comment ...

Coffee Bean at The Righteous Buzz, is holding a contest in honor of National Dystonia Awareness Week. Leave her an encouraging comment and you will be entered for a drawing of a $20 Starbucks gift card.

The video that she posted demonstrates how dystonia affects her life. Encouraging words are always welcome. She is a Christian lady who is bearing her burden as best she can. We should let her know we are thinking about her.

Warm enough?

I made an errands-run yesterday afternoon. It was more brief than I had intended because the walk from the parking lot was like a safari - couldn't wait to get into the A/C. Thank heaven the car was parked by a tree which would provide some shelter. The twenty feet from the pharmacy to the grocery store was like wading through hot sand.

Inside Publix back toward the delicatessen area, there was a young woman stretched out on the floor with her head on her purse. She had fainted. An older lady sat next to her rubbing her back. I asked the older lady if I could help or call someone for her. She said they were waiting for 911 to come. They did arrive quickly and performed a transport.

I was outside when the rescue vehicle drove the wrong way down an aisle of parked traffic which I thought was smart of them. If they had followed the proper flow of traffic, they might have gotten stuck behind a car which was stopped and waiting for another car to vacate a parking space. That kind of driver seldom abandons its prey.

When I got home, I discovered that it was 99° in the shade of our front porch. Today, the plan is: out-and-back early . . .

Answers . . .

The fluffy stuff is: leftovers! This was an almost free dinner. And it would have been much tastier had I remembered the cheese for the broccoli. I just added some Land O Lakes and served it. The cheese languished in the refrigerator.

Leftover what? Leftover pork chops that were of different ages. Various leftover chops from various meals were frozen and vacuum bagged (at various times). After accumulating enough of the orphans to make a dinner, the sealed packages are placed in a pot of water and simmered for 20-30 minutes. They taste like just-baked, fresh from the oven. Really.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it . . . .

Whats-it?

Can anyone discern what's cookin,' if anything? Any guesses what the fluffy stuff is?

Heh?

BigEd can be the judge of this one ...

Repetition is the key ...

We taught one of our dogs to sing, on command. Whenever he heard a siren, he would throw back his head and howl. By repeating his name and the word "sing" while he was doing it, we eventually had a dog who would throw back his head and sing on command. Kids loved seeing him do it.

Most of our dogs were taught to relieve themselves on command using the same method. While they were *going,* we would say "Lobo, hurry up" or "Ranger, hurry up" during the process. After a while, they got the urge to go when they heard the phrase. It was a convenience to take them outside and use the command just before we went to bed ourselves. Or in the rain, it was especially useful for a quick out-and-back-inside.

One would not think this would work on cats. It does, after a fashion. BigEd tells Mew, "time to go to bed." She will run to the room where her sandbox is, use it, and then demand to be let out of the room. Thereupon, the used sandbox would be cleaned. I am not sure who trained whom, however.

Clean sandbox goood ... for everybody.

Fool with me, willya ...

One of our little, homey group telephoned CVS and used the automated system to try to refill a prescription. The automated system did not offer a selection that allowed the time for pickup to be nailed down.

I called the pharmacy itself in order to speak to a warm, living soul. The system put me on hold, hold, hold, hold. You get the idea.

So we called the same CVS number from a cell phone while I waited on the land line. (Two incoming calls on hold-hold-hold should dictate that customer service kicks in.) A warm, living body picked up my land line call and asked me again to hold, hold, hold. Then I was disconnected. Lather, rinse, repeat, I called again.

Finally, a second, warm, living person told me that, per the insurance company, it was too soon to refill the order. 'Scuse me? We had only five days left of medication and I told the warm, living ear about that.

"Try again on Monday" was the warm, living suggestion. After saying that I would check with the insurance company, we hung up gently, gently.

Wouldn't you know? Just know? The insurance company assured me that the medication claim had already been paid, this afternoon.

When I called the pharmacy back, a sorrowful, third, warm, living voice assured me that the medication was ready for pickup in five minutes. Customer service is a chink in their armor and I know where it lives.

They knew not with whom they dealt. This was nothing compared to trying to get the Controller's Office to free up a requisition which had been swallowed up by their purchasing system. Or soothing a member of the entitled public who refused to listen to "no" in its various polite forms.

I R A pro ... retired.

Safety second ...

I am the relative of someone who was the unhappy victim of a concussive (I made up that adjective out of an existing noun. However, I looked it up and it is a legitimate word, so I can't take credit for it.) bike accident. This relative now wears a bike helmet while pedaling around. So, do I have to wear one? On a stationary bike?

How far would you think I might have to pedal before a helmet becomes a necessary accessory? I could fall while climbing off (or on) clumsily.

And I can do clumsy really well ...

Fare thee ...

We don't discard things lightly. The conversion van shown below has been a member of our family since 1993. Several things contributed to its enforced retirement including faltering air conditioning, the front wheels becoming impossible to align properly without major work, and an eccentric electrical system which began to eat batteries. Still, we held onto it until replacement parts became impossible to find.

We considered it from most angles and it begged to be retired. We did nothing. It had not aged enough in its infirm state to be considered finally disposable.


Until fate intervened and someone offered to pay cash for it and take it away. We mulled it over for about 30 seconds. In its current incarnation, it was being used just for storage which is an all time low for a formerly active vehicle.

We said goodbye this morning. We are not the only ones who will miss it.

An iguana named Herb was living under it. He vacated at top speed ...

From a former life ...

Since I have been blogging, my email can pile up for a couple of days if I am not careful to check it. I don't know if doing this satisfies some need to *exhibit* (As Mr. Bennet says in Pride and Prejudice) or if it takes up part of the mental allotment of time for keeping in touch.

There was one email that caught my attention right away. It was from FIU. It informed me that my doctor's office had called and left a message that an appointment date had been changed due the absence of the gentleman I had an appointment to see.

Wha'? I retired from FIU six years ago. And the message had been left there on the voice mail of someone I have never met. Wasn't it nice that I was tracked down? The place where I used to live my weekday life is pretty efficient. But, they were dubbed by me, back then, as the dream team.

I guess they still are ...

And Memorial Monday ...

Memorial Day still feels a little dislocated to be falling on the last Monday of May. It used to always fall on a Sunday. You may have seen on the news how members of the armed services place flags on the graves at Arlington.

Each flagstaff was pushed into the ground at exactly the length of the honoring serviceman's foot measured from the headstone of the fallen soldier. I had not noticed that detail before. Doing so ensured that all of the flags placed by any one person were always in a straight line down the row.

After placing each flag, the serviceman stepped back and gravely saluted the fallen comrade. It was a moving ceremony, precisely and quietly carried out. Each gravesite received that solemn tribute.

It made me proud to think that those honored dead with no living contemporaries should also be so remembered.

Heart Sunday

Memorial Sunday

Willie grew while I was away.
Several shoe sizes, shirt sizes,
Heart sizes.

When I realized who this
Stalwart individual was,
Who shook my hand and asked,
How are you?

Willie, I cried as he turned away.
He came, hugged my rueful heart,
And smiled.


Pastor Darlington? No, Mister,
Teacher, Engineer, Father,
Held the place this Sunday
Of the man, with a new tooth,

And re-growing hair, with short term
Memory returning slowly.
Recovering from an aneurism,
As he said, one tooth at a time.

Fondly watched and monitored
From the pews.

Mad dogs and Englishmen ...

I had to make a run to the post office and, on the way home, the car got sprinkled with a light rain. Not enough to rinse it off but just enough to turn the ash that had drifted down into a muddy smear.

When I got home (after crawling my way through the two-lane traffic on SW 107 Avenue while it is being repaved) I parked near a crunchy patch of grass. Those are easy to find, currently. I turned the hose onto the ashy car and rinsed. A lot. Then out of pity, I sprayed the little Hydrangea and J's infant sized Crape Myrtle. In the process, I acquired all the Vitamin D that is needed for a week's health.

I would not have done it at 1:30 p.m. if I had read the digital thermometer first. It was 99.5° in the shade. The car was not in the shade.

It would have been better to wait until next winter, actually ...

Early what?

The house is quiet with only the soft rain falling this morning. It kindly waited until the newspapers were brought in and started immediately after. There was little thunder with it and that was soft and rolling in the distance. Lets hope the 'Glades got more vigorously falling water and ours was the edge of the storm.

This quiet time seems necessary. I have discovered that I am an earlier bird than I thought. Not too early though. And not if there are errands in view. Then, perversely, I want to sleep 'til noon.

Only the rush of air from the AC keeps me company.

Sshhh ...

Two for one ...

I experienced an act of nature while feeding Zeta's and M's cats. It vaguely involved a double murder, of sorts. There is a big picture window in the kitchen at their house. I was sitting at the table in front of it and looking out while drinking from the travel mug of Starbucks I had brought along.

A movement caught my attention. When I determined it was not a floater in my eye, I focused on a housefly which had come inside with me. it was bumping the window glass in an effort to go back outside. I sat watching and thinking how they are always on the wrong side of the window: either always wanting out or always wanting in. This one had definitely decided out was better.

From the top of the window another character entered. It was one of those little jumping spiders we have down here. Not deadly, but definitely something you do not want landing on your arm while you are drinking hot coffee. It slowly descended the window glass, moving toward the angry fly. It did not come down a web but walked toward its intended prey in short bursts of steps, pausing between. It was more than an inch away when it let go of the glass and fell on the fly. The buzzing continued for a bit and then the fly was still.

I watched for a bit longer and then came to the realization that this was not my house, not my fly, and definitely not my spider. Doubling up a paper towel, I interfered with nature.

A double murder, the spider's and then mine ...

Free water needed ...

Yesterday, I actually heard the weather man say that today's weather would be: roast, burn, and sizzle. He thought he was being, ah, amusing.

The Herald promises that we will experience smoke and heat, today. Even our car is participating in the promise. There was ash all over it from the 'Glades fires, this morning, when we got back into it while on a brief outing.

Do you think being smoked and heated will extend our shelf life? Think beef jerky or pemmican.

Enough, already. We need some of that free water. No, not tears. Rain, rain, I tell you ...

Addendum: Ask and it shall be added unto you.

We had a minimal shower early this afternoon. Then about two hours later, a goodly rain. It is still dripping from the trees, well bushes, and the back patio still shows sprinkles jumping into little puddles. Hallelujah.

Take that, weatherpeople!

Insomnia? Try cheesecake ...

It feels as if we had a hypnotist in the house. Getting sleeepy, eyelids are heeaavvy. Right. I can muster up that feeling, all by myself, thanks. No hypnotist needed.

I do have to say a heartfelt thank you to Zeta and M for the gift certificate to Barnes and Noble. I feel so wealthy when I walk into that place bearing pre-loaded plastic. I wish I had remembered to send a piece of the Cheesecake Factory, Six Carb Cheesecake home with Zeta. Dang. Now I feel badly that she only had one tiny piece when the whole cake came into the house with her. And M, who had to work, has not had any of it.

Forgetful and selfish, just selfish, is all I can say. Also, more for me ...

And the month is?

The only reason I know today is not Saturday is because our local branch of the library is closed on Fridays. I did it again: lost my way amidst all the weekdays we have to negotiate. You would think there were thousands, or at least hundreds, of them. Yesterday was the 15th, I know for sure, so today must be ...

There are compensations for making one's way through the week by counting down the work days toward a weekend. I used to never mistake a Friday for a Saturday. Now? I couldn't care less.

Unless the library is closed ...

Calling, calling ...

We will accept kudos for showing such restraint, yesterday. We drove right past a Starbucks and did not stop, even though we have a card for free coffee on Wednesdays. Starbucks is also where no sugar added banana nut cake resides. Sometimes, when they are not out of it.

The card came attached to an advertisement in the Herald. We still have two more Wednesdays in this month to wield it. Free coffee is a mighty lure. Banana. Nut. Sugar free. That's not a lure, that's a siren call.

Perhaps, perhaps we should not accept kudos too soon ...

Round and round ...

I can't believe that getting up at 6 a.m. is as stressful as it seems to be now. I used to do that while working at FIU. I used to work until 7:30 or 8 p.m. and think nothing of it.

Now, an early excursion with J, a short trip to the library/grocery store, and cooking/reheating a little bit of dinner did me in. One would think I was getting older.

I need to go round off my day by riding the stationary bike for a while. I have several DVDs of The Dog Whisperer that the library will eventually want returned. They are my current diversion while going nowhere, moderately fast. Previously while riding pedaling, I listened to the Accidental Tourist on CD. I had seen the movie after reading the book, liked them both, and wanted to hear someone else read it to me. Make sense?

Probably not. See you down the road ...

Such a baby ...

When I sat in a crowded waiting room recently, the surrounding ambiance was punctuated by coughs and sneezes. When called in for a brief eye test, I mentioned ambiance to the tech and wished her, "Good luck with that."

You might know. Mothers' Day. Painful throat. Malaise. Cream of Wheat for dinner. Peroxide rinses. Bed looks really good. Think I'll stay there.

So I mostly did.

Still in bathrobe on Monday. It is such a comfort ...

The gift ...

The little Hydrangea above is trying to bloom for Mothers' Day. It was a lovely gift, from Zeta and M, some time ago and it is trying to keep on giving. It went from one floret being open to four with a fifth in process. It may not complete its cycle by Sunday, but I do appreciate the effort it is making.

Happy Mothers' Day!

Stock anyone?

Our 12 quart stainless stock pot started to leak at the rivets. It had come from Ebay and lasted long after any warranty had expired. It was time to replace it.

Well, the stock pot I evaluated at first was the All Clad 12 quart. But I had to face facts. I was looking for a large, stainless steel, heavy bottomed pot to make stock in, not an instant family heirloom. Calphalon seemed a good second choice and I would not have to take out a loan on our marmalade and white cat to get one.

Bed Bath and Beyond had sent a 20% coupon to us. Even better. The salesperson at the store did not have the 12 quart size in stock. He offered to order it, use the coupon, waive shipping and send it to my house. Suuuurrrrre, I said. Order away.

It came a few days ago. I haven't used it yet. Today may be the day ...

Trial and ...

J's mother is here, visiting from Orange Park. She is a wonderfully modern person of 85 years experience. Today, we will go to lunch with her. She loves fish, so I think we will introduce her to the Rockfish Grill.

After having had a non digital SLR camera for some years, it is a come-down to have a moderately adjustable digital. It has an auto focus which allows some tweaking from the user, but the flash has a pitiable usable distance. So I turned the flash off, finally. I am discovering the light levels that the camera needs indoors, by trial and error.

Mostly error ...

Status que you oh ...

Just returned from seeing the eye specialist. The right eye is so dry, (a good thing, think interior instead of exterior) that no treatment was necessary. In three weeks, the left one will be checked again. Three weeks because the Good Dr. is going away for two weeks in June and wants to see me sooner rather than later. I am viewing a blurry world but that will go away as the paralyzed iris recovers from being sooo relaxed. So am I. I think I'm having a nap attack.

Zeta and M, I came down your street on the way home. Status quo. No visible wildlife or at least none visible to me. I could see that your PT is parked where it should be. So is A's white car. I didn't do a mail stop. ST will be there later. I hope Zorro makes an appearance. Will ST let you know?

The pictures on your blog are great. I can't wait to see more. It tickled my funny bone that M's telephone was right at hand, jus' in case. Now that's a great communicator.

Making friends ...

The Iguana on the power line looking down at the cat who was looking up and wishing he would come down and play.

Answers ...

I should have waited until Zeta and M get back before doing this question and answer session. I didn't though and will just have to add hers if she posts questions.

Coffee Bean said...

1. How long have you been reading Pioneer Woman's blog?

I found Pioneer Woman when she won the bloggie award for best writing. I had to go and see who beat dooce in that area. I agree with the choice and think she will win again next year. After I found her site, I went back to her first entry and read forward to the present. Some of the questions folks ask her let me know that they haven’t read her earlier posts. She seems to have the patience of Job.

2. What is your favorite dessert?

A friend of my mother’s used to serve us a seven layer chocolate cake that was like taking a bath in chocolate and rubbing it in your hair. It came from Tyler’s restaurant, which is not in business any more. Also, Sonny Richard’s fudge. Same effect.

3. Do you prefer cats or dogs?

There is no short answer to this question. We’ve had 2 collies (not at the same time), 2 german shepherds (a mother and son), an inherited italian greyhound mix, and a chow since we’ve been married. Plus 2 Siamese cats, a Burmese cat, rescued cats, cats that just moved in and our current little tyrant. We’ve also had tropical fish, turtles, a newt that escaped, plus a parrot and an iguana as extended family that lived down the street. If it’s living and breathing, we like it. I even brought home some ring-neck snake babies (from the university where I worked) for a terrarium, but we released them. They ate live insects.

Susan said...

1. What is your favorite childhood memory?

I spent some wonderful times up in a Chinese Cherry tree reading and eating cherries. If I didn’t move around too much, the Mockingbirds and Blue Jays would join me. I read every book in the "Wizard of Oz" series up in that tree.

Later, fishing in the Keys and staying at the Coral Castle which is what we called the Goetz house.

2. Name 3 TV shows you cannot go without watching.

Bones
Martha (Stewart, sorry, but it’s true)
Masterpiece which used to be Masterpiece Theatre, on PBS.
If Midsomer Murders is ever aired again in the U.S., then drop Martha and add that one, if I am limited to three.

3. If you could vacation to anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?

01 Doc and I still haven’t visited Cross Creek. We need to do that as an homage to Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings.

ol Doc said...

1. The older you get, the more things change. What one change is the best? Which is the least liked?

It’s good that as I get older, the more farsighted I've become. I’ve now aged into nearly 20/20 distance vision and can still read 8 point type (6 point if it is dark print and I squint) without glasses.

The bad part is that I have to have regular injections into the eyes to keep that vision. If not for the advances made through research, I would probably be unable to see to drive, by now. My retina specialist tells me tales of how it used to be. He is so happy to have the tools to make a difference.

2. If you could do it all over again, would you reconsider and actually allow me to take down that old chandelier in the house we grew up in, assuming we wouldn't have been stopped on the way out that bathroom window? :)

Instead of meeting the young lad (across the rock wall) with innocent faces and telling the tale that we used to live there, we would have been purveyers of you know what. Remember, at the Christopher Place, when I told you we should leave? Who did we see driving by? What kind of vehicle was he driving? Uh-huh. Rest my case.

3. What 3 modern conveniences could you do without and still be content.

I could do without: gramophones, teletypes, and velcro. I know that only velcro really answers the true spirit your question. Okay, in modern terms: make it plastic mollies, wallboard, and velcro.

I would really like a flat HDTV, thank you very much ... wall mounted for choice. But, not with plastic mollies or velcro, on wallboard.

Ask me, just ask ...

Coffee Bean gave me this idea.


It is interesting when bloggers answer questions, candidly, that readers decide to throw at them. If you post your questions in the comments, along with your blog address if you have one, I promise to answer them in the blogpost tomorrow a few days.

Anyone can play. You don't need a blog address to ask and I will learn things about you from your questions.

This feels like a real conversation, doesn't it?

Ya gotta eat ...

Zeta and M told us about a good deal through a local radio station's web site. It is an offer of gift certificates for local establishments available at half the face value, if bought through the station's site. We bought one for a local restaurant, forgot about it, and it has almost expired.

Yesterday, we went to lunch, en masse, to redeem our certificate. The establishment wasn't open. Zeta and M recommended the nearby Rockfish Grill as an alternative. The food at the Rockfish was delicious. Really good. It is now another little jewel that that we will keep in mind. We told Zeta and M that if we are thinking of trying someplace new, we will ask them first. They are becoming our restaurant gurus.

Still, the certificate will expire tomorrow. I called Joffrey's this morning. They apologized for not being able to open on time yesterday. The waitress had an emergency. It's a cozy li'l place, can you tell? Not large, but friendly and the food ... the coffee ... mmmwah.

We will be forced to go to Joffrey's this afternoon. So sad, for us, heh.

From our experience with a previous certificate, we know that any funds remaining from the first visit are returned to the user via a gift card, right there on the spot.

What drama ...

Family picture ...

When Town and Country mall closed for retooling and our nearest Sears died with it, price cuts grew like beanstalks. In the nearly empty Sears, I made friends with a Tilia Foodsaver vacuum sealer and it followed me home.

I have become an unpaid advocate for the thing. Just mention it and I will tell you much more than you want to know about it. Zeta and M have one, too. When various family members came to visit earlier this year, they saw what it could do and they bought one when they got home.

I got an email from that family recently which detailed how much money they are saving. It is gratifying to see their enthusiasm.

I mentioned, to them, something about the steamer inserts that I use to hold the sealed bags off the bottom of pots of water when reheating or thawing/warming. They wanted to know what kind. Below is what I sent them.

Aren't they pretty?

Up for adoption ...

Our Adopt-A-Tree program is scheduled to begin soon. The trees offered in May will be Vera Wood, Pigeon Plum, Longan and Tamarind.

The one tree I am interested in replacing with a like species is the Mango we lost. Mangos are scheduled to be offered on Sunday, June 8th from 9 a.m. to noon, in the Northwest area. Don't these people go to church? Guess not.

The next time they are offering Mango trees for adoption is on Saturday, August 16th, from 9 a.m. to noon, at the Fair grounds. They will be offering Dahoon Holly, White Geiger, Jackfruit, and ♪♪ ta-daa ♪♪ Mango.

August. Whooo hoo, that will probably be a Sahara type day, don't you think? Only not so dry. Poor little hothouse grown Mango sprout will probably sunburn in August.

Here's a counterintuitive question: do they make sunblock for trees?

The wrong line ...

In the line at the grocery store: the woman ahead of me had two boys with her. The larger boy, about 4 years old, was in the child seat and the smaller who looked to be a year or so younger was sitting in basket where groceries usually go. She had just a few items on the lowest shelf of the basket, below the little guys.

Something upset the older boy while she was unloading her items to the moving belt on the counter. He started yelling at her, at the world. Trying to use the safety belt to hold him in place just made him more agitated. Still yelling, he began to throw his upper body from side to side and back and forth. He balled up his fists and hit her. Grabbing his hands, she soothed him by telling him to be calm, be calm; that he was going to hurt himself; that she was holding his hands to keep him from hurting himself; to keep him from hurting "Mommie."

With one of her hands holding his at the handle of the basket, she bent down to get the last item from the lower shelf. While she stooped, he bent over and clamped down on her hand with his teeth. I heard her gasp and she let him go to clutch at her own hand. He went immediately still, staring at her.

She never raised her voice. She held him against her and whispered to him. Then she turned and finished paying for her purchases. Her face was blotchy with emotion and so was his.

I felt like mine should be, too. The cashier and the older man who was bagging for her both looked stunned.

I am still not sure if I witnessed a tantrum or a set of symptoms. And I still feel as if I should have done something. I just don't know what ...

Reality of a sort ...

J and I have been watching Survivor and Big Brother9. Do we need to get a life? When these series are ended, we will miss our weekly fix. After the previous Olympics (summer and winter both) that we watched were completed, we remember having the same wish that there were more to watch.

We are, however, really looking forward to 08/08/08 and the Olympics’ opening. Polities aside, the athletes themselves are admirable characters for the most part. Unless it is discovered after the fact that they took ... never mind.

We will just have to put up with the pangs of withdrawal after the closing ceremonies. Of course, there is always the one last season of The Amazing Race: supposedly this year ...

A shot in the ...

Today is the last time, for a while, that I can wash my hair without wearing swim goggles to keep the water out one of my eyes. Two dry weeks, they have to spend - with another probable two weeks in favor of the remaining peeper.

It has been a blessing though. So far, my central vision remains usable because of the treatments. I hope these continue to work until I curl up my toes.

There is a very dark joke that one of the benefits of memory impairment is that you meet new people every day. In my case, it would mean that I could read the same mystery over and over and still be amazed at the surprise ending. :)

As long as I can still see to read, I am so thankful.

Dot dot dot

I am much too fond of ellipses. Can you tell?

Others may be addicted to multiple exclamation points or quotation marks like double fingers flickering for emphasis. I like the trailing of an ellipsis ... it seems to demand further inference. If the reader will participate, I don’t have to complete the thought to its possibly absurd conclusion.

When I found a blog template of dots, an “aha” moment occurred. (Ignore those "quotation marks")

I was charmed!!! (Ignore those exclamation points!!!)

Home, it was deja vu.

What a relief that I didn’t feel compelled to say: “deja vu, all over again.” Now that would be sooo lame!!!

Just so you know ...

WSJ needs a stork ...

We subscribe to two newspapers, one is the local Herald and the other is the Wall Street Journal. When they both get delivered, the folded, bagged papers are usually somewhere near the mailbox, by the sidewalk. Herald delivery has been as regular as clockwork. WSJ broke their clock, regularly.

I began to telephone the WSJ's 800-number each time we missed our copy. The subscription personnel and I developed a troubled relationship. They were sorry for the inconvenience. They offered to deliver the paper right up onto the front porch. Several times, they offered. We accepted the offer each time they made it and then pointed out that the delivery label has "del to porch" printed right on it.

Last Friday, I called to terminate the subscription. The young woman with whom I spoke said that the delivery service had been replaced by a new one and the WSJ should appear every day but Sunday. I agreed to try once more.

The next morning, when I looked outside, there it was: one newspaper was on the front porch, all by itself.

It was the Herald ...

In the wild ...

As children, we used to go fishing with our parents, into the Everglades, along Biscayne Bay, or down in the Keys. This was before air conditioning in private homes became common. We three kids were accustomed to riding in the back seat with the windows open as far as they would go. The semi-tropical airs could give you a facial windburn if you were not careful. The front seats had a triangular vent window which, when opened, somewhat protected the faces of luckier riders.

We were coming back from one of our secret fishing spots on the edge of the 'Glades, via a dirt road which ran through dry brushy growth. Using a dirt road mandated a slow pace to keep the dust down. Mom was driving when she called to us to quick, look out the back window. She had noticed something in the rear view mirror.

When we did, we saw that a Florida Panther was following our car. It was about 20 yards back down the road, ambling along with a deliberate, loose jointed gait. its head and spine were held relaxed on the same level, as it came. The shoulder blades were working up and down as it lifted and placed its front paws. It was perfectly at ease, ignoring our car and, after we had watched for a short while, it turned to its left and disappeared completely into the brush. It was thin, but healthy looking, as I remember, and it ignored us so absolutely that we had no fear of it.

We would not have gotten out the car, though ...

Foraging for ...

I was beginning to think I knew the pangs of a deprived crack addict. Last evening, when Big Ed called home to say that Publix-on-Bird did not have any sugar-free white cupcakes and did we want chocolate, I said no. J said yes for himself, and so I went without.

I watched them eat their daggone chocolate cupcakes. Big Ed did offer me a piece of sugar-free candy out of pity. But I bided my time. Okay, I ate the candy but I still bided.

Today, on the way home from church, I stopped at the big Publix across from the university. I garnered four boxes of s/f white cupcakes. Now, I shared one box, but the other three are mine, all mine!

If I were a dog, I would bury them ...

Ai sai, auld fellew ...

We like quite a bit of BBC America programming. Periodically PBS runs a series of Agatha Christie or Arthur Conan Doyle, which makes us happy. But, for us, the quintessential modern Brit mystery appeared on the Biography Channel: Midsomer Murders.

Chief Inspector Barnaby, Detective Sergeant Troy, and company pursued criminals regularly in Midsomer. We took it for granted, settled in, and suspended disbelief until Barnaby left, only to return the following week. Then (how dare they) the programming changed. We have been without a Midsomer fix for months, it seems.

Until in moderate desperation, I requested that the library purchase a Midsomer DVD, available from Acorn Media. I asked for just one DVD. The library purchased four. Three have arrived today. The campers don't care if they have seen them or not.

They're happy ...

Busted ...

We had not bought any Sensables. I knew Big Ed, who was not home, had some in the refrigerator in his room. I told J that I would borrow one and replace it when we made a run to resupply.

In Big Ed's room, I rummaged through the boxes in his fridge. Nothing appeared appetizing, so I closed the door and turned to see the cat, sitting in the exact middle of the room, staring at me. Her gaze was intense with amazement. I explained that it was not theft but would have been a loan. She just kept giving me "the look."

Talk about being busted ...

Winter, elsewhere ...

These pictures are of R and A while they were on vacation. They illustrate what winter


can be like elsewhere. They also demonstrate that a vacation to winter can be a fun experience, judging from their expressions ... especially the snowmobile driver.

Lake Tahoe is in the background and I believe the one of A by herself is at Virginia City. Don't you wish you could have stowed away in their luggage? What a great experience to tuck away in their own, personal Random Access Memories.

Say what?

There is something about going to the grocery store and forgetting to buy bananas. Taking a list does not help if you don't put everything on it.

But, does forget really mean not remember? Or can it mean that someone, naming no names, did not ask about bananas until the shopper returned home? There is a little discrepancy in that logic, because the shopper wanted bananas, too.

I guess forget means what it means, and we both did ...

Extras ...

If our weather were like this year 'round, there would be a gate at the border and we'd have to pay to get in. What a beautiful, weatherly day. The semi-tropical plants may not be happy with its low humidity, but as a semi-adaptable human, it hit my comfort zone, exactly.

Today, being the tax deadline, McDonalds offered comfort food at comfortable pricing. Quarter Pounder or Big Mac were buy one, get one for a penny. I'll have two of the extra ones, please, for two cents. Yeah, right.

I apologize, this may be more than you need to know ...

How badly do we want a digital, battery operated emergency television? Look: Here

Additionally, in his column at sunherald.com, David Morris writes: "... While RadioShack currently has a 7-inch Accurian handheld portable battery-operated digital set for around $200, there's a good chance as we approach "D-Day 2009" other manufacturers will enter the arena, offering more choices and lower prices ..."

We have 2008 to use our emergency battery operated TV. Let us hope we don't need it and that the new digital batt/opp TVs will become as inexpensive as calculators.

The future is evidently this one from Sony. In covering the "International Consumer Electronics Show," CNN wrote:

...The ultimate in thinness is achievable with a completely different screen technology: organic light-emitting diodes, or OLEDs. Sony Corp. announced it will soon start selling the first OLED screen in the U.S. It's just 3 millimeters, or one-eighth of an inch thick ...

They're organic. Will we have to feed them ... can you possibly drop by while we're away to feed the cat and change the sandbox under the TV? Of course it is more than a couple of thousand $$$, right now, for an 11 inch screen. It is also completely viewable from a side angle.

I want one, oh, about 52 inches, to hang on the wall where J's present monster takes up the corner of the living room. I hope I live long enough to see them like solar calculators, portable and accessible to everyone.

I think I'll go read something as an antidote to all this tech/talk ...

The gettery list ...

Things I keep forgetting to buy: vacuum bags (running low, too), Method hand soap (I remembered but the new pump is broken and I have to exchange it), spaghetti squash, ballpoint pens, a hand mirror, light bulbs for Big Ed's fan and for the recessed lights, ant killer (no, not aunt killer), underwear (never mind whose), a utility shed, and a leaf blower.

Pretty diverse forgettery, isn't it? The unhappy truth is that after making this list, it will feel like I have accomplished something.

Oddly comfortable ...

A while ago, J's mother gave Mew a kitty condo with three interior levels and a padded penthouse roof which she found comfy and elevated. She loves to be brushed and combed atop that penthouse roof as part of her morning routine. She only explored the lower levels once or twice and decided that they were not as good as the penthouse. Her brush and comb are stored in the top cavity. The second level houses all of our remotes for various electronic equipment. Mew is okay with this. I have her permission.

The Humane Society mailed a freebie little fluffy blanket as part of a request for donations. I folded it into fourths and dropped it at the foot of her tower. Immediately, she stepped on it and decided it was the best thing since green olives.

She naps only here, for the present. I hope when the novelty wears off she will resume tower living. Two people have suggested putting the blanket on top of the condo. But, if she starts to fall off and grabs the blanket, she and the blanket both will hit the floor. Awkwardly.

She did that once with a pillow and it was not a pretty sight ...

If wishes were horses ...

Yes, of course. There is a bug which affects our digital television changeover in 2009. There would have to be one, wouldn't there? I was feeling rather complacent about ignoring the changeover to a digital-only platform. As digital cable customers, we don't have any analog sets running and so the changeover shouldn't affect us.

But no. We actually do have an analog set that has a built in antenna. It is D-cell battery powered and we use it during power failures after hurricanes. It's a cheap little black and white gem that sits in its box from one summer to the next unless it is needed.

I did some googling to see if there is a solution to our problem and did not discover one. "Get a radio" seems to be a common answer to getting storm information. Duuh, we have several battery powered radios. Watching a radio is cold comfort.

I want to watch the weather person endure it with us when the storm gets nasty. I want to see the maps so I can tell if our neighborhood will be on the strong or weak side of the storm. I want to see where the eyewall will strike.

I want my Mommie ...

Hark ...

This morning, I heard a sweet, faint sound coming from some distance away. It was the gentle sound of a jackhammer. This is not the common name for a migratory bird, nor is it in the woodpecker family.

The jackhammer is single footed and double eared. It sinks its foot into our consciousness and our concrete curbing. The by product of this activity is not a new nest in the neighborhood, but a new pest.

The dreaded roadwork. Soon, it will be targeting a corner near us ...

If only ...

I'm never satisfied with the weather unless it is in my exact comfort zone: cool; sunshiny (or light overcast); dry, but not too dry; if I have to be out in it. Soft rain with light winds if I can stay inside and read.

Being such a p'ticular creature, It's a good thing I'm not in charge of the weather. We would never get a soaking toad-strangler if I were choosing. The roads would always be dry if I had to drive somewhere. It would stop raining instantly if I had to load the car with groceries or bring them in the house.

Maybe I just need a forcefield bubble around my immediate area ...

Visitor ...

We had a visitor tapping at the door. He was not properly introduced and therefore we did not let him in to play with Mew. She was horribly disappointed at the obstinacy of our refusal.

The parents of the visitor were agitated and screaming until we took our potential playmate away and closed the curtain. Subsequently, he must have moved to the side of the yard as the parents moved over there and were flying in and out of the hibiscus bushes.

We wish the little guy better luck with his next playmate ...

I know, I know ...

I have to admit it. I didn't give them enough time. Although the weather people predicted afternoon T-showers, tonight was when they came. After dark. Almost after some peoples' curfews.

Around 9:45, well after dark, I am sure the fronds were wet. They could not drip, however, because the wind was blowing the rain sideways. Rain blew on, over, and then away from the palm fronds. It may have carried into the next county before hitting the ground. We did get some from the previous county. It blew hard enough for me to decide to put new batteries into a dead flashlight.

That alone kept the power from going out ...

I'll know it when I see it ...

There were promises. The weather prophets said we would have rain, today. Actually yesterday there was the possibility of a likelihood, perhaps, but we should definitely get some free water today. They said. Assertively.

There has been brilliant light from the heavens, all day. It is now about four in the afternoon. Time for me to go and put the stockpot on the boil for turkey and yellow rice with green beans and onions. I was hoping for coolth. The only sort we seem destined to get is the artificial kind and thank heaven for that.

Tomorrow? I don't even want to know what the water prophets have to say about it. I am no longer their follower.

When the palm fronds start to drip, I will suspect rain ...

Jimmy

These pictures were sent to me, today, by J's brother (above) and his wife, who is pictured here, as well. The young man in the pictures is their son, Jimmy, who died in a tragic traffic accident in February of this year. He was 36 years old.

I asked permission to share these pictures. It was granted freely.

We went to Jimmy's funeral service. Everyone spoke of his ready smile, which is pictured here. I am grateful to his parents for allowing me to post these remembrances of a sweet young man who was taken from us so abruptly.

I firmly know (not just believe, but know) that we will see one another again. Jimmy was a Christian who accepted Jesus into his heart as a teen.

May God Bless his family and comfort us all.

Ready or not ...

While taking this picture, no living creatures were harmed, but a straw from a broom was killed, absolutely.

Portable cave: free @ Publix.

Rescued cat: Vet fees and occasional boarding: costly.

Feeling safe from broom straws, lizards, spiders, and mice: priceless!

Hiding in plain sight ...

Everything but the kitchen sink? Something in the kitchen sink? An April Fool prank? Try door number two. Look inside by the corner.

This morning as I turned on the water in that same kitchen sink, a rapid motion caught my attention. Now, I admit my attention had not been out of bed long and was not fully awake. But still, the only thing that should have been moving in the sink was swirling water.

Focus. Nothing there. Must have been a floater in the eye. Then there was movement again and a tiny lizard revealed itself. Its colored camouflage was as close as it could get to stainless steel. I swear, if it had not foolishly moved, I would have just washed it's tail and left.

It is now outside, having been gently caught and released in the grass. It had a double escape in that Mew didn't know it was there. The mighty hunter has depleted the house supply of lizards.

This little one did not get the word ...