October Photos

Here's some random photos I took during the month of October.  These photos include the wall upgrade, the sunny spots, Libertine, Jynx, Spazz and Cricket.

Happy Halloween!

I've been ignoring you.  I know.  The last few months I've not taken the time to be here.  I know.  So you know, there is nothing wrong over here.  I'm doing just fine.  I'm just very uninspired.  It might be the georgous weather we've been having.  Hard to do anything other than just sit and enjoy it.  We've had cold, wind and rain like it was yesterday, then glorious, clear and cloudless 70 degree days like today with very low humidity.   In our neck of the woods, the kids are going to have fantastic trick or treat weather.  If anyone still does that.

The hole in my wall is now fixed.  Might wait until after the first of the year before painting, though.  Depends on if I can get inspired.  HA.  It's primed/sealed though.  One wall is, at least.  I have pictures of the progress.  Not sure when those will ever get put up.

Seriously... totally.... uninspired. 

Have a goulish night. 

The Wedding Day

Oh, internets... I don't even know how to describe to you how much fun I had yesterday at my Nephew's wedding. There was family, food, a killer band, dancing, lots of family... when I got home last night I just couldn't stop thinking about the day.

My brother, the father of the groom, won the prize for the most tears. Seeing him that way made me lose it. Then my mom started. Then my youngest nephew, not the one getting married but the brother to the one that was, lost it, too. I learned a thing or two about my family yesterday. Crying was genetically passed down from my mother as was dancing. I inherited the crying part, but definitely not the dancing part. But I got to dance with my oldest brother and regardless of the fact that my brother can dance and I cannot, it was a moment I will cherish for a long time. It made me very aware of how much I have missed him and how little I get to see him.

One of the best highlights of the evening was seeing my mother dance. She would not have been able to do that last year at this time. She's still having some trouble with her hip replacement that she had about 7 months ago... but seeing her up and dancing made me tear up as much as the wedding did. Best family quote of the night: "Your Dad says that when I drink, it goes straight to my feet." This was after a beer and a half.

If I don't do another thing the rest of my vacation, this was worth taking the time off.

My new niece (niece-in-law?), Hannah and my nephew, Cody:

I have no idea who the officiant was, but she sat down at the family table before the ceremony to talk and she is one of the nicest people I have ever met. She caught me while I was up walking around and she hugged me as she and her husband were leaving. If I ever get married again (HA HA HA) I'm calling that lady to perform it. She did an outstanding job.

Shweaty

Hard to believe in 47 degree weather I'm sweating like a pig. Remind me never to go grocery shopping in a sweatshirt again no matter what the temp is.

WalMart run early this morning. I flirted with the stockers as I messed up where they had just fronted. Got home and got everything put up before the sun even came up. I wish I was on vacation every day.

One of my nephews is getting married today. Could have sworn he was 12 just last week. He's still too young to get married, I think... even though he's older than I was when I got married. But still.

Got the wall textured last night and bought some sealer at WalMart this morning. I may end up painting soon. Sigh.

Have a wonderful New Moon Sunday.

Vacation Day 4

Time is just zooming by over here. Only 5 more days left.

I mowed my weeds during the beautiful day yesterday. My Dad came over and edged and did some weed-whacking on the perimeter of my yard. I'll prolly get out today and weed-whack up around the house to get ready for Winter AND because it's going to be another beautiful day.

For anyone who doesn't remember, a while back I daintily extended my rump while moving my furniture around and that dainty posterior went through the wall. I tried to find the story to link to it but as you can see, I failed. ANYWAY... Dad also came over yesterday and mostly fixed the large butt-sized hole in my wall. I say mostly 'cause he did the hard part and I am waiting for the mud to dry so I can sand and apply more, then texture, and maybe paint some. Here's a before and after with completed after photos when I get there:

My Dad rocks!

And here's a pretty day picture of Cricket I took while the camera was out:

If You Light It, They Will Come

This was the scene last week after I lit the fire for the first time and brought out the winter cat beds.

Too hot for that this week, though. In the last two weeks we've had almost constant wetness in the form of rain, drizzle AND fog. The radio people said that so far there have only been two days with no precipitation in October. I'm beginning to feel as if I live in another state. Last week the lows got down in the 40's, my coffee tasted twice as good, I slept SO good in the darkened daylight hours and I started taking a sweater to work. This week it is much warmer, but we're still getting rain. I am one of the very few people you will never hear complain about the rainy weather. I love this weather.

As of about an hour ago, I'm officially on staycation. (I just added that word to my dictionary) I am SO off of work for 9 whole days. Co-workers kept asking, "so where ya going?" I kept answering, "ABSOLUTELY NOWHERE!" And I'm totally excited about it. Leave it to me to be excited about getting to do more of nothing. But I am! And I plan on doing a happy dance later.

A New Day

As I slept peacefully with my air conditioner on again, storms came through and I was woke up by thunder. I opened the back door to get a closer look at the rain and a blast of cold air rushed past my head and although it was pouring outside, the air promised MUCH cooler temps. I love this time of year where the storms are not near as bad compared to our Spring storms... or at least not as scary.

My children came to see their old mama yesterday evening. Can't remember when I had them both in the same room at the same exact time. I was in mommy heaven. The occasion was nothing special but that's the best time to get a visit from either one of them. I fixed my son's hair per request. He had to use a different hair stylist since he couldn't fit his regular lady in with their schedules. And mostly I sat back and just looked at each of them. My grown children. With their own busy lives. Happy. Taking in the moment and savoring it then and now on this early stormy morning.

It was 57 degrees when I started this post. It's now down to 52. It was almost 90 degrees yesterday with 100 percent humidity. I have my front door open and my back door open. All the lights are off except for the glow of this computer screen. I think I'll go take a moment and sit on the couch and just listen to the wind and rain and the soft rumblings of thunder... and the kitties chasing back and forth and up and down.

A Day

It's not often we have fog so thick that it rolls right on into the house. There was one time last year when it happened and then this morning. I worry about my electronics.

It's so humid today, after a day of beautifully dry, cool air. This weather is just so weird. But the wind has picked up so the fog is gone, leaving behind a breezy, humid day until the next front comes through.

I'm feeling a bit icky today. But it wasn't unexpected. Oh yes, I can tell days in advance that I'm going to feel like crap soon. Plus the calendar tells me, too. Last month I realized I get about a week and half of really good days and the rest just lead up to this week of the month. But I haven't had my rain pain during all this rain we've had the last few weeks. Well... I MIGHT have had a little in my feet, but definitely nothing to complain about.

I've had lots of visitors to my Lantana out front this year. It's hit it's last stage of blooming for the season probably and the butterflies are all over that stuff. I just stepped outside and got these pictures:

Beautiful! I love nature.

For Brenda

There are so many of us blessed with these strange little creatures we call cats. These furry, purry bundles of love and aloofness rolled all into one, love us no matter how we look or how we feel. They come into our homes and hearts and allow us to stay with them.

They are there when we are sad. They are there when we are stressed. They distract us from the every day meanness outside of our homes. They make us laugh. They cure our loneliest moments.

And they are never here long enough no matter how long they are here. But isn't that the same with everything living? Family, friends, pets, flowers... While we the living keep going, we are left with the reality that we will one day die, too. Today, tomorrow, 20 years from now. Yet while we are here, we are the ones who are sad when we lose a loved one, no matter if they are furry.

Some scoff at the sadness when we lose a pet. I feel sorry for those people. Because it is a sure sign that they have never loved, nor been loved by a pet... and what a sad life they must have.

My friend, Brenda, lost her kitty yesterday after an illness. My heart breaks for her because I know of the love she had for Whitney. Even knowing that she had lived a very long and happy life, it's never easy on those of us that are left behind.

Time helps us learn to accept the loss of someone/something we love. But the spirit of that love will live on in us the rest of our days. It is impossible to replace them. All we can ever hope for is the chance to get to love again. It will never be the same love that you had for the one's who have passed... but it CAN be as great... and that's the blessing that life gives us. The ability to love again.

Brenda... I am so deeply sorry for your loss. I know you know how hard it is going to be for a while and I wish there was a way to ease your pain. Her memory will never die, though. You will always, always have that. You're in my thoughts, dear friend, and I'm sending you a big giant hug across the internet.

In memory of Whitney

Still Not Famous

I was hoping to regale you with the story of my interview with an ABC producer, but alas... there is not much to tell.

I got an email last week from someone who identified themselves as a producer of ABC 20/20 news. They are supposedly doing a story on Cat Ladies and this producer came across the old blog here. I wrote her back and she wrote me back asking for a picture and a phone number and was supposed to call on Monday. There was no call. So, of course now, I'm thinking it was all a scam. Or she read deeper into my blog and realized what a terrible, terrible mistake she had made.

But back in August I got an email from a guy by the name of Gwilym Wogan who was writing a song a day for a couple of months. He says in his email: "Today I ended up at your blog while googling to see if anybody had written about how unfair it is that men can't be Cat Ladies. It seems that nobody has (which is what I was hoping), so I wrote this song. It doesn't actually have anything to do with your blog, but since I kept switching between working on the song and looking at your site there's kind of a connection. In my brain."

Well Gwilym, I'll take your connection! And what a cool name!

So here is a song that my blog really didn't inspire, but was involved somewhat remotely with the writing of... kind of... not really.

Two Years

I went and let my anniversary date of my blog come and go without even realizing it. October 1st marked two years of senseless dribble. In the last two years I've posted approximately 525 posts. I say approximate because I have drafts of posts I've never posted and it screws up the count in my account. That sentence was kinda cool.

When I first started this blog I really didn't know how long I could do this. I've written some amazingly boring posts, but there were some funny ones, too, although I blame those on too much cold medicine, pain medicine and/or insomnia. Sometimes all three.

Over the last couple of years I've picked up some regular readers (waving at the regular readers) when I never expected to be read by anyone aside from friends and family (waving at friends and family). As always, thanks for stopping by. You, yes YOU coming here keeps me coming back.

***
I pulled a 12 hour shift last night. A very busy 12 hour shift.

This morning it is finally crisp outside. And with the crisp, dry air, sounds can be heard from farther away... like they are next door.

Today they are having the annual BISD UIL Marching Band Competition. If I'd had a pen and paper I could tell you who the judges all are. They are from all over the US, though. It's 0832 and the first band of the day has just started.

The sound is traveling so well, I can hear a piccolo. It will be an adventure sleeping soundly today. I expect to be woke up often with the sounds of pounding percussion in my bedroom. The kitties are NOT liking the drums.

Two years ago it was 90 degrees with high humidity and I could only hear the bands warming up. If this post didn't bore you enough, you can go here to read my post about this time of year in 2007.

Cricket Is Addicted To Cat Treats

One thing you can almost always count on with kitties... they love their routines. They have an uncanny sense of time and I wouldn't put it past them to know how to read a clock.

When it's almost time for me to go to work, that's when Libby shows up and acts all loving and needy when the rest of her day is spent chasing and attacking everything and sleeping. She has made me late to work more than once from this. She knows I can't resist her.

They all know when I come home in the morning that it's time to eat. I can come home any other time of the day and they are all off sleeping, only to raise their heads to look and see if it was me or someone new and interesting coming in. I've mentioned before about pulling into my drive in the mornings and seeing a cat sitting at the window, as if waiting for me, and by the time I get through the back door, all of them are there to greet me.

Spazz knows that after feeding time, my butt will be sitting at my computer and he will make his way to the foot rest I have sitting next to my chair for pets and brushes.

Cricket knows when it's treat time. A few in the morning when I get home, a few when I wake up and a little bit more right before I go to work. And there's nothing that will mess with them more than when you vary from the daily routines... like when I am too lazy to get out of the house to go buy more cat treats when I am out. Like now.

So I'm off to run errands, including a cat treat run. And yes, when I come home with grocery bags they all come running because they just never know when I'll come home with a new cat toy or more food.

Even Babies Are Affected

I LOVE this song. This baby stole my moves.

For K...

...because, strange as it may seem, I can't watch or hear Bob Dylan without thinking of my daughter.

Another Pretty Day

Beautiful. Beautiful. Beautiful morning. A cool front is pushing through and the wind is up and the air is clean and cool. It's not a crisp morning, but it's beautiful all the same.

It's a morning to work in your flower gardens, if you have any. It amazes me that it's almost October and I spent zero time on any of my flower beds this year.

The last time I mowed I had a lady stop her car in the middle of the road and get out of her car and come over to me to ask if I would share my daffodil bulbs with her. She sees them come up each Spring. I gave her my phone number. She said it was that time of year to dig up the bulbs. I smiled and nodded and went back to mowing. I'm at a loss as to what to do now. It's not like I could tell her no, I'm not sharing. I'd LOVE to share them. The problem is... I've never dug up bulbs to store OR share. I like to call myself a naturalist gardener. That means, when I get the energy to actually plant something, it's staying in the ground forever and I sure hope it likes weeds and grass as neighbors. I don't mulch. I don't weed. I don't replant. What grows, grows naturally without any pruning. This year, I didn't even make an effort to water... anything.

So do I go out and dig some up myself after reading online about what to do with them once they are out of the ground? If she calls or comes by do I give her some sweeping arm action and tell her to go for it? Is there some sort of bulb etiquette? How many should she get? One or two? Or a half dozen or so?

There is a story to the yellow daffodils that are here. I just can't remember what it was. I would like to be able to pass this story on with the bulbs I share. On the East side of the front porch are some very dainty miniature white daffodils. I believe those are decedents of my grandmother's grandmother. I THINK. Again, I have forgotten and I hate, hate, hate this part of getting older. I do know, though... when I leave this place... I will be taking as many bulbs as I can with me.

Scuse Me While I Throw Up A Little

My smile turned upside down a few hours after yesterday's post. Not sure if it was due to consuming a food substance that didn't agree with me, or if I caught a bug somewhere. I'm thinking the latter since I was not the only who consumed the same food substance and they seem to be doing just fine. Still... I think I will be hard pressed to have a chili dog any time soon. Yes... just sit and picture that for a while. I think further details are not necessary.

I woke up at some point in the early morning hours drenched in sweat. I slammed my window shut and closed my door and turned on some air conditioning. I woke up half frozen but feeling quite a bit better. A few stomach cramps, but no nausea. I think I'll live.

It's going to get hot again today. But this is the time of year where the hot days only last for a couple of days before another cold front comes through. Those aren't so bad. It's the day after day after day of 90+ degree weather that gets old quick. I think we are about done with those for the year.

The sun is waking up turning everything pink. Although a hot one, I think it's still going to be a beautiful day.

Sunshine. No Lollipops.

The light is dramatically different this morning. We've not had a sunbeam come inside the door in a while. It may have been here the last few weeks or so, but constant cloudiness and rain did not allow it to shine through. This morning, Cricket is enjoying the sunbeam... with a light cool breeze, I can see her fur dancing and reflecting the sun. It's a beautiful morning.

Spazz is on his stool next to me snoring away.

I think today I will find it difficult not to smile.

DWTS - Week One Results

I was spot on about who got kicked from Dancing With The Stars. I was pretty accurate last year as well, although I didn't post most of my predictions. I think I'll make it a weekly post for those who care. I promise to title each post with DWTS - Week Whatever so if you are not a watcher of the show you can bypass these posts completely. Wouldn't want to torture those who don't watch.

Seasons Change and Dancing With The Stars 2009

It's a crisp, cool 58 degrees this morning. A wonderful morning to start my days off with.

My lawn needs mowing. Of course.

I think I'll take advantage of the beautiful day to go outside and be productive. Or maybe I'll just sit here with my windows open and watch it grow some more. I'm feeling quite lazy today.

The wonderful flu has hit our workplace. I'm hoping I can dodge that bullet for as long as possible, but then again, I was wanting to take some vacation time anyway once it got cooler. This will probably be how I take time off.

The kitties have been extremely active the last day. Kitty Cam is up for now. I believe my problem lies within FireFox, not my computer.

Dancing With The Stars has started again. I predict Macy Gray (whom I've never liked AT ALL) and Ashley Hamilton (son of the very tan George Hamilton) will be the first to go. Macy Gray was clunky, at best, and I've never been able to watch her without thinking she was completely high on something. I don't mind her music but if I hear more than one song of hers in a month's time her voice starts to sound like fingernails on a chalkboard. Ashley Hamilton, although gorgeous and handsome like his dad, and a whole lot less tan, just didn't have any personality in his dance, which was sad because I would have liked to have watched him more, just for aesthetic reasons. Yummy!

Michael Irvin is on this season. I don't think he will last very long either, but I think that has to do more with his dance partner then anything. She is new this season, voted in at the end of last years season via a competition type job interview. I didn't like her then and I don't think I'm going to get a chance to like her much this season because I doubt she and Michael will be around long. She's got beautiful eyes, though. She's Russian and her name is... lemme go copy and paste... Anna Demidova.

I loved the season where Marie Osmond was on and I'm VERY happy Donny Osmond is on this season. I grew up watching the Donny and Marie show, but more importantly, they are both so much fun to watch. You just can't help but have a smile on your face when watching those two. Smiles are infectious, indeed!

I think the funniest thing so far, though, was watching Tom Delay. He wasn't that great, but it was akin to the time that Jerry Springer was on. There's just something fascinating about watching an old guy, or gal in the case of Cloris Leachman in 2007, getting up there and letting it all out. You could clearly see in his face what a great time he was having, and I think that's a big part of why I think he will stay for a few more rounds. Although I must admit... I'm a little curious as to why ABC would consider him a "star". Especially with so much controversy surrounding him.

Libby wants to snuggle now. Hard to type one handed.

The Blogosphere

My eyes were opened a little bit today. I am well aware that I do my best to shut out the rest of the world in my daily life. I do this because there is so much hate out there and it makes me intensely sad to see it.

I started blogging because... well because I could. I enjoy writing, most days. I am NOT an aspiring book writer. It's a way for my family and friends to stop by and see what's up and if, in the end, if other people that don't know me in real life are somewhat entertained enough to come back, then great. I welcome any and all who stop by.

I also like to read blogs. I have a list of about 15 that I check on a daily basis. Each with their own personalities, each with their own themes. It's a small window view of someone else's life and like most of us that read blogs, it feeds that quirky little voyeuristic bug that we have hiding inside of us.

I purposely avoid certain topics in my blog. The top ones being religion, politics, abortion, racism and work, although I've cheated on the work one a few times but that's just because I couldn't help myself. You might be interested to know that I have written posts about the others. No one has ever seen them for I never pushed the publish button when I was done. It keeps things light and fluffy around here and I'm able to avoid confrontation, which for those who DO know me in real life, know how I avoid confrontation like the plague.

But I have found that the blogs I enjoy reading the most, are the ones who are not afraid of confrontation. One in particular. I would consider this blogger a professional blogger. Also, a mommy blogger. She is outspoken, hilarious, insightful, and extremely entertaining. Out of the tens of thousands who read her... yes, tens of thousands... there seems to be quite a few who don't like her. Today I found an entire blog based on hating her. Specifically, making fun of those who do enjoy her. Quoting comments from her readers and then making nasty comments about them as well.

What I found interesting about this concept is that all of these people that are contributing to the hate site, including the hate site's author(s), take time out of their day to visit the very blog that they so despise to be able to contribute to the hate site. My question to them would have to be... if you hate this blogger SO much, why do you keep going back?

First of all, just from skimming the surface of the hate site, it's obvious there are some jealously issues going on over there. I guess it's the hate part that I find so confusing. I've come across many, many blogs that I didn't like for various reasons. So I never went back to them. Just like I won't go back to the hate blog I'm talking about. But I wonder at the kind of hate that is in these people's hearts, to so openly hate and encourage others to hate, on a daily basis. How exhausting their lives must be. And how small.

The coolest thing about this kind of media, including TV, is that no one is making me watch or read anything I don't want to. If I don't like something, I don't read it, or watch it. It's quite simple, really. An amazing concept that many have obviously not been able to wrap their minds around.

I really do understand when someone is passionate about something they either agree or disagree with. Because of that passion we have some of the coolest things ever, like the internet, and running water, and air conditioning, and compression socks. But on the other side of that, the passion runs towards racism, murder and hatred. It has always been this way. I fear it will always be this way. But in the end, this is the world that we live in. And I understand this, too.

My heart does not deal well with hatred. I see it almost every night I go to work. I do my best to separate myself from it. It can be done. But while I'm at home, I choose not to open myself to it. Granted, I'm not always successful... but I do my best. And I definitely have a hard time understanding those that feed on hatred with whatever or whoever that hatred might be geared towards. It never fails to boggle my mind.

It's okay to be mad. It's okay not to agree with other people's opinions. Whether you hate Glen Beck, Obama, abortion, murder, suicide, blacks, whites, illeagal aliens, Christians, Athiests... where ever your hatred may lie... might I suggest eliminating these topics from your daily life? Don't misunderstand me here. I'm not saying to not be passionate about something. Without passion we would not be who we are. But there is a distinct difference between passion and hatred. Learn to know the difference. And learn to love the world you live in, with all of the different kinds of people, all of the beauty, and all of the PASSION. I promise, you will not be disappointed if you do.

Love. It's easy.