Bella Bluegrass

No Lack of Fur

2010-07-08T20:41:00.005-04:00

Ode to a Shedding Cat

by Marea Needle

I think that I shall never see

A cat that sheds as much as thee.

Thy fur that sticks is all around

On chairs, on mats in little mounds.

I sweep the floor, you shed some more.

I wash the rug and you just shrug.

You should give thanks I tolerate that,

Or you would be a crew-cut cat.

Classified Information

2010-05-06T20:33:00.003-04:00

For a little over a year, I was out of a job. It's a tough economy in which to be job-hunting, and the search got to be a little daunting at times.

Fortunately, Bella was always happy to lend a hand. Or paw, as the case may be.

And while I didn't find my current job in the classifieds, I do find my current job in the classifieds.

Wait . . . what?

What I mean is that I'm currently working in the classified department of a small newspaper. But I didn't find the job in the classified section. Go figure.

I'm happy and grateful to have a job again.

Hey, as long as you can buy cat food, I'm good.

Green Greetings

2010-03-17T14:07:00.007-04:00

Imagine my surprise when I came downstairs this morning and found Bella wearing this.

I was surprised mostly because I wasn't aware that Bella was an Irish cat. However, she is a cat that tends to celebrate a lot of holidays, so I guess it only makes sense.

Of course, as soon as I saw the shirt, I felt compelled to go put on my own leprechaun-inspired garb.

Bella knew what was coming . . . a mother-daughter picture in matching shirts. She groaned and rolled her eyes.

But (sort of) complied in the end.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Moving

2010-02-01T16:22:00.001-05:00

Bella and I are moving. We're leaving our wonderful apartment with its checkerboard kitchen floor and great balcony for birdwatching. We're leaving behind so many beloved family members and friends. We're heading south. We have close family down there, and hopefully the job market is just a tad better than it is in Michigan.

Moving can be tough on cats. They don't tend to like change. But the moving process can also be rather adventurous - I mean, there are boxes in which to crouch,

and on which to climb;

Storage bins in which to get trapped,

and magazine organizers in which to stuff oneself.

Best of all are the empty bookcases - they're great for lounging.

And if you get up high, away from your everyday circumstances, sometimes you can get a different perspective.

Yep, change can be hard for cats, and it's almost always hard for this human. But I'm trusting it will be good.

Jeremiah 29:11

Choosing Chairs

2010-01-12T21:25:00.001-05:00

Not all chairs are created equal.

Take the Palma Colonial Occasional Chair, for instance (Pier 1 named it, not me). It has a certain style...a certain panache. A certain...je ne sais quoi.

But I don't find myself sitting in it very often. If I have a choice between a comfy couch or armchair and this chair's hard bamboo slats, you can guess what I'm going to choose.

As you can see, Bella feels similarly.

If anyone needs me, I'll be on the couch.

Late Christmas Greetings

2010-01-06T21:50:00.007-05:00

I know we're into the new year, but hopefully the internet has room for a few more pictures of pine boughs, sparkling lights, and shiny packages.

Oh, and eager, inquisitive cats.

'Cause I've got pictures of all that in spades.

Bella and I feel a little chagrined about not getting our Christmas cards out this year.

Can you tell?

So please forgive us, and accept our belated Christmas greetings and sincere wishes for a blessed 2010!

Thankful

2009-11-29T22:43:00.003-05:00

On my toes

2009-11-10T18:25:00.007-05:00

I love having a cat.

Of course I love having a cat. My cat is Bella, who has been scientifically proven to be the best cat in the universe. But beyond that, I love having a cat simply because it keeps me sharp...quick-witted. Steel-nerved.

You never know where the cat is going to turn up.

You can be going about your everyday business,

and if you have a cat like mine, it can show up out of nowhere. Some people might find it disconcerting. But look at this sweet face! I can't think of a time when I haven't been thrilled to see this face.

Well, okay.

ONE time. But just once.

Thanks, Bella...

for keeping me on my toes.

Kitty Lit

2009-09-09T11:25:00.000-04:00

Bella and I are enjoying spending some time with our family down south, and Bella is having fun exploring a new house. Her grandparents have a houseful of books, and Bella, literary cat that she is, feels right at home.

On her list of things to read are some of her Papa's commentaries. He has, oh, probably 1,000 of them.

That's going real well.

She's also planning to read some of her Mimi's Miss Read and Jan Karon books. And The South Beach Diet.

Clearly, she's making all kinds of progress.

There are all kinds of historical books she's dying to get her little furry paws on.

But it's hard to get started when there are so many new surfaces on which to nap.

It's OK Bella . . . you sleep; I'll read.

Playdate

2009-08-31T15:59:00.005-04:00

Bella spent a lot of time yesterday with her cousin, Lizzie.

Lizzie thought Bella would look smashing in a necklace that she (Lizzie) had made for a doll. She was kind enough to loan it to Bella, but after thinking about it, she decided that she'd make another necklace so that Bella could have her own.

Of course, this necessitated measuring Bella's neck for a perfect fit.

With the measuring tapes out, Lizzie felt compelled to measure the rest of Bella, too. She's around 33 inches long, including her tail. Only about 9 inches shorter than Lizzie.

Bella was very cooperative (if not enthusiastic), for the most part.

She did find it necessary to take a brief break from the playdate and rest under the bed for a while.

She came back, though. I mean, who could resist these eyes?

All in all, Bella had a grand time playing with her cousin, and now has a taste for jewelry that she didn't have previously. Which is fine, so long as she doesn't ask for pierced ears...

Road Trip

2009-08-22T11:06:00.006-04:00

Earlier this week, Bella and I took a 600+ mile road trip to visit our family. Bella is an unusually good traveller, and didn't utter a peep the entire trip. Like most traveling cats, she spent a good amount of time in her cat carrier.

However, Bella is no ordinary cat, and didn't seem content to just sit there. I sensed that she really wanted to be part of the whole experience. She wanted to drive . . . I could just feel it. And since she had to suffer the indignity of a harness and leash, I thought she deserved a turn at the wheel.

Of course, her legs are pretty short, and reaching the pedals would present somewhat of a problem. But I figured she could at least steer. She was very serious about the whole thing. She's seen those Toonces videos, and was determined to redeem the reputation of feline drivers. She kept her eyes on the road pretty much the whole time.

Pretty much.

Hello, catnip factory!

Stretch

2009-08-01T19:54:00.000-04:00

According to the website "Curious Cat Central,"*

Cats have 26 more vertebrae in their spines than humans do.

No kidding.

*http://www.curiouscatcentral.com/feline_facts.html

Cleaning Green

2009-07-03T11:51:00.007-04:00

I've recently begun to "clean green." I know there are lots of products out there available to buy that will aid in this area, but with almost no effort, you can make your own. And for a HUGE savings. Actually, to be perfectly honest, my frugality was what got me on the bandwagon, but I also think that it's important to use as few harsh chemicals as possible.

OK, so the first thing I tried was laundry detergent. Here are the things I used:

1 bar of Fels Naptha soap (I found it in with the other bar soaps) $1.29

2 cups Washing Soda (The whole "Arm & Hammer" thing might make you think this is just a giant box of baking soda, but it's not. I found it in the laundry aisle) $2.99

2 cups 20 Mule Team Borax (I think this was in the cleaning aisle. I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to refer to it by the full name "20 Mule Team Borax" throughout this post. Simply because mules make me laugh.) $2.99

Oh, and 2 cups of sharp cheddar, grated.

Just kidding. Basically, all you do is grate up the soap (and yeah, seriously, don't eat it) and then mix it with the washing soda and 20 Mule Team Borax. Once you've mixed it up, put it in the blender in small batches and pulse it a few times to really blend it.

Use one tablespoon for each large wash load. This recipe is good for 96 loads, and it costs approximately $2.90. Yeah, compare that to Tide.

Two things to note: your laundry won't have that nice, perfumed scent. It just smells clean. I'll admit that I kind of miss the added fragrance. But I'll sacrifice the smell for the extra cashola in my wallet.

Also, this detergent won't lather. But rest assured, it IS getting your laundry clean.

All right. Recipe numero deux. Dos. Whatever.

This is for all-purpose cleaner - I keep a bottle of it in my kitchen, and also one in my bathroom.

Into a clean 32 oz spray bottle (you can get these at most Dollar Stores), put:

2 teaspoons 20 Mule Team Borax ("Ho, there, Sal!" *whip cracking*)

4 tablespoons white vinegar

1/4 teaspoon liquid castile soap (I got this at my local health food store. It comes in a variety of scents - I got lavendar) $5.99...but it'll last forever

Then add 24 oz hot water. Shake it well (also shake before each use). I'm not crazy about having my apartment smell like a pickle factory, so to cut the vinegar smell, I added 5 or 10 drops of essential oil. You can use tea tree, cinnamon, lavendar, pine or eucalyptus oil. I used Rosemary, because that's what I happened to have. In addition to imparting a refreshing smell, these oils are also natural disinfectants. So bonus. A bottle full of this costs about 5 cents to make. FIVE CENTS, PEOPLE! Compared to - what is it? - $2.99 for a bottle of Fantastik? All of the cleanliness, and none of the harsh chemicals for a FRACTION of the price. Whew. I'm getting excited.

One final recipe. No pictures of this one because it's so easy and boring. It's for daily shower spray. In yet another clean 32 oz spray bottle, mix 8 oz of hydrogen peroxide with 16 oz of water. Hydrogen Peroxide is highly acidic and can be reactive, so don't add essential oils to this mix; I have no idea what would happen. Maybe it would blow up the bathroom. I'm not a scientist, so I just don't know. Anyway, spray this stuff on your shower walls daily, and watch them sparkle. I actually can't vouch for this product, because I haven't used it consistently, but I know people who say it works fabulously. If you have a little mold or mildew in the shower, you can spray some of this stuff on it, let it sit for a bit, and then scrub it with an old (obviously) toothbrush.

In some locales, it may be difficult to find the Fels Naptha soap and the Washing Soda. I was able to find everything (except the liquid castile) at my trusty local Meijer store (although I got the 20 Mule Team Borax ("Whoaaaa, Francis!") at Wal-Mart because it was $1 cheaper), but I realize the magic of Meijer is limited to the midwest. So you may have to shop around a bit (you can get everything on Amazon, but you'll end up paying more than you would if you bought locally).

Anyway, happy (and healthy) cleaning!

A Tale of Two Laptops

2009-05-15T14:20:00.003-04:00

I have two laptops. This one...

And this one.

This one is brownish with black markings.

This one, too.

This one has built in wi-fi.

This one...well, it doesn't exactly have wi-fi, but it does have some sort of mysterious connectivity capability.

I like them both a lot.

But I love this one.

Bella, you'll always be my favorite laptop!

Ode to an Old School

2009-05-11T09:55:00.001-04:00

It tears me apart when old buildings are torn down. Schools especially. I love old school buildings.

A beautiful old school building in my neighborhood is slated for demolition. It has been vacant for the last year or two, and the public school system recently sold it to a private school system. This school was built in 1925, so it understandably would need major renovation. And the school is huge; it has much more space than the private school would ever need. So it only makes financial sense to tear it down and start over. But still, I hate to see it go.

Because they just don't build schools like this anymore.

Tell me that you wouldn't be inspired to learn after walking through this Byzantine entrance every morning.

And look at gorgeous detail between these windows. To the new school's credit, they are going to salvage and use as much of the old beauty as possible.

The kindergarten room in the elementary wing had a number of treasures. There was a large (about 12x5) built-in fish pond. It's dirty now, but I can just imagine it clean and sparkling, with the fountain flowing and the fish darting here and there. A lady who'd been a student there some 60 years ago remembered how her class had taken naps around the fish pond. Can you imagine how peaceful? Listening to the fountain and resting on your little mat...

There was also a fireplace in the kindergarten room. Kind of an odd element for a kindergarten room. It has the same mosaic tiles as the fish pond.

But if you look closely, you can see Dutch scenes in the tiles. A girl in wooden shoes walking over a dike. Dutch houses. A dog cart.

Here's another nod to Grand Rapids' Dutch heritage in the stained-glass window in one of the doors (the other door had a hallowe'en motif).

The drinking fountains were flanked in marble. The restrooms were marble, too. Apparently, students would organize impromptu quartets in those bathrooms, because the acoustics were fantastic.

There were these kinds of doors at the ends of the halls. I love those arched windows!

I wanted to take home ec when I was in school, but my school didn't offer it. This school had 8 little mini-kitchens. I can't believe I didn't get a picture of the adorable little under-the-counter vintage refrigerators. It was neat to hear people talk about their memories; one older man said as he walked through, "I made macaroni and cheese in this room! And I didn't burn it!"

Like I said, this place was huge. At one point it housed 2,000 students K-12. It's so large that at about a football field's distance away, I still couldn't get the whole thing in the frame (this is the back of the school). It's far too big for the new school, which I think will only have 300-400 students. But it was a beautiful, impressive structure while it lasted.

Rest in peace, old school.

Fashion Rules

2009-04-30T19:19:00.001-04:00

I heard on TV the other day that it's OK to wear white shoes year-round, now. You can forget the whole "only from Memorial Day to Labor Day" thing. I heard it straight from the mouth of noted fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi.

That was a big relief for someone in this household, who sports white shoes every month of the year.

Run Bella, Run

2009-04-25T17:17:00.003-04:00

Yesterday I caught Bella in this pose. It can only mean one thing. She’s doing leg stretches.

Okay, two things. She’s doing leg stretches and she’s about to go out for a jog.
Well, actually, three things: She’s doing leg stretches, she’s about to go out for a jog, and she’s training for the upcoming Fifth Third River Bank Run!
I can’t tell you how excited I am over this development. While I love Bella’s chub, for her health, she really could stand to lose a few. And I think training for a 25K is just the ticket.

But wait a minute. What’s this about?

Oh, cooldown, probably. Better be.

Chalk Flood

2009-04-20T00:09:00.008-04:00

There's a kid in Grand Rapids who organizes these occasional "urban experiments" in the downtown area. I think the first one was a giant pillow fight. Then last fall, there was a zombie walk. I was completely oblivious to the pillow fight, so I missed that event. I'm not a big fan of the undead, so I passed on the zombie walk. However, Saturday was the Grand Rapids Chalk Flood, and while I'd sort of forgotten about it, I happily stumbled upon it on my way home from the zoo.

Rosa Parks Circle and the surrounding blocks were covered with the pastel doodles of artists of all ages.

It was a gorgeous day for it. There was such a fun, festive atmosphere downtown. Lots of flowers.

Lots of color.

30,000 pieces of sidewalk chalk + A Lot of People = pretty sidewalks.

Dark Lights

2009-04-13T00:44:00.002-04:00

There's nothing like a carnival for bright lights.

Bright and cheerful as these pictures are, for some reason, carnivals (particularly at night) always seem sort of vaguely sinister to me.

It's a notion that's been reinforced by TV . . . it seems like on TV, horrible things always happen on ferris wheels, and fun houses are a near-guarantee for an awful experience.

This little parking-lot carnival had its own share of minor drama while I was there . . . the carnival lights weren't the only lights flashing. Three cruisers were there, and the policemen were detaining a group of older teenagers for who knows what. It only solidified my suspicions that carnivals are shady places.

Sno-Cone, anyone?

Happy Easter!

2009-04-11T20:45:00.000-04:00

Bella was only too happy to dress up in her Easter finery.

She was, however, a rather reluctant Easter Bunny. I guess one set of ears is enough for this cat.

Hope you have a blessed Easter!

Ribbons

2009-03-11T20:30:00.000-04:00

Bella loves ribbons. The other day I tossed a bunch of ribbons at her, and the effect was rather amazing. She sat there for a full 10 minutes, purring loudly and casting grateful glances my way. Every so often she would reach out and pat the ribbons with her giant paw. Finally, she heaved a completely contented sigh and drifted off to sleep, no doubt dreaming fantastical, ribbon-filled dreams.

In Pride and Prejudice, which of the Bennet girls was it who was always going on about ribbons? Was it Lydia, or Kitty?

I want to say Kitty.

But it might have been Lydia.

We have no Lydia here, but I can tell you that THIS Kitty is mad about ribbons.

Cat Bling

2009-03-05T20:47:00.005-05:00

I recently ran across some of my childhood jewelry. Being a girl, of course Bella wanted to model my old necklaces.

I always liked this silver butterfly.

A cat wearing a cat! Bella thinks wearing Garfield's likeness is pretty hilarious.

This bear was a favorite. In fact, I wore it for my 4th grade school picture, along with a fabulous burgundy jumpsuit. Too bad the pendant flipped around and all you could see was a label proclaiming "Genuine Copper."

And of course Strawberry Shortcake. What little girl didn't have a Strawberry Shortcake necklace in the early 80's?

Truth be told, Bella's only real use for Strawberry Shortcake is this sort of thing. But don't tell anyone.

Happy Valentine's Day

2009-02-14T13:48:00.005-05:00

Last night, I made Bella a sweater! It's pink: perfect for Valentine's Day. She loves it!

Ha! If she thinks I love this thing, she is seriously deranged.

I didn't actually knit it myself; I cut up a thrift-store sweater and stitched it together using these instructions: http://www.craftstylish.com/item/40669/how-to-make-a-recycled-dog-sweater

I wonder how long it would take to knaw apart the sewing machine cord? Then this could never happen again.

Bella and I want to wish you a very happy Valentine's Day!

Yeah, okay, Happy Valentine's Day. Now can somebody help me out of this sweater?

Wildlife

2009-01-21T22:28:00.003-05:00

It seems like there might be a raccoon living in my apartment.

Or I may just have been distracted while shopping and totally missed the fact that this is one of those "Daniel Boone" style skirts.

Or it's possible that Bella just likes hanging out under the drying rack.

We report, you decide.

Birthday Girl

2009-01-17T21:33:00.002-05:00

Today is Bella's 7th birthday! She was pretty enthusiastic about opening her presents (a little catnip sprinkled in the wrapping helped to encourage her).

One present was a chirping catnip chickadee.

He looks pretty pitiful when he lies on his back like that.

Her other present was a mouse attached to an elastic string. She seems pretty enamored with them both.

Party food? Of course. One of us ate this:

And the other ate this:

Happy Birthday Bella!

Jingle Bella Christmas Countdown - Merry CHRISTMAS!

2008-12-25T15:08:00.001-05:00

MERRY CHRISTMAS

from

me and Bella!

Jingle Bell Christmas Countdown - Red and Silver

2008-12-23T09:13:00.000-05:00

Here's Bella wearing the fuzzy red scarf her Aunt Anne gave her.

This was the 2006 Christmas card picture.

Jingle Bella Christmas Countdown - Holly Wreath

2008-12-22T21:47:00.001-05:00

You are getting sleepy...very sleepy...

"Mmmmmmm....tasty...."

Christmas kitty profile.

I think this is the picture I actually sent out in 2005.

4 more days until Christmas!

Jingle Bella Christmas Countdown - Thoughtful Cat

2008-12-21T14:38:00.001-05:00

Bella thinks peaceful Christmas thoughts.

It's the Jingle Bella Christmas Countdown!

2008-12-20T18:54:00.002-05:00

I It's 5 days until Christmas. And since I seem to have an unlimited number of Yuletide Bella pictures, I'll be posting every day from now until Christmas. These pictures were taken in December of 2004, the first year I started torturing people with pictures of my cat in my Christmas cards. This first picture was the one I sent out. The other two didn't quite make the cut. Wait. The other one. There was a third (and it was good, too!), but I just accidentally deleted it.

Of Cat Lairs and Cathedrals

2008-12-19T20:55:00.006-05:00

Bella has the coolest grandparents ever. This past Monday she received a Christmas present from her Mimi and Papa in the mail. It was a little cat hut with a springy ball to play with and enticing feathers to bat.

Bella was so taken with it that she climbed in before I had a chance to fully assemble it.

I couldn't put it together right away because my aunt and uncle were picking me up to go to the Festival of Lessons and Carols at St. Andrew's Cathedral.

The cathedral is beautiful on the inside. Really big, with soaring vaulted ceilings. There are golden stars painted on parts of the ceiling. I found the big dipper.

At any rate, the carols were sung by the Grand Rapids Choir of Men and Boys. They did an excellent job. The lessons were read by choir members and people from the community. One of them was Uncle Charlie, from Children's Bible Hour. That was a pleasant surprise.

When I got home, Bella was champing at the bit for me to finish off her house. As you can see, she loves it.

Thanks, Mimi and Papa!

Stay tuned for the Jingle Bella Christmas Countdown!

Cutting Holiday Calories

2008-12-09T18:25:00.003-05:00

Instead of putting M&Ms in this lovely little candy dish,

I've filled it with red and green paperclips. All the festivity, and considerably fewer calories.

Things You Need to Trim a Tree

2008-12-04T20:30:00.002-05:00

1. A tree, for sure. And a black and brown tabby cat. I guess the tabby is technically optional, but I don't see why anyone wouldn't want a nice tabby along for the ride.

Here's Bella stalking our untrimmed tree.

2. Christmas Music. I'm not sure it's possible to trim the tree without Nat or Bing or someone crooning in the background. The London Philharmonic or Mannheim Steamroller will do nicely, too.

Don't you just LOVE Christmas music? I do.

3. Lights. I like the simplicity of white lights. But the multicolored ones are nice, too. I'm not crazy about the blinky ones, though.

Pardon the unsightly vertical blinds. They sure don't make for the nicest backdrop.

4. A garland of some sort is nice. You can use tinsel, or cranberry or popcorn strings. I like this beaded garland. Bella likes it too. In fact, sometimes she tries to be helpful by untrimming the tree. One year I found her all the way down the back hall of my apartment, dragging this garland in her teeth. So far this year she's left it on the tree.

Maybe if I let her wear it before I put it on the tree, she'll leave it alone.

5. Ornaments, of course. This little guy has been with me since my second Christmas. He's my all-time favorite.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas around here.

And with a live Colorado Spruce, it smells a lot like Christmas, too.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2008-11-27T11:45:00.002-05:00

If Cupboards Could Talk

2008-11-25T19:00:00.003-05:00

A while back, I decided it was time to give the spice cabinet a makeover. Things were getting out of hand - you can see the Montreal Seasoning and the Onion Powder jockeying for position. And the Curry Powder's about to jump ship altogether. Clearly, it was time for a change.

So I started with new jars.

Next, labels. My creative side wanted something fun. But I couldn't find anything suitable. So my practical side gave in and I picked up a package of plain rectangular labels. Two seconds later, my creative side beat down my practical side, and I put back the plain labels. I vowed to keep looking.

Sometimes you have to do that. You have to keep looking, or your spices will remain silent forever. I'm pretty sure that's an old Tanzanian proverb.

And minutes later, I found these! I used the bottom ones, which were blank. Cheaper than the blank rectangular labels, and so much more fun. And noisier, too!

Some of my spices are straightforward talkers.

Some of them are thinkers. These guys are sensitive.

And some of them are chatty, life-of-the-party types.

And wow! These are some self-confident spices. They're nothing if not excited!

While I know the red pepper flakes mean no harm, I have to be careful not to put them next to the cinnamon. The pepper's innate brashness is liable to crush the cinnamon's introspective little soul.

It's such fun to see their little personalities blossom. And now there's never a dull moment in the spice cabinet.

Pod Cat

2008-11-18T22:01:00.001-05:00

I was working at the computer and heard a bit of a ruckus over in the dining area. I looked up to see this:

Bella was trying to operate Hopkins, my iPod. She started whining; saying she's the only one of her friends who doesn't have an mp3 player. She needs her tunes, she says.

Boy, first the new fur-style, and now this. Back when I was her age, if we wanted music, we had to make it ourselves.

Please just tell me: are all the cats parting their fur and sporting iPods? Because I don't want to be a stick-in-the-mud, but I have a feeling I'm being played.

In the meantime, Hopkins is being played, too. To the tune of the Jingle Cats.

Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow

2008-11-14T21:49:00.000-05:00

Bella is now parting her fur down her spine. She says all the cats are doing it. They say you have to pick your battles, and since I've made my share of hair mistakes, I'm trying to be patient. But I'm sure this is one of those things, like bright blue eyeshadow, that she will look back upon and regret.

Name that Movie

2008-10-31T22:20:00.001-04:00

"She could peel an apple . . . in one looong, curly strip. The whole apple."

In the spirit of the Bloggy Giveaway Carnival that seems to be making the rounds of the blogosphere, I will give away a paltry $5 gift card to the first correct responder. A gift card for what? I don't know. I haven't figured that out yet.

Exercising in My Head

2008-10-18T21:58:00.000-04:00

I've been trying to be a bit more disciplined when it comes to physical fitness. Not everyone in the household has gotten on the bandwagon, however. This is what Someone Else is doing while I'm slaving away with my exercise DVD.

Don't mock me. I'm exercising in my head.

You may laugh, but the Ironman Triathlon's going on in my brain. I'm burning 1,000 calories a minute.

You're distracting me. I just tripped over a hurdle.

Well, pardon me, Bella. I'll go back to my T-Tapp. Just tell me when you need me to drive you to the medal ceremony.

No need. That'll take place in my head, too.

Sunday at the Gardens

2008-10-12T20:40:00.005-04:00

It was a glorious 83 degrees today, so I decided to take advantage of the lovely weather and visit the Frederik Meijer Gardens after church. Here are random pictures.

Lily Pads:

Letter People. For all their letters, they're strangely silent.

Windfalls.

Weird-looking windfall. Note to self: Do not eat.

Swamp.

The Great Pumpkins.

Li'l Punkin

2008-10-06T19:30:00.007-04:00

Don't you love fall? There's something about the crisp air. The apples. The cider. That great smell the first time you turn on the heat.

Of course, picking out the most sincere pumpkin in the pumpkin patch ranks right up there with all the great autumn activities.

Bella and I wish you a happy fall!

Striped Schoolgirl

2008-10-01T18:04:00.009-04:00

I'm not sure what piqued her interest, but today Bella came to me, expressing concern about her education. Seems she wants to go to school.

There's lunch, right? And recess?

School could be really fun!

Wait...what did you say? Did you say "sentence diagramming"?

F-f-f-f-fractions?

Penmanship? But...but...but...I've got, like, NO thumbs...

Huh.

I'm going to have to think about this.

One thing's sure. I would totally ace Naptime.

Quazy

2008-09-15T17:36:00.004-04:00

So I was walking through Big Lots the other day, and suddenly I felt as though I had been transported back in time. On the shelf I saw this:

Call me crazy, but this doesn't look like a 21st century cereal.

I'm going to have a hard time not ordering the Quisp timepiece . . .

Wearing Fur

2008-09-10T21:13:00.007-04:00

For whatever reason, Bella prefers always to lie on something. Whether it's a book, or an exercise mat, or a newspaper, she generally drapes herself over something rather than just lying on the bare carpet. So yesterday, it was no surprise to see her plastered across the backpack that I'd left on the living room floor.

It was thought provoking, however.

It made me consider: wouldn't a cat in a backpack be infinitely more interesting than a cat on a backpack?

I understand that it's usually a Chihuahua or a teacup Yorkie that becomes a handbag pet, but why not a good-natured cat? Could I be like one of those pet-toting celebrities?

Turns out, I could.

I apologize for the atrocious quality of these photos. I don't normally use flash, but I didn't really have a choice in this case.

And I don't know if you've ever attempted to photograph yourself wearing a cat in a backpack, but I'm here to tell you that it's somewhat of a challenge. Composition wasn't a consideration. I was pretty much just blindly shooting - in most cases over my shoulder.

Bella seemed to enjoy her stint as a papoose. I toted her around for quite awhile with no complaints.

"What's to complain about? This is the life, man!"

Cool Kids

2008-09-03T20:10:00.013-04:00

Back from vacation and missing the family. Here are my excellent nieces and nephew.

Katherine."Could I play a little Vivaldi for you?"

John.

"Hi."

"Hang on a minute; I just need to nail that squirrel."

Margaret.

"I really do have hands and elbows, even though my Aunt Sue persists in cutting them off in pictures."

Elizabeth.

"Are we done yet?"

A girl and her mouse.

Miss you guys!

The Incredible Shrinking Cat

2008-08-16T21:05:00.009-04:00

I may have mentioned that Bella is a cat of considerable girth. She has long been enamored of a tripod box - as a young cat she used to dash through it in pursuit of foil balls (her favorite plaything). As she got older, she lost her ability to fit in the tripod box due to her expanding waistline (do cats have waists?).

Not wanting to contribute to the rapidly growing problem of cathood obesity, I've been cutting back ever so slightly on Bella's rations. And I'm pleased to report that she once again fits in the tripod box! See, here's her head:

And her feet.

After a while, I thought she might actually be stuck in there, and I tried to sort of pour her out. She just gave me a dirty look and scrunched herself back in.

Eventually she did come out on her own.

It was sort of like watching a butterfly emerging from a cocoon.

A big, hairy butterfly.

She's still no Richard Simmons (but would I want her to be Richard Simmons? *shudder* No.). But hey, she can fit in the tripod box again. That's saying something.

Meow.

Garden Kitty

2008-07-06T19:46:00.004-04:00

I think I have one of the more good-natured cats on the planet.
She actually seemed to enjoy this photo shoot.
I don't have much of a green thumb, but this flower has certainly turned out well.

Clean, Shiny Fangs

2008-06-21T12:04:00.004-04:00

Bella got her teeth cleaned this week. Here's before:

And here's after:

I'm sure it's the lighting, but I think they actually do look whiter in the second photo.

Poor Bella. Kitty teeth-cleaning is done under anesthesia, and as the vet told me, the more fat they have, the longer the effects last. In case you haven't noticed, Bella is not a cat who has missed many meals. The procedure was done Monday morning, and she was still a little wobbly in the hind legs on Wednesday.

She's all better now, though. And with cleaner, shinier teeth.

Happy Father's Day!

2008-06-15T14:40:00.006-04:00

(I don't know if this is a Blogger problem or a Sue problem, but I'm still having major formatting issues. So we'll make it into a little Father's Day Mind Puzzle. Match the picture - or video - with the caption!)

Here's just a little bit about the best Dad on the planet:

He's smart (just call him Dr. Dad)
He's funny (He would sometimes read to my sister and me when we were little, and only in his rendition of Little House on the Prairie did Laura and Mary stop at McDonald's on their way home from school)
He's an amazing preacher and pastor
He's a wonderful grandfather to Bella
He loves to travel

He's an all-around fabulous father! Happy Father's Day, Pa! I love you!

Windy City

2008-06-14T21:00:00.009-04:00

(Sorry about the wacky formatting. I've tried to fix it to no avail)

I went to Chicago the other day. So much to love about that city.

First of all, Wow Bao. Why does Grand Rapids not have a Wow Bao?

I had Mongolian Beef and Teriyaki Chicken steamed buns (along with Spicy Peanut Noodles). I simply cannot say enough about these steamed buns. They are absolutely succulent.

And Anthropologie. I'd never been to this store, but it's so cool; full of Adorable Clothes That I Can't Even Begin to Afford, and tons of cute home decor items and housewares. I got two sweet juice glasses on clearance. No, you're absolutely right, the green one isn't supposed to look like that.

I was in Union Station, about to board my train when I heard a "thunk" and realized that while the handles of my Anthropologie bag were still around my wrist, the actual bag and its contents were on the ground. At least there was one survivor. May I suggest, Anthropologie Bag Designer, that you go back to the drawing board?

I love these residences.

I love Crate and Barrel. But the front part of the store - the part where the escalators are that's all open and glass 5 stories up - makes me incredibly nervous. The soles of my feet sieze up when I think about the person who had to hang those banners. And the person who arranged those decorative planters. Eek. My palms are totally sweating just thinking about it.

I love wandering down Michigan Avenue on an 88-degree day. Well, not so much the 88-degree part. But I do love the proprietors of the high-end stores who blast their air conditioning and leave their doors open, effectively turning the sidewalk spaces in front of their doors into mini meatlockers. Actually, it's a huge waste of energy, which I guess I don't technically love. But it sure is refreshing . . .

I love expanses of green in the midst of a big city. This was the first time I went to Millenium Park, and I was glad I went. There was a wacky reflective sculpture there:

And some crazy Big-Brotheresque fountains (you can only see one of them here) through which I was sorely tempted to run. The children ran amok, while the adults sat or stood decorously on the periphery, enjoying the mist.

I love the Art Institute. I didn't go in this time, but I walked past it. I dig the lions.

I love Chicago! What city do you love?

Fur Sentry™

2008-06-04T21:46:00.003-04:00

Have you heard of this marvel? Seriously, every vermin-afflicted home should have one.
Here's the scenario: I'm sitting on the couch. Sometimes I'll hear the noise in the wall, and sometimes I won't. But regardless of whether I do or not, the Fur Sentry™ does, and it comes galloping into the living room, fur rippling and whiskers streaming. It leaps gallantly onto the couch-arm, and there it remains, motionless, until the noise goes away. Which it always does. Because ain't nothing getting past the Fur Sentry™.

By the way, I have no idea what's in these walls. Bats (my guess), mice, muskrats, wildebeest . . . who knows. I live in an apartment, so I'm not responsible. My marvelous dad put screens in all my vents, so whatever it is can't get in that way, and I'm confident that the Fur Sentry™ will cover all other bases.

Crystal Pets

2008-05-25T22:15:00.004-04:00

I don't know if they still do this in elementary schools, but back when I was a kid, one magical day every December, the music room was transformed into "Santa's Secret Shop." I don't know who stocked this little store, but it was every kid's dream. It was full of fabulous (read: painfully useless) trinkets that we'd buy to grace our family's stockings.

I'm ashamed to admit that I don't really remember any of the gifts that I bought, but I do remember buying myself several sets of "Crystal Pets" - small animals crafted of clear (plastic) "crystal". I can only imagine that it was a wave of nostalgia that compelled me (a complete teetotaller) to buy these cocktail creatures from Target's Dollar Spot:

Aren't the colors great?

There's a giraffe, a monkey, a long-horn steer, a mermaid, a donkey, a camel, and an elephant.

I think I like the monkeys best.

I call this "Election 2008: Crystal Pets Edition."

Who says they have to grace a martini glass? I think they'd significantly cheer up a plain old glass of water.

A Cat and her Family

2008-05-19T21:24:00.002-04:00

The other week, Bella got to hang out with her cousins. She was really excited to see them. Most of them are older than she is, and the fact that her older, cooler cousins give her the time of day really boosts her ego.
Here's Bella with her oldest cousin, Katherine.

Here's Katherine at Little Bohemia, where we went shopping for beads. Bella dreams of someday going to Little Bohemia.

Here Katherine is contemplating her takeover of Grand Rapids.

Here's Bella's cousin John. It's hard to get a picture of him. He moves pretty fast.

He'll usually slow down for a computer, though. Or Legos. He's a Lego master. Bella could learn a lot from him.

Here's Margaret. She moves fast, too. She's a jump rope enthusiast - here she is jumping. Bella wishes she could jump rope. Actually, she could. She's just too lazy.

Also, Margaret's a horse enthusiast. Here she is doing her best to look like a shifty-eyed horse thief.

And last but not least, Lizzie (and me). She's four.

Don't tell Lizzie, but four-year-olds make Bella nervous. I got the distinct impression that she was wishing she had a shell in which to retreat right about this time. I think if she retracted her head any further, she'd displace her lungs. She was pretty much a ball of nerves the entire visit.

Later on, we were telling Aunt Deb and Katherine about our visit with Bella.
Lizzie: She tried to run under the bed, but Aunt Sue and I catched her.
Katherine: You mean, "caught her."
Lizzie: Well, you weren't there, so we catched her.
Here's Bella being combed by her Aunt Anne.

Bella loves to be combed.

We miss you family!

Mother's Day

2008-05-11T15:35:00.002-04:00

I want to take this opportunity to wish a Happy Mother's Day to my
talented,

(she made my couch cushions. She can make pretty much anything)

kind,

(when I was little, a real cat attacked and maimed this toy cat of mine. She dried my tears and carefully stitched up my little stuffed animal for me)

cat-loving,

(she instilled in me a deep love for the feline species)

Chocolate-loving,

(also a love for things originating from the cocoa bean)

God-loving,

(more importantly, she instilled in me a love for God and His word)

all-around Fabulous Mom!

Happy Mother's Day, Mother! I love you!

Things You Find in the Laundry

2008-04-14T17:44:00.000-04:00

If you're like me, on occasion you'll find the odd thing in with your laundry. Loose change, a receipt, a ticket stub. Maybe a chapstick. Less frequently, you might find this sort of thing.

It seemed pretty happy there, and showed no signs of leaving.

So I did what anyone would do, and moved the laundry basket back to the closet.

Don't even think about haulin' me outta here, lady.
I'll come out when I'm ready.

And it probably won't be anytime soon...

Furry Seamstress

2008-04-12T18:35:00.000-04:00

It's a little known fact that cats enjoy sewing. See, look. Here's Bella with an apron pattern.

Here she is mapping out how she'll lay the pattern on the fabric.

Look at her concentrate! She's a little concerned about being able to cut out the apron's bib, what with her somewhat fat paws. She'll probably use her rotary cutter for that.

And here she is...hey, wait. What's she doing?

How'd we go from Martha Stewart to Fuzzy Scoundrel in 1.3 seconds?

Believe it or not, that happens a lot around here...

Neigh

2008-04-06T22:02:00.004-04:00

I went to the Frederik Meijer Gardens yesterday morning. Mostly to see the butterflies, which are out in full force. I have to say, it's hard to get a
decent butterfly picture without a decent camera. So this is all you're
going to see from me:

I know this looks like a bunch of people looking at an earring display, but it's actually a butterfly incubator of sorts. Once the butterflies come out of their cocoons and are strong enough, they're released into the solarium. There are scads of them. And you'll have to trust me, but they are beautiful.
After enjoying the butterflies for a while, I went outside to enjoy the sculpture park. My favorite is Leonardo da Vinci's horse. What's not to love about this guy?

The picture of equine perfection, right here.

A horse is a horse, of course, of course,
And no one should talk to a horse of course...
I'm so sorry. I should have more respect for
the art. But there's just something about
this front view. I think it's the teeth.

Equal time for the other horse sculpture at the park. It seems unfair to have this guy so close to the da Vinci horse. Comparisons are inevitable.

And okay, this isn't a horse at all, but I couldn't resist this guy. He's thinking about something; I'm not sure what.
"How on earth did I get to be half human, half rabbit?"
"How can I not track mud into the house if I'm made of mud?"
"When eHarmony asks for my height, should I include my ears?"

Bella, Unplugged

2008-03-31T22:58:00.000-04:00

I don't know if I've ever mentioned this or not, but now seems to be an appropriate time to tell you.
I have a battery-operated cat.

Yes, that's right; just behind the liver and on top of the pancreas, not far at all from the common bile duct, Bella has a small battery pack. Which has to be recharged from time to time.

So I have to plug her in, and she has to remain tethered there in her bed until she's fully charged.
She tends to get bored.

Can't I get up yet?

Ready to face the world.

Sock Monkeys Rock!

2008-03-26T21:20:00.002-04:00

I've said it before: Target is a dangerous place. But seriously, how could I not buy these (clearance!):

when back home I've got these:

these:

these:

and forgive me, but these:

Oh. And this:

Okay, I don't have that last one. But if I had a suitable occasion, I would (in the event that I ever get married, I think it would make a smashing bridesmaid dress).

*Special thanks to my friends and family for gifting me with sock monkey paraphanalia. And to Target for indulging my obsession by manufacturing it.

Easter Eggs

2008-03-23T19:35:00.000-04:00

My sister (Bella's Aunt) convinced me yesterday that I should really dye Easter eggs with Bella. So I fished from the top of the refrigerator the egg-dying kit that's been languishing there for the past year. I boiled some eggs, and we got down to the business of egg-dying.
Hmmmm...this looks kinda interesting...

Heh, heh...they roll!

You're goin' down, Mr. Egg!

Me: Bella!
Bella: Oh. Sorry, mom.

In the end, Bella just couldn't stop giving the eggs the evil eye,

and she was worried about getting the white tips of her paws messed up. When it comes right down to it, she's just the slightest bit vain.
So I ended up doing most of the dying. They turned out pretty well, and I think Bella enjoys them.

It's just that now she's waiting for them to hatch.

He is Risen!

2008-03-23T12:37:00.001-04:00

"He is not here, for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where He lay."
Matt. 28:6 ESV

Large Cat, Small Box

2008-03-15T18:52:00.000-04:00

There are plenty of comfortable places around this apartment for a cat to sleep. Take this bed, for instance. It's actually a cat bed; made specifically for felines and outfitted with a catnip-filled throw. Should be a cat magnet, don't you think?

Or this chair. While not exclusively a cat chair, it does have a pillow with my particular cat's name embroidered on it, as well as a likeness of her sitting on a likeness of that very chair (thanks, Mother!). Practically an engraved invitation for an animal seeking somnolence.

So why my cat would reject these two havens of comfort and instead cram her 14-pound carcass into a box no larger than a sheet of notebook paper is beyond me.

Yeah, sorry, I can't answer that question. I simply don't know...

Faux Fried Ice Cream

2008-03-14T21:33:00.000-04:00

I suppose "Faux Fried Ice Cream" is somewhat of a misnomer, considering Fried Ice Cream is something one would typically order in a Mexican restaurant. Perhaps "El Falsito Fried Ice Cream" would be more to the point (Clearly, my Spanish is rather limited. To things like "si" and "hola" and "liso y sedoso." Which I think means "smooth and silky," if my shampoo bottle is to be believed).

The first thing we need is corn flakes. Probably about 1/2 cup for each person.

Crunch them up with whatever works. Rolling pin, measuring cup, bowling ball . . .
Not too much, though. You don't want them ultra fine.

Then add cinnamon. Probably about 3 pinches per person. Maybe more, if you have really small fingers. Toss the cinnamon and corn flakes around so the flakes get coated.
Oh, and you did wash your hands, right?

Now the ice cream. I hate to admit it, but I happen to really like cheap vanilla ice cream. Breyers always seems a little watery to me. And I know that probably says more about my taste buds than it says about Breyers.
Anyway this is plain old ordinary vanilla ice cream from Target. I also had the option of "New York Vanilla." If anyone can tell me what New York Vanilla is, I'd be beholden.

Scoop out what you'd consider to be a serving of ice cream - probably about 2 or 2 1/2 scoops - and form into a ball. Yes. With your hands. You washed them, right?

Next, roll the ball of ice cream in the crunched-up corn flakes. Get it completely coated, and then plop it in a bowl.

Drizzle it with honey. I think the honey is key. Somehow, it makes the thing taste fried.

Okay, stop spraying the Redi-Whip directly into your mouth. That's just unsanitary, and it's supposed to go on the fried ice cream, anyway. Spray a good dollup on there. And you know what? Sprinkles. Because you know they're just rotting away in the cupboard anyway.

And a cherry, obviously.

Bon Apetit! Wait, there I go with the French again. Enjoy.

Paparazzi

2008-03-03T20:15:00.000-05:00

They follow me everywhere.

They wait for me...

...catching me at my worst angle. It's true what they say, you know. The camera adds 10 pounds.

Not coming out.

Ever.

Well, not until dinner, anyway.

Plate-lets

2008-03-02T16:16:00.000-05:00

I love salad plates. I don't mean that I collect them, because collecting them would mean buying them, and buying them would mean having them. And I already have too many things. But I love the ones that I have, and I love to admire the ones that I don't have. These are the salad plates that inhabit my cupboards (oh, and please pardon the strawberries. They look a little more bedraggled than I expected).
These were my Grandma's everyday dishes. I love them so much they almost give me a lump in my throat. Even though I use them every day, they make me think of her every time I see them.

My marvelous sister gave me this adorable plate. It's actually part of a set of four - there's a bunch of grapes, a peach and an apple to go along with the cherries. I love it. Aren't the cherries just so cheery?

I once saw a dish pattern in a magazine and just fell in love with it. It was called "Grandma's Kitchen" and was so sweet and vintagy that it made you want to go out and plant a Victory Garden or something. Anyway, I later found the dishes on clearance at our local discount department store, and simply couldn't resist .

My parents used to live in Maine, and when I went to visit we would sometimes go to the outlets in Freeport. We found these absolutely fabulous rabbit plates at a pottery there. I bought myself one, and then my wonderful parents surprised me with 4 more rollicking rabbit plates and 4 matching mugs for my next birthday. I just adore them (the plates and my parents).

So there you have it. A photographic ode to salad plates. Dressing, anyone? Croutons? Bac-os?

Ottoman Empire

2008-02-28T16:31:00.000-05:00

So there I was at Target, attempting to purchase a toaster off my cousin's wedding registry. We've already established that I have a thing for toasters, so it seemed like a natural gift. Thwarted in my gift-shopping aim by the toaster's recall, I began browsing Target's aisles, which is a dangerous thing to do around this time of year. One might get sucked into, say, buying a large leftover box of completely unneccessary valentine chocolates. Not me, mind you, but some people might do that. And they might eat more chocolate caramels in one sitting than one human should really be allowed to eat.
But I digress. I happened upon an ottoman on clearance, which I felt was fortuitous since I've been wanting an ottoman for some time. It was obviously not a Pottery Barn ottoman, but as neither my conscience nor my bank account will allow me to spend $900 on an ottoman, I figured it would do.
Ottomans are nice, because they allow you to express your own sense of style. For example, if you're feeling studious, you might stack a pile of books on the ottoman.

Or if you're feeling sort of casual, you might casually toss a velour throw over the ottoman.

Or you could simply drape a string of weasels over the ottoman. If you have a string of weasels. Which I understand, not everybody does.

And of course, ottomans are nice for stretching out your legs. And having your cat climb over you as if you were the Rocky Mountains.

But all that aside, I've come to realize that this so-called Clearance Ottoman was not the bargain I thought it was. It did, in fact, come with a price. And that price, my friends, is an assault on the olfactory receptors. The thing stinks. Reeks, in fact. And since it's been around long enough to become a clearance item, I have a hunch that if the smell was going to wear off, it already would've done so. So if you happen by my apartment any time soon, bear with me. Understand that I am not doing aromatherapy experiments gone horribly wrong. I am not housing toxic chemicals for the government. I am merely debating the future of a very useful but very smelly ottoman.

Kitchen: before and aft

2008-02-21T18:30:00.000-05:00

Okay, so last week I providentially stumbled upon Christine's blog and decided to join in with Organize Unclutter 2008. I think it'll be great to have the accountability and the knowledge that there are other people out there trying to straighten up along with me.
We're starting with organization of the kitchen, so I thought I'd give you a tour of mine. It's just a small galley kitchen, so you'd think it'd be easy to keep clean, but I manage to trash it on a pretty regular basis. Warning: the first 2 images are not for the faint of heart. And note, these are before and after pics I took a couple of weeks ago; I still need to work on the assignments for this week.

Niiiiiice. Love the way the trash is cascading out of the trash can and onto the floor.

Seriously, could I LEAVE any more cupboards open? Oh, and now you know my secret. I stockpile boxes of Peanut Butter Cap'n Crunch.
And I leave hand grenades on the counter in front of the microwave. Oh wait - my bad - that's a bottle of lime juice.

Now see, how hard was that? And how much better does it look? Technically, for this week's assignment, I should stow the toaster. But quite honestly, the toaster is pretty much just decoration anyway. I'm not that much of a toast girl (plus, the thing really only effectively toasts one side of the bread), but I'm all about adding character to a room and I think my red retro toaster adds a charming splash of color to that end of the kitchen.
I'm thinking about removing the rooster (in the corner by the toaster). Do I really NEED a chalkboard-holding anthropomorphized member of the poultry family in my kitchen? Probably not...

...but then again, he is sort of cute. And the paper towels, for which I don't have a holder, hide nicely behind him. What do you say, people? Keep the rooster or give him the (figurative) axe?

Holy smokes, you can actually SEE the refrigerator. Less is more, folks, less is more.
So anyway, I've sorted my kitchen gadgets, and pretty much my only extraneous appliance is the aforementioned toaster. I need to weed my cookbooks, and then I think I'm pretty much set for this week's assignments. Although I have some catching up to do, from weeks past.
But hey, there's progress being made in this little kitchen!

My Funny Valentine

2008-02-14T17:12:00.001-05:00

I received today what I believe to be just about the funniest valentine ever.

Perhaps I should interject here (lest you think I'm receiving mail from people with homicidal, cannibalistic tendencies) that this card came from Bella. My cat. I believe my parents may have helped her pick it out.

And I really believe Bella does love me. Because she never has clawed me to pieces and feasted on the remains. Not even once.

Happy Heart Day. From me and the cat.

Chop Chop

2008-02-10T17:50:00.000-05:00

Hey, Mother, you'll like this. Yesterday I was in the housewares section in TJ Maxx, and I happened upon a knife display. They had paring knives, they had santoku knives; and what do you know, they had an 8-inch Kitchenaid Chef's knife for the low price of $7.99. Now, true, this is no J.A. Henckels knife; it doesn't even have rivets, and it has a cheesy silicone handle. But I figured it had a few good chops in it.
I decided to have fajitas for lunch today, because all the chopping would be a good test-drive for my knew knife. New. New knife. Here's the knife with its victims.

Wow, it cuts through green peppers like a subzero wind cuts through a poor, unsuspecting human as she scrapes her car on a Sunday morning. I know a little bit about that sort of thing.

Hmmmm. Same story for red peppers. This is a knice knife. Nice, I mean. Nice Knife.

No problem with the onions, either. Looks pretty good...

Hula Girl thinks so too.

Winter Storm

2008-02-06T21:05:00.000-05:00

While it's a balmy 29 degrees, it's been snowing all day, and we can expect a total of 6 - 12 inches. We must be closing in on 6 already. Here's what the road to my apartment looked like on the way home from work.

Of course, when I actually got home, there was someone begging to go out and play in the snow. Well, begging first for her dinner, then for a romp in the white stuff. Far be it from me to come between a cat and winter sports:

She didn't last long.

This stuff is cold! I'm outta here...

GroundHog Day

2008-02-02T16:14:00.001-05:00

Here's my own personal Punxatawney Phil. I can't verify whether she saw her shadow or not, but she enjoyed playing in her overturned perch. Er, that is, groundhog hole.
Hope you have a grand day of groundhoggy celebration (sorry, I didn't get my cards out this year)!