Woman in the Middle

Recently, Lumos took up a new hobby. Toilet paper shredding. I had heard of this annoying issue with the tissue, but had never experienced it before. Now, if the roll is on the holder int he front bathroom (and sometimes even if it isn’t) this is what we get:

We say it is Lumos, but we have never actually caught him in the act of shredding,  But the little weirdo had a deep obsession with the front bathroom. If you are in there, he wants in. If you close the door on him, he sits outside and makes noise until you let him in. He even sleeps sometimes on the rug in front of the sink, which is always a surprise in the middle of the night, for him and for you.

Dax seems to be feeling better and he spends more time out and about with us. His ears appear to be almost problem free as he doesn’t shake his head very much anymore and ear scratching has stopped. However, all is not well as his nose is now bright pink for unknown reasons. I wish he could tell me what is wrong with him!!! But he now is out and about enough for us to play with him with a dangle thing on a stick and he even gets into it with the other cats at times, boxing, chasing, etc…..

Dax is a hard one to photograph. He runs from the camera. The first day or two he was with us I used the flash and he has never gotten over it. Now he seems the camera and leaves the room. Darn cat is too smart. I did manage to get a few new photos of our newest boy by sneaking up on him and not using the flash. Here they are.

Look at that face and that fluffy fur!

Two orange cats on the couch. One has short fur and the other has long.

Even though it is not winter weather around here, it isn’t 100 degrees. so I am in my “Nox on my lap” season. Nox is my boy and he prefers my lap at least 3/4 of the time. I love having my little boy snuggle with me. Little being relative. 14 1/2 pounds seems little when his two housemates are over 17 pounds each! I have heard rumors of adult cats who weigh less than 10 pounds. That has never happened in our house. Even when we get them as kittens, and have no idea how they will turn out, they end up being big boys.

Yesterday Eldest Daughter and I went to help with the deep cleaning at Room 8. It was nice to be there with lots of other people. All women. All who own cats. Hum, wonder why that is? In any case, I got to be around some of the new cats. Two in particular were memorable because they are very vocal. Both Rocky and Rosie were not pleased with the invasion of the premises and all the bustle and people that included.  Rosie was especially unhappy with the sound of the vacuum cleaner. Sorry I don’t have photos. I was busy cleaning!

Hope you are having a great weekend!

I always plan to post on this blog  more often, but sometimes a week gets away from me. First, I note it has only been three days since the last post, and that isn’t so long ago. I usually start another post, but don’t quite finish it. Then, like today, I look and see it has been a week since I posted. Oops!

I hope you had a good weekend. We had a pretty productive one. By “we” I mean Hubby, with me hovering in the background and pitching in where I could.

Unfortunately, we figured out Thursday night that the garbage disposal was having problems. Hubby decided just to go ahead and replace it. So our big Friday night was going to Home Depot and buying a new garbage disposal. Whoo hoo!

Saturday was spent with me cleaning out under the sink and cleaning up the mess that the disposal had deposited there. Then Hubby started the replacement process. It required two trips to the hardware store. You know how that goes. But before 9 pm that night, we had a new disposal in place. Hubby is so talented! The new one is much quieter and we hope lasts a good long time so he doesn’t have to do that again anytime soon.

On Sunday we did some garage cleaning. That is always fraught with pain and heartache in our house. LOL! If a box has not been gone through in the almost eight years since we moved, it isn’t due to us forgetting it is there, it is due to not having the gumption to want to deal with it. Well, we went though some things that were previously ignored, and that is a good thing.  We identified a bunch of electronics that can be recycled. We also found a few bags of stuff that can be donated. All in all, a good several hours of cleaning. Even better, Hubby put some little slivers of wood under one corner of a big cabinet we have out there that was just a wee bit out of kilter, just enough so one door never closed. Well, guess what? Now it closes! Seriously, the best thing he did all weekend! That open door was always in the way whenever we took out the trash.

I now have four hubcaps again. One of my hubcaps had had an unfortunate brush against a red curb. Another just disappeared one day. But the trusty Camry once again looks like it should and I don’t have to be embarrassed about my sad hubcap situation.  Thanks to Hubby for that  fix as well.

Hope you have a good rest of the week and I hope to see you here again a little sooner than last time!

Yesterday I had the opportunity to help a friend. A minor procedure was scheduled and a ride was needed because a little anesthesia was involved. It required me to get up at 5:30 am which, other than the IDEA of getting up that early, was no big deal. One of my super powers is the ability to wake up fast and get on with my day. I might crash and burn later, but I can go go go for several hours on less than an ideal amount of sleep.

We got to the medical center in a neighboring city with a minimum of fuss. A parking space was waiting for us right by the door. At that point, the day was a good one, no matter what else happened. Things went smoothly from there as my friend was taken in quickly, then the procedure was done in a quick and efficient manner. She came out of anesthesia quickly as well. Yay!

Meanwhile, I was able to procure a delightful yogurt parfait with fresh strawberries and blueberries from a near by carfeteria, which I ate while I waited. I had nothing better to do than to play my favorite game on my phone and do a little reading. That, right there, is a joy. Afterwards, my friend wanted an In and Out burger, and she treated me to one as well. We sat in the car and ate our lunch, enjoying our ridiculously warm but beautiful weather. I got her home and got to see and speak to her son, who I have known since he was in kindergarten with Youngest Daughter. My, he is a good looking, strapping young man now!

Then I went home and took a nice long nap, ran some errands, and finished off my day in the normal way with Hubby and a little TV. Oh, and some cat petting.

You know, a day is what you make of it. Sitting around in a medical center may not sound like a great day, but in this case it was. I can officially mark February 5, 2018 as a good day. Hope yours was good as well!

The $1.45 Mocha Freeze is off the menu at the Costco snack bar and I am in mourning. I loved those things. I can not drink very much coffee due to its acidity but I do love it. The Mocha Freeze had just enough coffee to give me the flavor but not too much to give me problems. RIP Mocha Freeze. You will be missed.

People down the street are removing a huge old olive tree. The sound of tree removal has been all over the neighborhood for several days. The tree was planted decades ago way too close to the house. Now that they are selling,  they probably had a home inspection that identified the tree as a problem.  Looking forward to the buzz of chain saws and the sound of the wood chipper being over.

Ever since our closet rod fell in the middle of the night, sounding like a bomb going off, Hubby and I have been a wee bit more sensitive to middle of the night noises. Last night we both heard what sounded like a golf ball bouncing near by. We had both forgotten it by morning until I found a golf ball on the floor. We have a lot of golf balls in our lives because we live next door to a golf course. Hubby remembered finding that particular golf ball and bringing it inside and placing it on the counter between the kitchen and the den. We have one cat, Nox, who likes to stroll the kitchen counters in the middle of the night to see what he can find. Apparently last night he found a golf ball which he knocked to the floor. Mystery solved. Now if I can figure out how to convince Nox to stay off the counters. 

My little trouble maker Nox. Here he is catching a few rays in the den.  

That annual tradition, for reasons lost on me, the Super Bowl is here. We will spend it in our annual tradition of watching the commercials, not so much the game, and eating lots of food.

Hope you are having a wonderful weekend!

It has been a warm January this year. The last few days in particular have been on the warm side and next week it is supposed to get even warmer. Here are some real life actual things we have said around our household the last few days of January.

“I decided to wear short pants, too.”

“Should we eat outside on Super Bowl Sunday?”

“Next week it is supposed to be over 90.”

“We should have opened the windows tonight. It is warm in the house.”

“Are you hot? I’m hot.”

“I am not cooking anything in the oven!”

“I really need a pedicure so I can wear sandals.”

Rumor has it the city where the Super Bowl will be played this year will be 7 degrees on Super Bowl Sunday. Bet the players wish it was being played out here. I have a feeling they think sweating is better than freezing.

Meanwhile, I look with yearning at my sweaters and sweatshirts. Ah, winter. What a crazy concept! Here is hoping it comes to my neck of the woods one of these days. OK, I mean our Southern California winter. Lets not get ridiculous!!!

Courtesy Clipart Library

Eldest Daughter turns 28 today. it was one of  most momentous days of my life because it  was the day I became a Mom. While I had always wanted children, I had no idea what that would mean to my life going forward. Of course I knew there would be feeding and crying and diaper changing, but not all the rest.

I had no idea I was giving birth to a person I would enjoy so very much and who would bring so much laughter to my life.

I didn’t know there would be about five years, while that little immune system got a work out, when living with my child would be like inviting Typhoid Mary into my home.  Lord, Hubby and I were sick a lot during those years!

I didn’t think about all the people my children would meet and bring into our lives who would also be a joy to be around. Just the other night I found myself at a nightclub with a group of girls celebrating Eldest’s birthday. Looking around the table were, among others, a girl I had known since she was seven and another I had known since she was 13!

I never thought about all the new information that would come my way about their interests and their jobs. Right now I am learning so much about substitute teaching and makeup of all sorts,  among other things, thanks to Eldest.

Eldest was such a delight I had another baby two years later! LOL! I also never thought about what a delight it would be (when they weren’t fighting as kids) seeing my two children have a relationship with each other. That was both one of the hardest things to deal with (that sibling fighting I mentioned) and the best (seeing them enjoy each other and support each other).

So, on the 28th anniversary of the day she changed my life forever, I wish my dear daughter a VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!

Below, my curly headed moppet and my darling adult daughter.

After a few days of cooler weather, we are back to warmth once again. I was out and about at 10:30 this morning and my car said it was 81 degrees F. To give January its due, we usually have at least one two or so day stretch every January that is quite warm. But 81 degrees before noon? I may have to break out the sandals and short pants again!

Along with our warm weather the wind returned the last two days. I made Hubby put the hose on the orange tree yesterday morning. I didn’t want the poor thing to get any more wind burned than it already is.

Our vacation at the end of March is all set. Plane tickets are bought, rooms are reserved, schedules are coordinated with the friends we are going with. Now we enter the best part of the vacation – the anticipation!!! I so looking forward to seeing all that we will see! We will be flying into Raleigh, North Carolina and flying home from Philadelphia. In between will be early American history in all kinds of ways, with a short side trip into the early 20th century at Kitty Hawk, where the Wright Brothers first managed to get off the ground in an airplane.    We will also visit five more states in our effort to see all 50. Yay! Meanwhile, if anyone has any advice on what to see or where to eat on the Delmarva peninsula, let me know!

Eldest Daughter managed to get a nasty cold, just in time for her various birthday festivities. I feel for her and pray Hubby and I don’t get it. I am happy to report it is not the flu. Meanwhile, I am downing Airborne and washing my hands a lot.

Hope your week is starting out well!

The one park I never told you about at Disney World was Animal Kingdom. We went there on the second day of our vacation.  We enjoyed it. It was like a cross between the San Diego Wild Animal Park and Disneyland, in a good way.

At the center of it all is the Tree of Life. From a distance it looks like a real tree. Up close you see it is a Disney tree, with a trunk craved with the images of all kinds of different animals. Definitely worth spending a few minutes looking at and enjoying.   

Us with the Tree of Life.

Our favorite ride was the Kilimanjaro Safaris. It is an approximately 18 minute ride into what they call the Harambe Wildlife Reserve. Below is the open air bus we rode in.

We got to see all kinds of animals. Some were pretty darn close. All were easy to see and get photos of with the good old telephoto lens on my point and shoot camera.

We went on the Expedition Everest roller coaster ride, located in the Asia area.  Oh my! The photo below shows Eldest Daughter and me in the back row.   If  the photo was bigger and you could see my face….you would not be seeing a happy camper. This is not a ride for folks like me who suffer from motion sickness. Exciting for everyone else, however.

We took the Maharajah Jungle Trek which is a  self-guided walking tour of Southeast Asia—home to tigers, dozens of bird species, a flying fox and a Komodo dragon. I wanted to see this area because it seems to have several unusual animals, including two I really wanted to see.

The Komodo dragon was out getting some sun. I don’t get to see one of these every day!

Wasn’t it nice for the tiger to pose for me?

We got to see the Malayan flying fox, one of the largest bats in the world. So cool!!! It was daytime, so they were asleep. They can have a wing span of up to 6 feet!!! But don’t worry, all they eat is fruit.

We had a late lunch at Harambe Market. We tend to eat what is close by, and we were hungry and this was close!  It was busy, and we had to stand in line for a bit and sit for a while waiting for our food. But we were tired and sitting was a good thing! We had to lie in wait for a table (as anyone who has been to a theme park understands) but there were quite a few tables so we didn’t have to wait long. This quick/window service restaurant was in the African area of the park and it had an interesting menu with choices that were outside the normal hot dog and hamburger box, which was nice. Below are photos of our meals and descriptions. We enjoyed all of them, although not everyone liked every side. I seem to remember one of mine was a bit spicy, which I have to stay away from.

Grilled Chicken Skewer  - Wood-Grilled Chicken Thighs marinated and rubbed with African Spices, served with Green Papaya Slaw and Black-Eyed Pea Salad – $9.99 

Tikka Masala Chicken – Marinated Chicken in a spiced Curry Sauce, served with Basmati Rice, Black-Eyed Pea Salad and Grecian Flatbread – $10.99

Beef and Pork Sausage- Fried in Curried Corn Batter served with Green Papaya Slaw and Black-eyed Pea Salad – $9.99

African Spice-rubbed Ribs with a Barbecue Glaze, served with a Green Papaya Slaw and Black-Eyed Pea Salad – $13.49 (If I am not mistaken, Hubby got the children’s version of this which was a little smaller and came with a side of raw carrots.)

And, with this post, I have finally finished off our trip to Disney World. Hope you have enjoyed a little arm chair travel!

Can you see the snake in the upper right hand corner of the photo? Added with Disney Magic.

I remember when I was young and the year 2000 seemed so far in the future and so WEIRD. I mean, a year that didn’t start with 19???? Now it is 2018. Eighteen years passed that incredible turn of the century. Wow, the years keep chugging along, don’t they?

On a visit a month or two ago to Room 8, I ran into an older kitten with the most amazing orange color eyes. I was mesmerized by them, and I want to show you as well. Cats have green eyes and blue eyes and yellow eyes, but I don’t see too many with eyes as orange as these.

Rumor has it it is going to rain again today. The sun was out this morning but it is overcast now.  I would not mind a little more rain. It rained a week ago and if it rains a halfway decent amount again today, I can get away with leaving the sprinklers off again for another week. I save money and time and water all at once! Whoo hoo!

I hope you have a wonderful January weekend!

Absolutely everything we do around here is for the cats. At least they certainly think so! From getting up in the morning to all the things we do before we got to bed, it is all about the cats.

The latest thing we did, just for them, of course, was move the stove. We had an electrical problem in the kitchen last week and the stove had to be pulled partially away from the wall in order to access the outlet behind it. When the time came to push the stove back in it was being stubborn. Hubby had to remove the broiler drawer at the bottom in order to see under the stove and figure out how to coax it back into place. When he removed the drawer, all kinds of cat toys were revealed! He pulled out a little worm toy and several bright fuzzy balls.

Lumos was in cat heaven! Who cares about that basket of toys! These are all favorites, which is why they ended up under the stove. They got played with and played with until …ooops! And there it went, never to be played with again, until we moved the stove, of course.

Lumos has rarely stopped playing since the treasure trove was revealed. He eats, drinks, sleeps and PLAYS and PLAYS and PLAYS. Silly cat! But, happy cat, happy life. So we are all very happy right now, watching Lumos be so happy with his rediscovered toys.