Conflicted Hippie

I've turned my back on the Humane Society. Their emails asking me to voice my opinions on baby seal clubbing, cockfighting, and cow slaughtering are too upsetting. Yes, I am a wimp. The pictures are not graphic but I still get very sad and upset. The last straw was a header on an email about boycotting Canadian seafood because the fisherman spend the off-season hunting and usually clubbing baby seals for fur. I didn't need to see a seal on the snow looking up at the human with a pole held over his head about to strike the seal. So, I've opted out of emails from the Humane Society. While I'm grateful and glad for all the work they do, I can only support them on my terms--these emails are unbearable for me. I know I can't pretend to be an ostrich and stick my head in the sand. But that's how I'm dealing right now...it's all I can handle.

I am expecting a shipment from Liz Lovely today. Who knew vegan cookies could taste so good?! It's actually amazing how yummy the ginger ones were. I wouldn't have known they were vegan in a blind taste test. The best part is that all the ingredients are "normal" stuff that can be found in a home baker's pantry. Okay, maybe not the palm fruit oil, but I've never tried looking for it at Whole Foods, so that could be a normal ingredient too.

After being ignored for several weeks (probably more like a month+), I am assembling my knitted cat. I've also finished my wrap using Fisherman. Still working on the kangaroo. I am dreading all the sewing.

Angel & Me

Angel decided to snuggle with me last night. I fell asleep with her under the covers, nestled into my side with my left arm around her. I woke up to her sleeping next to me. I am always amused when she sleeps like humans, with her head on my pillow and her body on the bed under the covers. I tend to have deeper, better sleep when Angel is next to me. Unfortunately I also tend to wake up more achy since I don't toss and turn as much. What's a few backaches when you're loved by a cat. :)

Trip Down Memory Lane with Jen

I think her name is Jen or Jennifer. I think I've had her since I was about 5. She's the perfect friend for a little girl since she's practically as big as you! Jen wears a 2T and is about 2.5 feet tall. Over the years, I've dressed her in my hand-me-downs. The dress she is wearing used to belong to me. I think it may have been a gift from my grandmother. QE thinks Jen is spooky because she's so big.

Dad is cleaning and renovating the house and asked if I wanted anything from my old room. I had cleaned up most of my belongings except for my dolls and a few keepsake memories. Jen, three Cabbage Patch Kids, and two other dolls came home with me. These friends were my primary dolls growing up I think. I had stuffed animals and a Barbie, but these were my only dolls.


Going through my boxes, it was funny to see what was important to me decades ago. I kept a report card from 6th grade where my final grades were straight As. I kept most of my birthday cards, many of which had cats on them! I didn't even favor cats back then. Maybe these subtle cues nurtured my affinity for cats now. I also found various sizes of knitted rectangles (blankets for my dolls). All the early signs were there of who I would become. :)

Finally, I kept a bag (!) of giveaway buttons from a concert by a local radio station. I handed the bag to QE and watched for his reaction. Once he realized what he was holding, I got the mandatory eye-roll and groan. He might have even said something like "Ugh, my wife was a teenybopper." He, of course, already knew that, having been to two Goo Goo Dolls concerts with me. (It's weird screaming for a guy on stage with your husband next to you...) But the bag of buttons confirmed the extent of my crazy fan behavior. He already knew that I had ditched last period once to go meet this hottie, got his autograph, and took tons of pictures. I had 4th row seats for Marky Mark. Talk about good vibrations!

Just a Phase?

Went to Whole Foods today. Maybe we are deprived, but we have fun at Whole Foods. We enjoy the experience. I think it's because we go to the newer, bigger (and farther away) store that has lots of pretty service counters and a big eating area. Whole Foods shoppers are clearly divided into two types: the snooty "how DARE lowlifes like you shop here at MY store" and the hippie "I am me, take it or leave it". What's weird is that the Springfield shoppers tend to fall in the former category. The Old Town store is evenly split, with the former kind mostly women who screech through the aisles plowing over anyone in their way. Hope you don't drive the way you shop, bitch. We didn't buy much but our receipt leads us to believe we bought enough groceries to feed a family of 8 for a week. Oh, TJs and Harris Teeter tote bags are also made in China. I don't understand it. Are we shipping recycled materials there to manufacture the bags too? WF now has a new (cool spring looking) bags made from recycled plastic water bottles. I couldn't find a tag in it. But if it is also made in China, are we shipping water bottles there? The Chinese can't possibly produce enough bottles, right?

QE and I have a date on May 16. Polyface farm tour! I am so excited to see piggies, chickens, and cows again.

We bought some eggs at Whole Foods. I went to the Animal Welfare Institute site to see if it was their label on our carton and found this. My skepticism about "cage-free" eggs was right! I also found the comparison grid of various terms and labels. What's interesting is that the Humane Farm Animal Care group have their own comparisons. This is the label on our eggs. I can't determine if one seal is better than the other.

My vegetarianism was questioned again this week. It was strictly out of curiosity, but I always feel like I am some weirdo who is way too compassionate towards animals. I know animals serve their purpose as our food. I just feel guilty about the way my species treats others prior to their arrival on our dinner plates. We gave some frozen chicken breasts to dad today but kept our Polyface meat. So clearly, I do intend to eat clean meat. Two big steaks are waiting to be grilled. QE doesn't think I will be capable of eating meat. Maybe he's right. I am a little scared, actually. :) Dad is convinced that I'm just in another one of my phases.

The past two Fridays, I've had panic attacks during the day. CRAP! It's Friday! Did I eat any meat today?! Dang it! Argh! Gyah! Darn it!! CRAP!! Quick, what have I eaten today?? Any meat? It's Friday!!! Oh, wait. I'm vegetarian. Whew. Sigh of relief. No joke. This is what I've freaked about two weeks in a row.

The Anti-Girl

Today is a Hallmark holiday. It's mostly guys who woo their women with flowers, sappy cards and a meal. I've never been a fan of this holiday because I think we should treat our loved ones nice every day of the year. If that happened, we wouldn't need a specific day to honor our pookie pie or snookums. Maybe I'm just lucky that my QE is a sappy love-fool every day.

About two weeks ago, QE asked if I wanted some cherries as dessert. (I hate fruit) I jokingly said I would eat some only if he removed the stems and pitted them. I went to go online and about 10 minutes later, he presented me with a bowl of halved cherries and his cherry-stained fingers. So cute and sweet.

The running joke is that when I lived at home, my dad would coax me to eat fruit by peeling and cutting it into bite-sized pieces. QE rolled his eyes and groaned the first time I told him. I've since ribbed QE with "My DAD used to do this for me..." And the two times we've temporarily lived with him, he would still cut up a pear or apple for me while I gloated and QE groaned. I guess now it's time for dad to step up his game. QE wins with the cherries. :)

Where's my limo?

I used to be nice and considerate while commuting to and from work. It got me pushed and shoved as others scrambled their way on the subway. While I am not rude, I've learned to hold my position while getting jostled and smacked around. Today, a nasty boy (18-22) leaned against me to keep his fat ass up while not taking his backpack off. To make matters worse, he looked like he had not washed his hair in a week. Gross.

I drive, walk and take a train to work. As a driver, I am careful not to tailgate or cut anyone off. As a pedestrian, I don't jaywalk or cross streets when I know I can't make it across in time. Without fail, many people will do exactly that. While I wouldn't wish misfortune on anyone, I must say that those who fail to obey traffic signals and jaywalk are asking to get run over. Maybe not DESERVE it, but they can't be surprised if they get run over if they knowingly crossed a street when they shouldn't have. Not surprisingly, I've seen several close calls when drivers don't expect to see humans running out between parked cars. It's always dumb, but especially stupid given the shorter daylight hours during the winter. Go on, cross the street illegally. I'll make sure to serve as the driver's witness.

One more thing...I am still amazed at how I (a hefty girl myself) manages to get the most obese person sitting next to me on the train. What's interesting is that two big women can manage to sit comfortably, but put a slight-build man next to me and I'm squished. Why do men need to spread their legs as if they are airing out their crotches? How do 120-lb scrawny guys manage to grow such broad shoulders the moment they sit down?

CSA! CSA!

We joined a CSA for the coming summer. I am excited beyond words. It's probably not normal to be so giddy about fresh produce, but I am. Fruits and veggies freshly picked from local farms on a weekly basis! I often balk at the prices at grocery stores because the offerings don't even look appealing. $2.99/lb for limp lettuce...really? Not sure what we'll be getting in our shares, but fresh trumps price, I think. Plus, it's local, so there's less fuel involved in us getting food. Planned goodies include heirloom and regular tomatoes, corn, blueberries, potatoes, eggplant, garlic, various herbs, lettuces, and a ton of other delicious beauties. Ever since I grew tomatoes at our old house, I've shunned store and restaurant tomatoes. The aroma and texture of a real vine-ripened tomato is nothing like the sad little red orbs we usually see. My love for life begins May 21.

Went to Harris Teeters. Canned "organic" beans from China and Turkey. Somehow I am skeptical that either country is producing organic anything. $.99 for a can of "organic" beans compared to $.50 for a can of conventional. In this case, I opted for the latter because I didn't believe the organic label.

I finished my mittens and am almost finished with my shawl. I will start the kangaroo and joey from Frap's toy book tomorrow.

We brought our own shopping bags to Target. One of them is the green Whole Foods bag made from recycled something or another. What I found interesting is that the bag was made in China. Why would a $.99 bag need to be made in China for a company that is all about recycling, conservation, environment, etc.? It just seems counterintuitive to me. I think most of us bag buyers would be willing to pay $5 for a bag all in the name of tree hugging. Heck there are bags that cost $15 and even $100 out there. So, why would a pro-environment store sell bags made halfway around the world? The transportation costs to ship the bags here must cost more than a dollar. I should probably look at my TJ bags and see where they were made. BTW, Trader Joe's is owned by Aldi, a German company that has a small presence in the US. They sell unlabeled or generic grocery items. So is TJs really owned by the German equivalent of Wal-Mart?

My guess is that many companies outsource their goods because they don't want to pay higher wages and have to deal with unions. Yes, labor costs are significantly higher in the US and consumers are only willing to pay so much for any given good. Timbuk2, All-Clad, Kitchen-Aid all succumbed to pressure. I am willing to pay $80 for a tote bag made in the US, not made in Vietnam. $300+ retail (I only paid about $150 thanks to a sale, rebate, and coupon combined) for a Professional 600 series stand mixer (oh what a beauty...) made in Korea. The parts are made in the US then shipped to Korea for assembly. Many of All-Clad's cookware are still made in the US (mine is), but the stuff available on Amazon are not--those are made in China. $20 for measuring cups, $100+ for a pot/pan, $300 for a roasting pan. Very reasonable prices given how heavy and sturdy All-Clad stuff is, IF it was made in the US.

What brought on my frustration? A Rosle whisk that cost me $18. Rosle is a German brand that I consider luxury or high-end. Heck, $18 for a whisk is a splurge for me! I used this beauty to make brownies for Frap and her posse. Melt butter and cocoa in a pan, add flour and other stuff. My whisk wires bent. Luckily, Sur La Table took it back. They too were surprised about the whisk's lackluster performance. I'd expect it from a crappy $5 tool from Wal-Mart (not that I ever shop there--last time was probably about 18 months ago), not something that cost me $18. That's two Chipotle bowls with two sodas AND chips and guac! Yes, all prices are indexed to Chipotle bowls. :)

Saving Cara

Today marks the one-year anniversary of Cara being turned into a TN shelter by her former humans. Today also marks the day when Siamese Rescue saved Cara from the shelter and took her into their program.

Our little one's name was Kitty Kitty until Siamese Rescue changed it to Cara ("dear" in Italian). What's interesting is that she didn't respond to Kitty Kitty, her name for about a year. Makes me wonder how much human interaction she had and whether they even loved her. How does a cat not know his/her name? We had the same issue with Davis (name chosen by QE). He learned his new name within a week of joining our family. In fact, he responded to Davis AND Buddy. But he never even flinched when we tried his previous name.

3.838

Got my official transcript from college last night. My GPA was nowhere close to what I thought it was. I am disappointed in myself. QE says I'm a nerd (so MEAN!) and nobody cares about my GPA except me. I knew I graduated summa cum laude and it only required a 3.8 overall. I thought I was in excess of 3.9 for some reason. Looking at my transcript, I had a 4.0 the spring semester of my junior year (I knew that) and a 3.88 fall of my senior year (I thought I got a 4.0). Is it a coincidence that I met QE that semester? Hm...I think he is to blame for my downfall. He distracted me! He corrupted me! :) I guess mathematically it wasn't logical for me to have a 3.9+ GPA since I did have a sprinkling of B/B+ in my freshman and sophomore years. I never thought of my alma mater as a "real" school for various reasons, so to counter that, I felt I needed a good GPA to offset some of the negative connotations. Again, QE said that our school is only "bad" in my eyes. Nobody else cares. Maybe he's right. But as someone who caused my delinquency, he can't be right. :)

Whatevs

You can judge a man's true character by the way he treats his fellow animals.

~ Paul McCartney

It's been an emotional week. Much excitement, lots of work, and all sort of daily grind crap that are all blessings in their own way. Cara has resumed tormenting her siblings. I guess one week of good behavior is all her little body is capable of. Maybe I should trick her into believing in Santa Claws as a means of getting her to behave. (bad mom! manipulation is wrong!) The dementors suck the life out of me, even if we don't talk or interact. It doesn't bother me as much anymore. I get what I need out of this twisted relationship.

Our home value has dropped a lot. A LOT. Brings-tears-to-our-eyes A LOT. But, we are fortunate that we can easily make our mortgage payments. We are blessed that we have such a nice house to begin with. So, I guess it shouldn't bother us what the value is. Except that it does for various reasons.

Next knitting project is a wrap from Knitty using Lorna's Laces Fisherman. Finished dad's second scarf. "The first was thicker [it's a 2x2 rib] but not wide enough. This one is not as thick. Don't knit me anymore scarves." Damn right I'm not. All I get is complaints. One of my first how-to knit books was right--never knit a gift for someone who is not a knitter; they will not appreciate the time or effort.

On happy notes...2008 Honda Accord coupe. Put one in my driveway. No questions asked. :) QE is starting to think that a $60+ swift is worth the price for him not having to hold my hanks of yarn while I wind them up. Went to PetSage to get Davis and Cara some food and got into a wonderfully intellectual discussion with the owner about cat nutrition. She's got some sort of medical/nutrition/holistic background and only sells food without by-products and other scary things like animal digest (in many cat treats). Our will is almost complete. I'm happy that we'll be supporting several much-deserved charities. Have I mentioned that Frap gave me the most beautiful scarf for Christmas??? Oh.Wow. Rowan Big Wool in a pretty bright pink. Seed stitch (k,p). Love the look, hate the deed. So beautiful. With my brown coat, it looks like raspberries and chocolate. Yum. So pretty. And fringe! There's a cute fringe on the ends too. :) Finally, Mr and Mrs. Frap (with Latte, I assume) will be coming over next weekend. I'm baking a chocolate-espresso pecan pie and double ginger cookies. And maybe chocolate chip cookies. I think I said I would make brownies too. And homemade gluhwein! It will go great with the ginger cookies. Made gluhwein for QE last week and he said it tasted just like the ones we had at Marienplatz. :)

Naturally Raised Tail Docking

I am by no means an activist. I may contribute money to charities I feel strongly about, but it's rare. The only sure donation is to church. That said, there is something that has me really pissed. The government is trying to define meats that can be labeled "naturally raised". They want to leave it as meaning no hormones, no antibiotics, no mammal or avian by-products. That's a huge step. Really, it is. But as a consumer, I find the term misleading if that's all "naturally raised" means. I would assume and expect it to mean I am eating happy animals, grown in their natural environment--no cages, no feedlots, no piggies without tails, no turkeys or chickens without beaks. Cows would get to eat grass. Imagine that!!! A cow gets to eat its natural diet of grass and not corn or soy!

If you agree with me that "naturally raised" should mean more than no hormones, no by-products and no antibiotics, PLEASE take one minute of your time to share your thoughts. If the link doesn't work, go to http://www.regulations.gov/ and then do a comment search for "naturally raised". Although the name fields are mandatory and public, you can give just your initials. Thanks bunches. :) Comments are due by January 28.

http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/main?main=DocumentDetail&o=0900006480369411

Hope for Love and Peace

QE just called with the most wonderful news. Prior to leaving the house this morning, he thought it was too quiet and peaceful. He went looking for Cara to make sure she wasn't trapped in a closet or something. He found her in the amigos' room, sleeping on the cat tree/perch. Angel was sleeping in her new bed and Davis was in his little cave-tent. Not a peep. All three were sleeping peacefully.

What the heck is going on??? The weekend was peaceful too. Davis grumbled once in a case of mistaken identity, but that's it. Poor boy sometimes gets his sisters mixed up. :)

Swirlies

It's been a while since I've written. So much anger, rage, joy and happiness inside, all swirling together.

A tiger at San Francisco's zoo was killed after escaping her enclosure and attacking several humans. Reports said she was probably provoked since there were various materials and branches in the enclosure that were "not consistent or within" her habitat. Here's what I want to know: tigers are endangered animals...isn't killing one (in a zoo no less) defeating the purpose of saving tigers and all the research/breeding programs? Wonder what Jules aka Shtinky Puddin has to say about that.

My knitting is coming along again. I took a break to read a few books and now I'm back to my true love. QE offered to take me yarn shopping this weekend. It's kind of interesting how my desire to buy yarn has waned ever since I got my shelf...maybe his strategy of making me see all my loot to reduce stashing worked, contrary to his shopping offers. Hmmmm...

Got an awesome book of knitting patterns for toys from Frap! I can't wait to knit all of the goodies.

My allergy shots are killing me. The good news is that I am down to once every three weeks. The bad news is that I suffer for much of the time between shots. I have big triceps that rival any bodybuilder for almost a week. Zyrtec becomes OTC on January 24.

Angel is healing very nicely. Cara is mean beyond belief. She literally spends all day stalking or guarding her siblings. She will wake from a nap to charge them if they dare walk downstairs to hang out with us.

Tufts and Stones

For a "quiet and uneventful" holiday season, it sure felt quite the contrary. QE and I worked as usual, with the Tuesdays off. (so all y'all poopie pants best quit yer bellyachin!) Angel's saga continued, with me cleaning the carpet at least five times a day. It was heartbreaking to see our baby suffering through the holidays. Her surgery was yesterday and is back home now. Two stones that looked like clusters of smaller stones were attached to her bladder wall. Hopefully she feels better. The doctors said that there was no blood in her urine during the fluid pump sessions, so that's great news. She shouldn't be in any pain. Grandpa Goo called yesterday for a status on her surgery and volunteered to play nurse and medical transport if necessary. "They won't release Angel unless the bill is paid, Dad." "That's fine. You can come pay the bill and then I will take her to my place until you get off work, or I can drive her to your house." What a great grandpa!

On NYE, I came home from work to find clumps of white and brown fur in the amigos' room, and Cara with blood-stained fur on her neck. She seemed fine and oblivious to my panicked cries about her neck. On New Years Day, we had a rare day where no hisses or growls were heard. Maybe the kids wanted to start 2008 peacefully. I did notice that Cara had a weird looking ear though. Upon further examination, it appears that the brown clumps I found the day before previously belonged to her ear area. Her ear also had lots of dried and oozy blood. Cleaning that was no fun, let me just tell you. It looks like the blood was not from bites (whew!) but from getting fur pulled out. It's still gross, but at least it's not a puncture wound. What we don't understand is, why despite getting the beat down from her brother, Cara feels the need to bully Davis and pick fights with him.

As I am sitting here, our little one is curled up in her bed sleeping. Cara looks so cute. I feel bad for her at times. She sits outside the amigos' room and looks sad and jealous when they are eating or when I am with them. She gets jealous when they snuggle on me even though she has intimacy issues and would never lay on me or let me hold her. All she wants is a human to call her own and instead got stuck with parents who love her dearly but also spreads the love to two other cats. It's not fair to her. Cara is constantly bored because we don't play with her as much as we should. She deserves better and more than we can give her. That said, I would never willingly give her up. We made a commitment to take care of her and share our lives with her. Til death do us part, we promised. If I thought she could have a better life with another family, I would happily give her that opportunity. Somehow I don't think "Cara isn't happy" is a legitimate excuse the Meezer Rescue would accept for returning her.

Motherhood

I am not legally a mother. I am not recognized as a mother on bs Hallmark holidays like Mother's Day. I am fine with that. Really. Being a cat mom is all I can handle, I think. Having met my precious piglet and seeing all that he needs, I am glad not to be mom to a human. Piglet is amazing. Watching him develop and evolve in the few days we were with him was remarkable. Piglet's ability to track time and demand feedings exactly every four hours is amusing and quite awesome. We could tell time without even looking at a clock! Despite his sweet smell and darling little clothes, his poopy diapers and smelly farts were enough to knock me over. Add his late night/early morning meals into the mix, and parenthood isn't for me. That's not to say I wouldn't walk to the ends of the earth for piglet (not even my kid!), but I would not willingly choose to devote the rest of my life to raising, caring and worrying about my child. Or dealing with a 30-year old child still living with me. Or providing daycare to a grandkid.

As caregiver to Angel, Davis and Cara, I think I've been a good mom to them. I would venture to say that I'm probably a better mom to my cats than some people are to their human children (how sad!). Feeding, providing shelter, and seeking medical care for my kitties are my duty. It's what I am supposed to do--it's what they are entitled to, as my dependents. I chose to assume responsibility for their well-being and their lives. Where I think my kids are lucky is how I am their advocate, their activist, their researcher, their personal fighter.

Angel is still sick. The thought that she's been suffering for two weeks is very upsetting to me. The good news is that her urine no longer looks like pure blood. The bad news is that she is still straining to pee and still has some pink in her urine. She has been on antibiotics for a few days now and while her condition has improved, she's still uncomfortable. That is not good enough. I researched her medications and prescription food earlier this week. (Part of me wants to believe that all parents of furry or human children would do this.) Her food is not for prolonged use. Angel's previous medication could affect kidney function with continued use. Her current medication can impair vision and damage her eyes with improper or prolonged use. Although our veterinary practice is superb, I don't think they are obligated to disclose all potential side effects or adverse reactions. This of course puts the burden on us parents to do the research and learn as much as we can, so we can ask the doctors the right questions.

I would like to think that all parents would do the same for their children, human or otherwise. Heck, if I do that for my kitties, parents BETTER do that for their human kids! Maybe I am one of "those" parents...the overbearing people who constantly call the doctor's office with questions or seeking advice, the ones who ask difficult questions or questions the treatment options. My thing is, if I don't demand the best care for my kids, who will? If I don't aggressively learn and research all I can about my kitties' conditions, who will tell me? It's unreasonable to expect a doctor to educate me on all the possible conditions or treatments. My job as their mom is to form a partnership with the doctors and fight their illnesses as a team. Unfortunately, with Angel, the doctors are puzzled by her condition. She's had the stones for years with no ill effects. Why now? You can bet the first call the practice receives after Christmas will be from me. Hopefully it will be a call to provide an update on Angel's significant improvement.

Family Reunion

It feels so good to be reunited with the kitties!!! The house was so empty and lonely without the kids. I entered the library this morning without anyone hauling tail to slip in before I closed the door. Nobody woke us up requesting breakfast (I still woke up at 4:00 though). The kitties seemed a bit indifferent to our arrival at the resort. Maybe it was all the commotion. The resort reported that the kids got along with the other cats. No hissing or other issues. HEY! NOT FAIR! Davis still hates Cara but she seems to back off a bit now. It's probably jealousy, so we'll try to make Cara feel loved even if she doesn't like to be held. The kitties smell weird. They don't have their personal scents. I never realized how comforting I found their essence until now. Everyone seems to be settling in. Davis is more skittish than his sisters. Hopefully things will be back to normal tomorrow.

Our boy looks really thin. The resort said that all three snubbed the canned food served. Davis has special needs and usually eats his kibble off the rug in his room. I suspect he didn't eat much at the resort since dry food was served in a metal bowl. He is so skinny that I am worried about him. Hopefully I can bulk him up in the next month or so. It won't be the end of the world if he only eats kibble, I suppose.

Santa Claws came early this year. Cara's room is also our computer room/office, so she doesn't have a perch to look out the window. Apparently Miss Honeybutt decided windowsills are below her royal status. I asked QE for a small tree for Cara as my Christmas gift this year. He groaned since we got Angel and Davis a big tree last year. PetSage had an open house the weekend before we left and held a raffle. We won the most perfect cat tree!!! It has two U-shaped perches that are perfect for sunny naps or looking out the window. We could not have asked for a better cat tree for Cara! In typical big-sister fashion, Angel inspected the tree and decided it will be her new venue for afternoon naps.

The pet resort took wonderful care of our precious babies. I am so grateful that such a business exists to serve high-maintenance pills like me. :) I am not sure I ever want to be away from my kids for that long again though. The best news is that they only charged us for seven days and not eight. That saved us over $120. Yay!

Cock-a-doodle goo

We are home. So much to share...highlights: Dulles sucks in comparison to Munich's airport. American mentality isn't alway inferior to European thinking, but we really are a bunch of me-first resource-gorging wasteful beasts. My piglet smells so good (except for the one time we smelled his poopy diaper--that made me heave.) I already miss piglet's sounds--the cooing, the drinking milk, his cries, everything. We pick up our kids today! Grandpa visited my kids at the pet resort on Sunday. Angel and Davis both sought love and attention from him and my dad was smitten. Cara bit one of the resort workers. We had gluwein every day we were in Munich. The Christmas market at Marienplatz freakin rocks. I bought yarn from three stores. Not "a lot", but enough that I spent "a lot", especially with the crappy exchange rates. The department and grocery stores are so clean, orderly, and tidy. It makes you want to shop. Maybe Macy's should take some notes and improve their dumpy rat nests for stores.

There were several things that make me appreciate being an American. Like having a clothes dryer and dishwasher. Having waitstaff at restaurants work for tips (German norm is 1 Euro regardless of bill amount). People aren't as friendly or courteous in Germany. Smoking is allowed in eateries, cafes and restaurants.

Holding a US passport afforded much less scrutiny than all those from ghetto countries. German customs and security was much more thorough than the US. Does our TSA and Customs even have a pulse? CBP had numerous signs saying they were the face of the US and pledge to sincerely welcome all to our country. Yeah. I said hello to our customs guy and he didn't even look up. Our entire transaction did not yield a single word or sound from him. Welcome to America, land of the apathetic, lazy, and indifferent.

I can't wait to see my kids today. Today is family bonding day. We will stay home all day and just be together. Purrrrrrr

Sick Princess

We found bloody pee all over the house. Angel is sick again. Her bladder crystals and stones must be bothering her. I don't know what's causing this irritation since her stones have been there for years without any problems. We managed to get some meds for her until we have a chance to take her to the vet. Poor little girl. She's great at taking her meds, so we are lucky.

Angel is just as loving with us, so her spirit isn't down yet. That's a good sign. Although, I have missed my headwarmer the past few nights. We've been through so much with her. There was one December years ago where we spent $1000 on her medical bills just for that month. I guess having animal companions can get expensive. The true test of our love and bond with our furry friends is when we are faced with the decision to fork over wads of cash or wash our hands clean of said animal. Her previous owners chose the latter and sentenced her to death before she was rescued. Their loss is our gain. Angel is the best cat ever. She's the only cat I know who will allow humans to dress her in clothes, put her in a half-nelson (hilarious), furburt her belly, and do all the crazy things we do.

Elf Sighting

I AM an elf! Papa elf sent me! The best way to spread Christmas cheer is to sing loud and clear for all to hear. I didn't know you were naked. He's an angry elf! Oh, it's not a costume, I'm an elf. What's a Christmasgram? I want one! Son of a nutcracker!

I finished SIL's stocking. :) I started my brother's this morning. His is a wool/soy blend in a varigated denim blue. I've been dying to use this yarn for over a year but was hesitant in case it was too itchy for garments. It's not itchy at all and quite soft once knitted up.

I saw a racoon the other night. He was cute. He had a big round face with short triangle ears. Maybe the size of a big fat cat. I had never seen a live racoon before, only roadkill. :( The racoon was drinking water from the train cats' food and water area. I wonder if he can transmit diseases to the kitties. He was very cute with his black eye mask. I wanted to hug him.

Secret Project Revealed

And today's secret ingredient is....


CAKES!

This is what I've been bursting to share. My favorite is the white with pink frosting. And it will go to Bri. I think she needs a bit of calorie-free sweet treats right now. :)

The original pattern comes from a UK website promoting Shaun the Sheep's picKnits. The one with yellow icing uses Shaun's base and my own cake. It didn't turn out as I expected. I will have to tweak the "recipe" a bit to get what I want. I had great fun creating these three cakes and look forward to more "baking" once I get papa pig's stocking order fulfilled. Angel helped decorate the cakes by pinning my legs down and ensuring I didn't go anywhere before completing the treats.

Meeting Justice Thomas

I met Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas yesterday. He was signing his book, My Grandfather's Son. Justice Thomas was warm, friendly, sincere, and just awesome. I was literally in awe of him. It's not every day a peasant girl like me gets to meet such an important person.

Justice Thomas was so nice and full of big smiles. A real departure from the serious-faced photos we see. (There are pictures of him with me on my Flickr site for friends and family.) I was deeply moved by just how sincere he was about meeting all of us, shaking our hands, and signing our books. As my turn came, he asked how I was doing. I froze. I was speechless and couldn't say a word. He looked up to get a response. WAH!!!! After I came to my senses, I managed to tell him how much I admired him and asked if I could have a picture with him.

Let me just say that he held me tighter than anyone except QE when posing for photos. Amazing. That alone won me over. He was so genuine in his friendliness. Most notable figures and celebrities give this fake niceties "meeting and greeting sucks" feeling. I don't know if I could have sustained Justice Thomas' cheery demeanor for two hours standing on my feet. Regardless of his political views and whether I agree or disagree with them, Justice Thomas is a good human being.

And his wife, Virginia? She is tall and gorgeous. Just beautiful. I spoke to her too. She wasn't pretty in that pretentious plastic surgery way. Naturally beautiful with amazing bright blue eyes. And so freakin tall. Here is this woman who is/was a GS15 or SES and wife of a Supreme Court Justice. You'd think she was rich diva. Nope. Her purse was a commoner's Nine West bag. WTF How grounded is that?????

Like many Americans, I don't know much about the judges of the Supreme Court. After reading his book, my respect for Justice Thomas grew tremendously. We share many of the same values and ethics. It's nice to know that good, hard-working people can succeed. Maybe there's hope for me yet.

Bye Earl

(Photo from a Mutts e-newsletter I received)

This is Earl. He is the real Earl doggie of Patrick McDonnell, author of Mutts. He passed away at the age of 18. I think that's pretty old for a dog and I'm sure Earl had a wonderful life. He was a wonderful inspiration and made great fodder for many Mutts strips. Mr. McDonnell is on the Board of The Humane Society of the United States. We can make donations in honor of Earl on the HSUS website.

(from Mutts site)

Am I an Elf?

My dear brother asked me to knit them stockings. Talk about short notice! He must think I am an elf. I have multiple projects backing up now. Dad's scarf will be completed tomorrow while waiting for QE's new tires. I should have completed it by now but I was dying to work on my secret project a few times this week. And last night's 2 glasses of wine got me unfocused enough I was unfit to knit. So, this morning I started the sow's stocking (hog, sow and piglet...a perfect little pink piggy family...) It's "dusty rose" Lamb's Pride worsted on my Addi Natura needles, size 5. I love the needles. Very smooth bamboo--smoother than Clover, which I didn't think was possible.

Speaking of elf, Elf is one of my favorite movies.
Bye Buddy, I hope you find your dad
Dad! It's me! Buddy! Your son! (in the Gimbels store window during a.m. rush hour)
Does maple syrup have sugar? Then YES!
Francisco...Francisco...Francisco...
I like to whisper too
You're not Santa. You stink!
My finger has a heartbeat
Congratulations! You did it! World's best coffee!!!
You know, the code...

My sister is a ho

I don't have a sister. But many people do. What's it like to know or have others think your sister is a ho? I watched part of an episode of Keeping Up with the Kardashians the other night. It was the one where Kourtney thought she was pregnant. I later learned that she's 28(!). Does she live at home? I don't know. It sure seemed like it though. What is a girl that age doing still living at home?! She didn't seem to need temporary parental assistance. It seemed like she never left, even after becoming an adult. Kim of sex-tape fame is 26 and also appears to live at home. Whatever.

What's disturbing to me is that there are two young daughters at home, in the 8-14 age range. I wonder what it's like for them to see their sisters living like skanky hoes. One sister got arrested for DUI, one had a pregnancy scare, and the third has a sex-tape. After learning Kourtney wasn't pregnant by her much-younger boyfriend, mom and the girls (with almost-babydaddy) went to Vegas to celebrate. I have to admit the show was mildly entertaining, if only for the inevitable wrecks. Scary to know these wrecks are real and someone is actually living this way.

Real vs Fake

There is an article in today's Washington Post about going green for the holidays. I am curious how anyone who claims to be eco-friendly can consider cutting down a tree for the sake of in-home enjoyment for about 30 days. Yes, it can be recycled and turned into mulch, but when wood decomposes, it releases nitrogen, which soil only needs in limited quantities. One argument is that most fake trees are made in China and require fuel to ship it here. Probably true, but I know trees made in USA also exists. We have one. It wasn't hard to find nor was it expensive. I'm not saying live tree lovers are evil. But it seems that for every tree not killed and cut down is a tiny step towards improving our air. Not to mention the resources it takes to grow that tree to ceiling-height and then ship it cross-country (most trees are grown in Oregon) could be saved. I've never had a live tree. For me, the fire hazard, watering, and falling needles were enough to deter me. Maybe I'm missing out on something great.

Davis the Treehugger

Where has the time gone? This Saturday is DECEMBER 1!!! I just got used to it being November. The plan is to put up our tree this weekend. Davis looks forward to helping me by inspecting the placement of each branch and the ornaments. He peers longingly into the library (we have glass doors) as I set up the fake tree. Nose and paw prints cover the door. Last year, he would squeak and meow to make sure I knew he was there. Our boy loves to eat the tree. A fake Christmas tree! We've accepted his odd tastes and only allow him into the library chaperoned. He thinks we keep him out of "his" room and will run to the library if he hears the doors opening. Poor Buddy.

I hung a wreath on our door this past weekend. Davis was never more than two inches behind me. He doesn't even get this excited about treats. With his big yellow eyes on full alert, he briskly followed me throughout the house as I tried to lose him. Mission failed. I ended up going out the garage so he couldn't escape out the front door in pursuit of his beloved wreath.

I am hoping this year decorating the tree will unite our kitties, or at least allow brief moments of harmony. I hope they forget about bygones and join forces to distract me. They don't have to be friends. All I want is for them to cohabitate peacefully.

What's up puddytat?

Here is my cat finally with a face. I debated the whiskers but I think it looks cute. I finished the baby bunting and need to add buttons (completing projects isn't my strong point). I was going to make another kimono-style sweater for piglet but it will have to wait. Dad needs a scarf. I know I've knitted scarves for my parents years ago, but they are nowhere to be found. I was working on a 'secret' project but that too will have to wait. My goal is to have dad's scarf completed by next weekend. It's a simple 3x3 rib, so it shouldn't take too long if I don't mess up. As for my secret project, well...I want to share my excitement and I've debated it. But I think I will share it when I have one completed. This should motivate me to finish quickly since I am ready to burst. :)

Here is my new yarn shelf and stash. This is pre-Frap's Big Wool order, so I have a few more balls of yarn than what's pictured. QE says I can buy as much yarn as I want if I can tell him why I need more yarn while standing in my knitting room.

Piglet the Money Pit

I will be the first to admit that I hoped my brother would have a girl. Girls seem to have more cute clothes and toys...and everything is PINK!!! I love piglet all the same and am now very grateful he is a boy because he's saved me a lot of money. QE and I have spent quite a good bit on piglet as it is, with all the yarn, books, and clothes I have bought. My latest (and hopefully final) purchase is a Halo Sleepsack set in organic cotton. And the print is kitties and doggies! I've had my eye on it for several months and decided that it was meant to be, if Target.com still has it in stock. I finally gave my cat doll a face. Adorable. I'll take a pic and post it later this weekend.

Off-topic: I hate technology. Or maybe technology hates me. We've had our Mac for 15 months and I just learned that I can click on the file name when saving to save in a particular folder. The default file locations are several main folders. This irritated me to no end since I would save it to desktop or a main folder, open Finder, and then move the file. The other discovery was that most of my photos taken at 5 megapixels were uploading at a crappy resolution. iPhoto said the pictures had a good resolution. My personal tech support Frap couldn't figure out what was wrong either. I learned last week that when I download photos from my camera to the Mac, the system creates two folders: Pictures/Original and Pictures/Data. I had been uploading and sending pictures from the data folder, which were at a lower resolution and file size. Over a year of agony...

I feel the storm inside you

Did you see my beloved Goo Goo Dolls as the halftime show for the Packers game? We were sitting in the dining room post-feast when I heard the melody for Better Days. I thought it was just background music for whatever montage they were showing. I go in the family room to check it out. I screamed "They are live!!!" and the MIL wondered what got into me. John was heavily made up but his voice rocked as usual. After Better Days they performed Stay With You. Throughout the performance, I noticed the cameras never panned in on Robbie. I wonder if that was intentional. Maybe he was drunk or had a bad hair/makeup day. After the halftime show, there was a clip of John urging us to help United Way or something. Terrible angle of his face and it was so obvious he was reading a script. My Goo is playing Vegas again this year for NYE at HOB. Sigh. We went one year. Great memories.

Open invitation to contact me offline if you are interested: I have two $10 off coupons for a haircut at PR@Partners in Bristow with Megan. The cost for a shampoo, cut, style and scalp massage would be $25 after the coupon. Since I'm all about full disclosure, I'm supposed to get a free haircut if I refer two people. I don't really care about that. I wish I could use those coupons myself, but I can't. So next best thing is to share the love and deals with y'all. :)

As our travel dates near, I'm getting more anxious about leaving my kitties at the pet resort. What if Davis goes on a hunger strike because he's depressed? What if Angel gets mad at me for leaving her? What if Cara meets a human she loves more? What if they get germs and ickies at the facility? We will apply Frontline on them, but that could cause a reaction too. I'm not fond of chemicals, but it's probably better than leaving them exposed.

The MIL has already declared that she doesn't "feel like doing Christmas" this year and won't be giving gifts. She knows she will get gifts even if she doesn't give any. Nice gig. Where can I find one like that?

In the week he's been born, my piglet has tormented his parents much to my delight. My brother reported an exploding diaper where poop was everywhere. And he had to clean it up. On the first night home! HAHAHAHAHA Wednesday night, piglet got a feeding at 12:00 AM and was cranky. He couldn't sleep and took a poop instead. They got him cleaned up and shortly thereafter it was time for another feeding at 3:00 AM. Piget then had a tummyache and mild diarrhea. Another cleanup. He didn't go to sleep until 6:00 AM. HAHAHAHAHAHA I don't think his cuteness offsets his poops. But it's hilarious to hear he's calling the shots and nobody can sleep if he can't sleep.

A Turkey Ran Away...

A turkey ran away
Before Thanksgiving Day,
He said, "They'll make a roast out of me
If I shall stay"

That's a little song I learned in elementary school and it's tradition for me to make QE sing it every year. :) There are other verses for the cranberry and pumpkin too.

Well, I had my tofurky. The gravy included in the box looked nasty compared to the one I made from scratch. The tofurky itself had a nice flavor but I didn't care for the texture. It was too processed for my liking. It was firm "like a really firm tofu" according to QE. It reminded me of bologna. Again, the flavor was good, the texture was just too processed. At least now I can say I tried it. Surprisingly, nobody commented on my vegetarianism. I was shocked but also glad. Now if only I can get those freaks at work to quit commenting about it every day.

Menu
Herb roasted free-range turkey
Tofurky
Corn pudding
Mashed potatoes
Mashed sweet potatoes with ginger
Stuffing
Simple green beans
Pumpkin pie
Pecan chocolate espresso pie

Everyone liked my cooking. Babymomma was envious of our kitchen, which made me a bit uncomfortable. She also doesn't know how to cook and commented that she felt like she was watching the Food Network as I finished up the meal. Awkward. But I guess I'm also proud that she would rate my skills on par with tv chefs. Cara enjoyed the turkey and I think she ate all three plates. Davis was too preoccupied with the guests (weird for our shy boy) and Angel only wanted to sleep.

Overall things went way better than I expected. QE's nephew is a very picky eater and didn't touch any of the sides. He only ate turkey. At least the boy got his protein. And he commented on how juicy it was! MAJOR compliment coming from the pickiest eater ever!! :) My favorite moment has to be when he took a bite of pumpkin pie and made the most vomit face ever. It was hilarious. His face lit up when I offered him ice cream instead. This was major progress for him. At least he tried everything. His mother kept debating with him that the food WAS tasty even if he said it was gross. I think she would be better off encouraging him to take one bite out of everything he's served. If he doesn't like it, fine. At least he tasted it. Just an opinion from a non-mother.

Highlight of the afternoon has to be when the kid freaked and panicked when Cara and Davis fought. He is allergic to cats but seems to also use that as an excuse to be afraid of them in a drama queen kind of way. So the kitties were screaming and hissing (ah...the holidays....) and the poor boy leaped off the floor and scrambled to the sofa with a sheer look of horror on his face. OMG...hilarious. He was being overly dramatic, but I think there was real fear in there too.

Introducing Piglet

Here is my little piglet in his crib with lots of cute toys. I love the doll in the top left corner! Notice that my knitted bunny is next to piglet. His parents sure know how to butter me up! It hasn't really hit that piglet belongs to my family yet. He looks like my brother as a baby, but I guess since I haven't met him, he's not officially real to me yet. It feels so weird to know that my brother is a father. I still see him as my dorky brother who is still in college. :)

Giving Thanks

As massive number of people travel yonder and beyond to see loved ones this week, it's sometimes easy to forget why these people clog the rails, air, and roads the fourth week in November. Hopefully their excursions yield more than a free meal and brings warmth and happiness to their hearts. Time seems to fly faster each year and seeing friends "just a few weeks ago" turns out to be six months ago. The world seems a much colder and harsher place than even five years ago--all the more reason to appreciate what we have. With that in mind, here's a list of how I know I am blessed and lucky.

1. All of my loved ones are in good health, as am I.

2. The people closest to me have been in my life for over 10 years, with Frap taking top honors at 15 years.

3. QE and I are "rich" financially. No, we don't think so, but we are. We don't have to worry about making ends meet, and the cost of fuel does not affect our ability to pay for food or other bills.

4. My parents are still with me. They are showing the signs of aging and their health is declining, but they are still here. We've had our rough times, but I know deep down I'm glad they are around. My dad especially. He and I can't talk about money, the economy, or anything involving spending without him offering us money. Dear ol'Dad is always there for me.

5. We have three mostly wonderful cats. The fighting and screaming continues, but they love us and know we love them. Our home would be lonely and empty without them.

Winter Thoughts

This kitten needs mittens. I want to make mittens using the Rowan Big Wool Frap procured for me. My "problem" is that I don't want to use size 17 dpns because I will never use them again and it will be a waste of money. There should be a needle swap of sorts, kind of like Netflix. Pay a deposit and you borrow a pair of needles. Return the needles and you get your deposit back. No needles, and they keep your deposit. Brilliant idea. Somebody is going to steal it and make millions off my idea. Oh bother. Anyway, I am stuck with mittens knitted using straight needles. Except those have a squared off top instead of a rounded top. Can I live with that? I don't know. But I want to knit with my BW, so I best make up my mind ASAP. Maybe I can get away with using smaller dpns. I could consider that. Hm.

Christmas is coming. I need gift ideas for my kitties. What should I get them? Last year, my gift from QE was a cat tree for the kids. I transferred my gift rights to them. :) This year, I think a mini-Christmas tree with cat toys and cat-safe decorations would be hilarious. It would drive QE crazy though. And Davis would eat the fake needles. Maybe a real mini Charlie Brown-esque tree? I can't bear the thought that a tree had to die for us though. A pink feather tree!!!! Oh, the kitties would love that. hahaha

So the mashed potatoes I'm making for Thanksgiving (12 servings) calls for 6 pounds of potatoes, 2 sticks of butter, and at least a cup of cream or half and half. It seems like a lot of butter and cream. Best price on Land O'Lakes butter is at Harris Teeter--2 for $5. My wonderful QE knows I like to hoard butter and bought three pounds. LOVE him.

My big dilemma is whether to contribute food to the people who feed the cats at the train station. These cats are all very tiny adults with the cutest little faces. They know when it's dinner time. The thing is, these people are making no efforts to spay and neuter the cats. As a result, we see new tiny faces all the time. We shouldn't feed stray/feral cats unless we make an effort to trap and neuter. Otherwise, we are only encouraging the cats to produce larger litters. So, do I contribute the food I have to these cats? It's food I don't feed my kids but got for free through samples and coupons. I should give them to the local shelter, but I can't walk in there without crying. Do I leave the food out for cats passing through our yard?

Bellyaches

Must live up to my name, Negative Nelly:

1. My brother has not sent more pictures of piglet yet. Doesn't he know it's all about me and I want to stare at his baby's face? And he had the nerve to cover piglet's hands in this morning's photos!! Frap and I are waiting to see fingers and toes. Mmm...baby toes.

2. Sadly, yesterday was not my first encounter with this--a pregnant woman on the Metro. She wasn't curiously pregnant as in "is she or isn't she?" She was obviously pregnant although not at the penguin waddling stage yet. Metro was full but not sardine-packed. This white guy who was dressed like an office dweeb was one of the people sitting in the priority seats by the door. He looked at me a few times so I know he wasn't immersed in a daydream or napping. PW was standing right in front of him with her round belly at his eye level. Not a flinch to get off his white-collar ass to let a pregger sit down. Finally a seat became available and I body blocked it so PW could have it. Some old white woman (60s) got huffy because I blocked it from her. Up yours, old bag. As I mentioned, this isn't the first time I've witnessed this. Once, I saw a penguin PW give up her seat TWICE--once to a frail and crusty-old woman and the second time to a handicapped woman. Train was full but not packed. When she got up the second time, I loudly said it's disgusting and appalling that a PW has to give up her seat. Nobody got up. Now, I know men can be self-centered pigs and chivalry went the way of dinosaurs, but there were tourists with a 10ish year-old son. This would have been the perfect opportunity to teach that kid decency, respect, and all those other old-fashioned values. Instead, everyone just looked up in response to my comment and did nothing.

3. My employer's open enrollment period for benefits began on Monday (11/12). My office got our benefits session on Tuesday, with one office getting theirs today, and another tomorrow (Friday). We are changing medical insurance providers. In order to ensure we receive our new ID cards in time, the provider needs enrollment forms by next Wednesday. Our open enrollment is supposed to go through December 5. Smell the incompetence and poor planning? The theme this year is "new provider, same rates! We are great!" The fine print that I deciphered by thinking (imagine that!) is we get downgraded from a PPO to a POS. In addition to that, our copays are increased from $10 for any doctor including specialists to $15 PCP/$25 specialist. Although our prescription copays remain the same, the drug formulary changes so that my allergy medications go from tier 2 (formulary) to tier 3 (non-formulary)--i.e. from $25 to $40. So, let's summarize my costs: allergy shots go from $10 to $25; medications go from $25 to $40. But wait!!! MY PREMIUMS STAY THE SAME! Isn't my employer wonderful for keeping premiums the same while most plans increased 10-15%??? So my monthly cost for allergies alone goes from $70 to $130. I wouldn't be as pissed if they didn't try to spin this crap as keeping our premiums the same. Having costed out benefits, I can say that the increase in premiums in exchange for lower copays isn't that much more. But then the idiots don't have bragging rights about keeping our premiums the same.

4. I found out this week that January 1, 2007 was the first time in the company's 35+ year history that New Year's Day was granted as a paid holiday. In prior years, employees had to use leave if they wanted the day off. The notion of paid holidays is also fairly new--about 3 years. Before then, there were no paid holidays. Period. I'm still trying to figure out how they got nominated (but didn't win, thank goodness) as a Washingtonian Best Places to Work. So, now we get 15 days paid time off (vacation/sick) and 6 holidays. Meanwhile there are excess baggage that get bonuses in the six-figures. They are delusional about this being a great place to work. The benefits suck.

My Piglet

50 cm (about 20 inches), 3210 grams (about 7 pounds 1 ounce), born last night around 11:00 p.m. (5:00 p.m. EST)

Dementors will not allow me to post pics. I will have to do it tonight. He looks just like my brother as a newborn, only smaller. And much cuter. Hahahahaha!

Borrowing a Cat

Dad called on Sunday asking for a favor. I cautiously said yes, wondering what he could possibly need from us. He asked to borrow a cat. As an overprotective mother, my mind started racing...experiments? showing my cat off? lonliness? to entertain children guests? Dad was only kidding about borrowing one of my kitties and I was relieved. He has a weird way of starting conversations! He had some unwanted houseguests, as in little mousies. Three mice.

He managed to catch one using those Tom and Jerry mouse traps. Dad said the mouse's head got caught and made a mess. Yuck. The other mice managed to eat his bait food and left the traps unsprung. He was amsued at the intelligence of his intruders. "They must have seen the fate of their friend and learned not to make the same mistake!"

I called Dad last night to see how things were going. He caught the other two with peanuts on sticky paper traps. Dad was laughing while describing how one got caught...apparently the little mousie sniffed all around the paper very cautiously and finally decided it was ok to eat the peanuts. Whoops! A whisker got caught on the paper! Dad said the mouse used his paw to wipe his face and d'oh! Now the paw was stuck too. Dad watched as the mouse managed to get his entire body stuck on the paper. The next morning, Dad found the third mouse also stuck.

I wholeheartedly agree that none of us want mice or other critters living in our homes. But is it necessary to kill them? Why can't we trap them and release them outside and plug up their entryways? I know it's unrealistic but in my dream world, that's what would happen. Am I crazy for feeling a bit sad and guilty about my dad's actions? Dad seemed quite amused by the whole thing and wasn't malicious about killing them. But...poor little mousies!!!!

The funniest part has to be when Mom told Dad that she couldn't sleep the night after Dad trapped the first mouse. She was afraid the others would find her and bite her toes while she slept. This is especially funny if you know my mom and her pack rat ways.

I Key A You

Went to Ikea today. Free coffee before 10 a.m.! Small bfast (eggs, potatoes and bacon, sans bacon) for 99 cents for me and a cinnamon roll ($1) for QE. Bought a bookcase for my yarn. Very nice. What's funny is that one of the rooms was staged as a craft room with a larger bookcase filled with yarn, needles, and finished products.

Davis had his annual checkup earlier this week. He weighed in at 10 pounds 6 ounces, a loss from last year. Our doctor said Davis' weight seems sensitive to food changes, but I don't recall us changing his food in the past year. He also got blood drawn from both legs as baselines and flinched both times, causing bruising and some bleeding. Poor little boy. We're trying to feed him more kibble and that is driving his sisters crazy. As cat parents know, vets usually recommend canned food to help weight loss since kibble is higher in carbs. Getting the girls to eat more canned while giving Davis kibble is difficult. To further worry me, he decided to go on a diet and snub most of his meals this week. He finally decided to eat when I fed him Fancy Feast. It's not the best food, but him eating is more important right now.

Last night, Cara and Davis had another showdown. I missed the actual fight, but QE reports full body contact. Cara also lost tufts of fur. This explains the mysterious clumps I found last month. I thought they were from a mutilated toy since cat hair usually falls out one strand at a time. In addition to tufts of fur, she has a tiny abrasion on her neck. We don't know if it's from her brother or the result of her hair getting pulled out. This could also explain the mysterious red spots she had around her nipples a month ago.

In other news, this year's Thanksgiving will be vegetarian except for the actual bird. In place of chicken broth I will use mushroom broth. Cream, half and half, and butter will still make a formidable appearance. I still haven't decided if I should take my brother's challenge and mix in a tiny amount of tofu into every dish just to be funny.

Broken Heart

I live for Meerkat Manor. By Tuesday, I'm dragging and my spirits are sunk. Happy thoughts of my little meerkats help me get through the week. Knowing I get to see my little furry friends on Friday is the highlight of Fridays. As a reference point, John Rzeznik is a host on that American Band competition and I skip it to watch my meerkats. QE was shocked to find that I chose meerkats over my precious Goo. Tonight, I learned that the Meerkat Manor season concluded last week. WAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!

Life Truths

Santa does not exist. He may have lived long ago, but he's dead now.

The truth hurts. Maybe that's why we are prone to lash out at those who speak the truth. Frap and I had a loving moment (it was, really!) a few weeks ago about how most of us don't want to hear the truth and don't react well when others point it out. Yes, your kid really IS ugly! Yes, the dress does make you look fat, dear. My, you've gained weight since last time I saw you! Yup, you are going bald, big man.

Every year, the holidays are a mixed bag for me and unfortunately, frap bears the brunt of my anger, frustration and hostility. I love that friends and families get together (in theory). In reality, schedules need to be shuffled around, family drama and gossip prevails, and getting stiffed by family at Christmas gift exchanges is the norm. The thing is, I know all of these things will happen. So why do I allow myself to get all worked up? I think it's partly because we are the couple perceived as making big bucks (HA!) and therefore should spend (on their freeloading asses) like money is going out of style. Maybe they forget that we paid out of pocket for QE's master's degree. Maybe they forget that I commute 3.5+ hours a day to and from work. Or that I still wear clothes I've owned since before I met QE 12 years ago. And I don't mean raggedy t-shirts but work clothes and casual wear.

Do I feel a sense of entitlement to spend our hard earnings on "luxury" items for ourselves? Yes, I do. But I view my luxuries as reward for waking up at 4:50 every morning and being out of the house before most people are out of bed. And I don't get home until most families have already had dinner and given the kids their baths. I am totally fine with this, really. What annoys me are the snarky comments about how nice our house is and what a waste it is for "just the two of you." As if we don't deserve it because we don't have kids to help us occupy the space? How dare we give cats(!) their own bedrooms! Oh the horrors!! Children are starving in this country and our cats have their own bedrooms! Where is the justice in this country??? We chose the commuter, child-free lifestyle and accept the good and bad aspects of it. Stay tuned for the next episode...why you don't deserve to benefit from my death.

30 Flights

Mandatory fire drill at work. 30th floor = 30 flights of stairs. 3" heels. My legs hurt. Going DOWN stairs can be painful too. Who knew? I do know that in a real emergency, I am destined to die in the death trap known as an office building. One more reason to look for a new job. I'll be damned if I die while working in this hell hole.

Important Information

I read from an independent source (forget which) that compared various "organic" and "humane" certifications and labels on food. Time and again, the Animal Welfare Institute designation was the most stringent and the USDA Organic was one of the most lax.

http://www.animalwelfare.com/farm/sidebyside.htm

I will post info on my independent source when I remember it.

Let Love In

Our girls have very similar mannerisms and behaviors. I wonder if it's a Siamese thing. Both gave us a good laugh by wearing the chicken head. I tried putting it on Davis and he would have none of it. It's been a nice and relaxing weekend. Just hanging out with the kitties, knitting, catching up on two weeks' worth of Wall Street Journals, and goofing around.

Cara is a confirmed hitman. Every morning I find one of her fish toys floating in her water bowl. Why is drowning her toys necessary if she's not a thug?

My dad reports that piglet is now a healthy 7 pounds 2 ounces. He makes his debut next weekend. Baby clothes and toys are expensive. All of the adorable stuff I like costs a fortune. Or maybe I'm cheap. I don't have a problem shelling out big bucks for goods, but there has to be value. Most of the items are made in Thailand, China, India, Malaysia, Honduras, etc. It's fine to have products made in those countries, but don't charge $30 for a sweater then. The workers surely aren't seeing even 10% of the price.

Goo Goo Dolls greatest hits comes out next Tuesday.

National Animal Shelter Appreciation Week

November 4-10th is National Animal Shelter Appreciation Week.

We can't adopt every animal out there, but we can make their lives better. Please consider donating old towels, dog and cat toys, kitty litter, food, bowls, and other supplies. Every dollar shelters don't spend on supplies is a dollar available to help an animal in need. Remember that not every animal is lucky enough to get adopted. Let's try to make their short lives a bit more comfortable and loving, however brief. Visit the shelter and tell the animals they are loved. It may be the last time they hear "I love you".

The ILs are all coming. I was hoping the brother would decline and stick to their usual tradition, which involves going across the mountain far far away. I'm not the nicest person in the world, but I'm trying to improve myself. So.Freakin.Difficult. While I don't have an issue with handling a dead animal, I am irrationally afraid of eating the happy bird I ordered. I'm sure she will taste delish, but I'm not really looking forward to it. When I think "Thanksgiving", visions of stuffing and mashed potatoes fill my head. But then again I've never been a turkey fan. Maybe I'll give my portion to the Goo kitties and the homeless kitties shivering outside.

Amidst all my planning, I realized just how lucky and blessed we are to face "difficult" decisions such as "organic or free range turkey". Yes, we have worked very hard to achieve and accomplish so much, but many less fortunate households work just as hard if not harder. Nobody should have to choose between heat and food. Maybe next year I should cook for a needy family instead of lavishing a bounty of food on ourselves. How nice would that be? Just my luck, they will probably sue me for food poisoning or an allergic reaction. No good deed goes unpunished they say.

Pale and Weak

Spoke to dad on Sunday. He said that if I felt weak or faint, I need to eat some meat. He said it's ok to eat fish and I should do so regularly. If I have stomach or belly troubles or pain, I should eat some meat. "It's great you are eating more vegetables, but it's ok to eat meat too." I need to come up with some crazy response that is totally outrageous that he will think I need a mental hospital. :) "The government wants us to eat meat because that's they way they track us. They feed secret dyes to animals that show up in our bodies and can be viewed with classified tracking devices." Or maybe "I hear animals crying, Dad! Every time I even see meat, I hear this awful wailing in my head!" hahaha

I finished piglet's argyle vest. The yarn dye lots were the same, but the front and back seem to be different shades. Still need to block SIL's scarf. I went through one ball of Big Wool for my scarf and decided to rip it all out. Stockinette tends to curl and against my better judgment, I proceeded with it anyway. I now have a nice scarf in garter stitch that is divinely soft. Next projects: a cabled hat for my brother or a bunting for piglet. I'll finish both in November, so it's just a matter of which I want to do first. I think I will start and possibly finish a scarf for my bro too and save a baby blanket for the flight.

FINALLY get to order a turkey tomorrow. Whole Foods hasn't updated their site to say they are taking orders, so I might order from My Organic Market instead. Thanksgiving is three weeks away! Why isn't anyone planning yet??? I'm a smidge disappointed we're not having tofurkey this year, but it's more curiosity than anything else.

November also marks our 5th anniversary with Davis. I think we will roast him a chicken or maybe just some chicken breasts. We have lots of meat in our freezer that shouldn't go to waste. Ooh! Maybe I should cook up extra and share it with those less fortunate, like the poor, skinny kitties I see running around our neighborhood. This cat love karma I have is really interesting actually. On the day we moved into our house, a cat was sitting in our driveway, as if to welcome us to the neighborhood and our new home. See, cat love goes both ways. They love me too. puuurrrrrr

What you talkin' about Willis?

I have always been skeptical of "organic" since it doesn't mean humane or cruelty-free. It just means no hormones, pesticides, or chemical fertilizers were used in producing the plant or animal. "Cage free" eggs doesn't mean the chickens had plenty of room to move around or could go outside. It just means the chicken wasn't confined to a cage. Most people would think that "cage free" means a chicken got to breathe fresh air and see the blue skies. It makes sense, but never occurred to me, that baby boy chicks are killed for being the wrong gender. Only HENS lay eggs. Since these chickens are bred to lay eggs, the boys are destroyed. Polyface recently sent out an email to their buying clubs about product availability. As part of the normal seasonal cycle, most chickens slow in egg production. As a result, Polyface will have fewer eggs available between now and February. What I find interesting is that this is probably when egg demand increases with all the baking going on for the holidays. What's a normal egg producer do? Keep the chickens in the dark and starve them for a few days, of course. By force molting them, the chickens will produce one final batch of eggs before they are killed.

Not Eating Good in the Hood

We shun microwave restaurants like Chili's, Applebees, Ruby Tuesday, TGIFridays, etc. Why pay $10 for food we can microwave ourselves? This unofficial ban has been in place for a good 3-5 years. Tonight, we decided to give these CAFOs a second chance. I mean, they know competition is fierce and have been trying to differentiate themselves from the pack, so they deserved a second chance. We chose Applebees and wished we didn't. The menu looked fine for a meat lover, but there was not a single vegetarian dish. Not even a token hockey puck veggie burger to be found. QE got a panko crusted shrimp that looked more like chicken-fried shrimp. I ordered the cajun tilapia from the Weight Watchers menu. I figured tilapia is farm raised, but vegetarian, so at least the fish didn't eat fish meal and byproduct. Tilapia is also less harmful to the environment than farm-raised Atlantic salmon. The fish was quite good, actually. We were just surprised that a restaurant that tries for universal appeal would totally ignore vegetarians. I mean, what if a group of friends wanted to meet up and one was a vegetarian? Most likely (if the group were considerate, good friends), they would pick another place in hopes the vegetarian would be able to find something to eat. So, despite having what looks like a decent menu, Applebees lost two customers for not having anything that remotely resembled vegetarian fare.

. . .

Had to get cat food, so poor me, QE took me to Knit Happens since we were in the hood. I used my Insatiable Knitter Card and saved $27! Let's not talk about how much I spent, eh? :) I got five skeins of Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino in a violet blue color, four balls of Rowan Pure Wool in baby blue, two balls of Rowan Big Wool in beige, a pair of size 5 Addi Natura, and Lantern Moon rosewood straights in size 17 for the Big Wool. The Natura are pretty darn cool. The bamboo is so smooth and slick--I like it much more than Clover, but my Clovers are still nice. The LMs are my first pair of rosewood. They feel delish. I can't wait to use them.

I am almost done with the argyle vest for piglet. Next project might be my Big Wool scarf for myself. I also ordered a baby bunting and a set of four baby blanket patterns from Morehouse Farm.

QE and I decided (actually it was his idea) that if his peeps decide not to come for Thanksgiving, we'll have a Tofurkey. I'm now hoping they all decline our invitation. In addition to not eating meat, it will mean a lot less work for me. Yes, Thanksgiving is all about me. Plus, the kid is allergic to cats. His eyes swelled up when he played with the neighbor's cat.

Spanx Me

Spanx rocks. Why didn't anyone tell me about this for my wedding? Or just share their secret, period??? Now I know why even chunky girls had smooth asses while I avoided pants for the last 5 years. I've only tried the footless pantyhose and I love it. The legs are stretchy without being constricting. The "control top" works its magic without constricting or creating muffies. I forgot I was wearing it. I am dying to try the camisole ($38!!!) and power panties but dang! must it be so darn expensive?

I am officially un-vegetarian today. I had a wild Alaskan salmon salad from Cosi. It was delish, but my stomach feels heavy. It was very good though. This is downright hilarious considering what happened last night.

QE and I were at Harris Teeter stocking up on vegetarian frozen meals for this workweek's lunches. Dad had called earlier in the day inviting us to dim sum today. We accepted until QE realized there wasn't much we could eat. I called dad back to decline the invite and explained I was so used to being vegetarian that I forgot dim sum wasn't veggie-friendly. I had told dad a few weeks ago we were going veggie and he replied, "It's good you're eating less meat. More veggies is good for you." hahaha This time, dad was still fully supportive of our vegetarianism but said "how long are you doing this for?" and "you can have fish. Fish isn't meat." BWAH! We've gone no red meat and vegetarian for Lent before, so dad thought we were in another one of our "phases". What's hilarious is that dad was trying to convince me fish wasn't meat and vegetarians eat fish. He wasn't argumentative about it at all. He just didn't see fish as meat, so it was ok to eat in his mind. Gotta love dear old dad.

Polar Bears are Drowning!!

QE hates it when I respond to weather comments with that. "Wow, it's nice out today. 75 degrees in October" --Polar bears are drowning!!!

I've been getting these intense stress headaches lately. It sometimes feel as if I'm about to black out. What's weird is that I only get them when I see, hear, or read something very troubling about animal cruelty and such. I care about many issues other than animals, but this is the only one that causes these headaches.

I know I can't become vegan, but I think I might sway that way in some aspects of my life. I think I should be aware of what I consume (food or otherwise) that may affect animals in some way. Tea and I have been on a virtual shopping binge lately where we talk a good game but don't buy. Cosmetics and skincare has been a focus and until I looked at Smashbox, I forgot about animal testing. This was a big thing about 10 years ago. Although I've always known that many of our cosmetics, shampoo, etc are tested on animals, I guess I became less aware of it. In this day and age of super technologies, is it really necessary to test products and drugs on animals? I can't tell if only brands identified with "cruelty free" or "no animal testing" are doing it or if mainstream brands that don't market this point are also not testing. Is my desire for a wrinkle-free face really worth it if animals were used in the development process? I think I would accept my raisin face to save an animal or two. Or fifty.

In knitting news, I'm almost done with my chevron scarf. I think I will give it to the SIL. My brother will get a cabled scarf. I will need a pair of mittens to match my new coat. QE wants a hat I think. I'm also working on a baby blanket for piglet. He's due November 11 and the papa pig is beyond excited.

Bees Knees

What did the girl mushroom say to the boy mushroom?

You are a fun-gi. Yep, that's still my favorite G-rated joke. :)

The flaky skin around my mouth for the past 18 months is a fungus/yeast. It's now under the control and I have no idea the cause. Burt's Bees lip balm has been a soothing salve for my lips and I have a tube stashed everywhere. I have become a Burt's Bees hoarder of sorts. Tip: Ulta has a three-tube and one tin pack for $9.99. SCORE!

One pack of balms have developed a crumbly, gunky texture. I contacted Burt to ask if it's ok to use, possible cause, etc. They asked for my address and said they would send replacements. How nice! I wasn't expecting that. I received my replacements last night. In addition to three glorious tubes of my treasures, they sent me a Head-to-Toe Essentials kit. Oh wow. What a nice surprise!!! Because of their generosity, I felt the need to give a shout out and spread the good love from Burt's Bees.

Sunday in the ER

The day started normal enough--Davis headbutting my hand hanging over the bed and Angel mountain climbing the mounds of blanket. Realizing I will not be permitted to sleep in, I gave up and greeted the day. Walnut bourbon pie washed down with coffee for breakfast (joys of not having kids! Irresponsible meals!) while reading the paper. I finally went upstairs to get dressed and noticed blood spots on our bathroom floor. That's weird...my toes don't hurt, how could I be bleeding? Nope, no bloody toes. Double and triple checking still didn't lead to any bloody toes. But my pinkie toe is clearly making bloody prints! It's everywhere I've stepped! Blood on QE's vanity. Hm. My hand? Nope. My arm? Nah. Looking around, I noticed blood on the tub's ledge. Ok, I can be ditzy and dumb, but I KNOW I have not touched the ledge! It's not me. But then who? Davis.

Our Buddy cut his paw pad. Ew. It looked bad. He wasn't dripping blood, but he was leaving bloody prints all over the floors. We confined him into our bathroom as we tried to assess the situation. In his efforts to leave, Davis stood on his hind legs and painted our walls too. It appears our boy cut his paw on a shaving razor left out. By now, QE is getting upset at the sight of all the blood in our bathroom. We quickly cleaned up all visible blood, got dressed, and took Buddy to the ER.

Our lean machine weighs in at 10 pounds 11 ounces. He weighs less than Cara, who is about 2/3 his height and length. His wound was a superficial cut that scraped his skin off. The vet took him to the back for a betadine soak. Ok, anyone who has ever met Davis knows that he does not like to be touched on his head, back, or tail. And heaven forbid we try to touch his paw! That's just asking to be bitten. So how did the vet manage to get our boy to soak his paw in a solution for 5 minutes?? The technician reported that Davis just sat there with his paw soaking. No protests, no growling, no attempts to take it out. NOT FAIR!!!

He's doing ok given the circumstances. Antibiotics for the next 10 days. Skin should start healing in 3 days and fully recovery in about 2 weeks. Angel is keeping him company in their bedroom. We thought Cara's relentless stalking would cause Davis to walk more than necessary, so it's best for him to stay in his room. My poor little boy.

Jive Turkey

The weather is finally turning cold...Angel decided I needed my head warmed last night and slept on my pillow. I must say, it did feel very nice to have a warm, furry purring machine next to my ear as I dozed off.

I know it's early, but I believe early planner gets the turkey. In reviewing where to acquire our Thanksgiving turkey, I came across one farm that is selling heritage, organic, free-roaming turkeys for $135. Is that the true cost of eating responsibly? Probably. So...if that's the case, what about all those frozen bowling balls at the local grocery store? How do stores manage to sell those for $.49 or $.99 per pound? Maybe the cost is truly lower because those turkeys were raised in a CAFO eating feed consisting of questionable byproducts, hormones, and antibiotics? I can only speculate. What I do know is that our "happy" turkey last year (from Whole Foods) did taste better and was juicier. And it didn't stink when raw. It was our first happy turkey and what a difference!

I've been vegetarian for over a month now, with one break for dad's bday (sushi). I'm quite happy with my food choices. I think I might just remain primarily vegetarian with necessary breaks for Thanksgiving and such. I don't feel any different, good or bad, as a result of my changed diet. I've lost 10 pounds since my doctor visit last year, but I feel about the same. As someone ever so kindly pointed out to me, I probably lost muscle and not fat.

Davis outright rejected the rabbit I fed him and chose to go on a hunger strike for three days. He won and I am thrilled my darling boy isn't going to make me feed him rabbit. Long live the bunny! I put the remainder of the rabbit outside for our homeless neighbors. Maybe they will remember that our plot of land is a safe haven and they are always welcome to drop by.

Cara had a vet visit on Monday and weighed in at 12 pounds. She was just under 10 pounds when we adopted her seven months ago. How could she possibly gain so much weight when she is so active? I feed all the kids at the 10 lb level, so this baffles me. We no longer serve kibble with dinner and the protesters are rioting.

Sweet Bitterness

I am almost finished with the cat pattern I bought off Etsy. I need to give it a nose and mouth. It's kind of cute, but it was painful to knit. I used a plain, inexpensive cream cotton this time and forced myself to complete the project. I'm not sure why I found it so dull, but I still have the brown wool one was a WIP. So unmotivated. Currently on needles: the chevron scarf from Last Minute Knitted Gifts in a mohair blend using Whispers; and the baby blanket/shawl from Special Knits in a white cotton. I'm dying to work with my Manos del Uruguay, but I have no idea what to make. I have enough for a shawl or throw, but it seems so wasteful. I also have Lorna's Laces Fisherman (500 yards per hank!) and have no idea how to wind it into a skein.

In an effort to be a better mom, I bought my kids raw rabbit meat. Poor bunnies! Yes, I know those cute little bunnies were raised for food, but I still feel guilty. It totally creeps me out, but I know it's part of a cat's natural diet. Overcoming my own selfish beliefs, I took the plunge and bought a pound of it on Friday. Luckily, Angel and Davis do not seem fond of it. Maybe it's the l-lysine I've been sneaking into their food (for their sneezing) they dislike. I will try to omit the med and see if they will eat the rabbit blended with their usual food tomorrow. If they don't like rabbit, then at least I know I've done my part to be a good mom. And then I will rejoice.

I don't usually talk politics and I try to continue in that vein. However, QE received a call from The Washington Post polling the "youngest male over 18 in the household". The survey was about the political candidates from both parties as well as his views on various topics. The fact that QE's opinions were recorded is hilarious because he is about as anti-politics as anyone could possibly be. Myself, I don't identify with either party. I sway differently depending on the topic/issue. That said, I saw an interview on 60 Minutes with Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. I found his story interesting enough that I wanted to read his memoirs.

I went to Borders looking for Justice Thomas' book. It was not on the table situated front and center of the store as you walk in. I could not find it in New Arrivals. It was not with New Non-Fiction, nor Biographies & Memoirs, Best-Selling, or any of the other prominent displays. The online system said it could be found in the History & Politics section. Fine. I went to the section and the book was nowhere to be found. Peeved and growing ever-impatient, I asked a Borders staff member for assistance. He had no idea who Clarence Thomas was. Two reasons why the name should have been at least vaguely familiar: he's a member of the Supreme Court (helloooo!!!) and he has a newly released book out. How does a bookstore employee not know which books came out during the week? Not only that, but it's received enough buzz to warrant some sort of attention.

I finally found the book. On the bottom shelf of African-American Interest. ARE YOU FREAKIN KIDDING ME?! Yes, Justice Thomas is black. But does his book belong with the black fiction, novels and other non-fiction? Not really, in my opinion. Ted Kennedy's book (a bio, I think) was displayed prominently on one of the "important" shelves. I am fairly certain his book has been out for a while. Was Thomas' book pushed aside for racial reasons? Political reasons? Am I overly sensitive? For kicks, I looked for his book again at a different Borders. This time, it was under Non-Fiction but still on a lower shelf. It certainly took some effort to find his book. Would a memoir from a white Justice have been displayed front and center? Not sure. I just found it interesting that Justice Thomas' book was somewhat buried, as if Borders wasn't interested in selling copies. And I should probably mention that I took the only copy displayed. Why do I care? Because I hate Borders for other reasons already and this is just one more reason for me to boycott the place.

I like Barnes & Noble so much more, but it's farther from my house. Borders also lures me with their weekly coupons. So I guess my loyalty can be bought with a lower price. Ugh. I'm no better than those Wal-Mart shoppers. My saving grace is that B&N stocks so many more titles and magazines that I usually end up buying there anyway since ghetto Borders doesn't have my books in stock. When I ordered Debbie Bliss' newest book last month, I was told to expect a postcard in the mail notifying me when it arrived. I never got the notice. I did find a copy of the book on the shelf last week, though. B&N had at least four copies of the book at the two stores I checked, the same week it was released. None of the FOUR Borders I visited had any.