Christmas Meme

December 7, 2009 at 7:04 AM (Laura Ingalls Wilder, Meme's)

Saw this on another blob.  I live to copy.

1. Eggnog or Hot Chocolate? Hot chocolate. I use Swiss Miss no sugar added, but then I doctor it all up and make it scrum-tru-lescent with a splash of cream and DaVinci sugar free vanilla or toasted marshmallow syrup. YUMMO! I do need to say that I used to like eggnog as a child. I probably still would, but my family would probably act like it was serving liquid  yellow poison. They are finicky like that.

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? Oh, Santa just lines them up on the couch in their proper child spot. It makes it easier for Mrs. Klaus to take her picture.

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white?  White on the tree and I’m not sure why. I enjoy a good colored light on other people’s trees. Maybe it is just the way it has always been done. Maybe someday I will smash out of my rut. Maybe not.  When Honey used  to put lights outside, he always used colored, so see? We are not color snobs or anything. But, it has been a good many years since he has been moved to decorate the outside of The NutHatch.

4. Do you hang mistletoe? I DO, on the light in the foyer. Trolling for kisses, that’s me.

5. When do you put your decorations up? Usually Thanksgiving weekend. But it hasn’t been that way for the last couple of years. Last year, we were in Goomba protection mode. He did VERY well, the cats were actually WAY worse.. This year, because my groove has been thrown off because of all the travelling. I am a little more off my game than usual. Still not up.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish? Dish? with no plural? I can’t pick no stinkin’ dish!  We always have the same thing in our extended family. Because that’s the way we like it. We have other things added, but the main food remains the same. Turkey, ham, the best dressing (we were trying to figure out where the recipe came from on Thanksgiving), mashed potatoes and gravy, green bean casserole, corn, broccoli salad, rolls and butter, and some sort of cranberry business that I do not partake of. Someone always makes a point to bring it to our house when it is our turn to host, so it is an essential part of others holiday experience. I am ok with that. And then there is SCRUMTRULESCENT dessert. How can you choose. I will just say ALL OF IT.

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child? Probably putting up the Christmas tree.  Beeve and I always helped, but from the time I was in high school, it was my job. My mother had a lot of Christmas albums and we listened to those all season long. Even today, I put on my Christmas cd’s, that are the exact duplicates of her albums. Andy Williams, Johnny Mathis, Ray Conniff Singers, Boston Pops, The Carpenters. And now, just as way back then, Christmas isn’t Christmas until the cat is sleeping under the tree, furring up the tree skirt.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? Oh, I don’t know. I don’t think I ever really believed, so it probably wasn’t traumatic. I liked the idea of Santa, so I probably wanted to believe. I think our kids were the same.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?   We open the presents from ourselves on Christmas Eve. NutHatch presents!

10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree?  I’m not sure what this question means. The order? The style? I’ll do both, because I am all about too much information. Order: lights(least favorite job, no one EVER helps me, they scatter like buckshot) children put on their own ornaments, gathered throughout their lives, I put on the rest, tree topper and then The Tweaking. That lasts pretty much the entire time the tree is up. The cats do a pretty good job of rearranging all by themselves. Those Fatso’s shake things up pretty good when they climb it and sleep in its branches.  Most things end up in the water bowl.

 As far as the style? Very eclectic.  We used to have two trees at our old house, because I like a tree in the front window and we happened to have one in the living room. That was the theme tree, and it was mostly grey and mauve and pearly, as I was all about  the grey and mauve at our first two houses. For that, I am truly sorry. Since we now have only a great room, we have only the family tree, which we have always had in the family room. It has all the kid’s ornaments that they have received through the years, along with ones that I have chosen or been given. No grey and mauve to be found. Once again, I apologize for that phase. I don’t even know that girl anymore.

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it?  I endure it. I have lived in The Mitten for 45 of my 47 years, so to wish for no snow? Well, to quote Honey, I wouldn’t waste a wish on that. It can be pretty. And I love it when we are snowed in, if all of my family is home safe and sound and we have all of our basic necessities, like food, heat, cream and butter. We are not The Ingalls Family, and I fear we would not have survived “The Long Winter”. Speaking of that, it’s time to reread it, right Tammy?

12. Can you ice skate?  I used to be able to, but I wouldn’t risk it now. I fall a lot harder these days.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift?  Not a present specifically, but I remember being acutely aware of the gift of our whole family being alive and together the Christmas after the accident. That will always be my very favorite gift.

14. What’s the most important thing about the Holidays for you? In the midst of all the wonderful, fun things that the holiday has to offer, that we don’t forget the real reason why we celebrate at all. The birth of Jesus Christ, God’s Son. And without that perfect gift and His sacrifice on the cross 33 years later, we would not have a way to have eternal life in heaven. Some years, we do better on this than others. Something to strive for. He’s worth it.

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert?  Once again, no plural? I’m sorry, it can’t be done. My Aunt Phyllis’ pies, Christmas cookies, fudge, shortbread. That is my short list.

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? I’m pluraling this one too. Is pluraling a word? Decorating the tree with the kids, Christmas Eve with our Dear Friends, The Hostlers, making Christmas cookies with the kids and Honey, The Happy Birthday Celebration that our family does on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day with our loved ones, and playing games. That ought to about cover it.

17. What tops your tree? An angel that my Mom gave me. It has a pretty face. My old one did not have a pretty face. She creeped me out.

18. Which do you prefer giving or Receiving?  I think I’m going to say giving. But I surely like the receiving as well!

19. Candy Canes: Yuck or Yum?  Yum! But I don’t usually eat them. There are way better things to waste my carbs on.

20 Favorite Christmas Show?  I don’t think I have a favorite. I watch bits and pieces of a lot of them all season. I was telling my family that “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation ” must be on somewhere in the world every second of the holiday season! I think it’s been on every night this week around here! I like It’s a Wonderful Life, The Grinch, Elf, Die Hard, The Family Stone. I have a goal to watch White Christmas again. I have only seen it once, and I don’t think I caught the whole thing.

21. Saddest Christmas Song?  I’ll Be Home For Christmas, hands down. It used to make me cry every time I heard it. I used to have to leave stores, and go in the back room at work to get away from it. My Mom said she thinks it was her fault. On my first Christmas , when I was 3 months old, she said they were living in California and she remembers sitting with me on her lap and bawling when this song came on. It must have imprinted on my brain. I don’t do it anymore. I must have hardened my heart. I can do it again though if I think about military families separated at this time of year.

22. What is your favorite Christmas Song?  EASY one! It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year! by Andy Williams. And that’s all I have to say about that!

I tag whoever needs a post idea!

Today is the last day to vote for Suzanne, lets send her out with a bang!

4 Comments

Five Words

October 5, 2009 at 6:34 AM (Confessions, From the Heart, Honey, Meme's)

 Warren, over at My Home Among the Hills, had this meme last week. He graciously offered to pick 5 words for us if we wanted to play along. Since I seem to be fresh out of my own ideas lately, I told him to count me in. These are the words he sent over. Captivate, poetry, fantasy, drama, and people.

 This is what he says we are supposed to do with the words. “The way this works is that she gives me five words, upon which I am supposed to ponder and delight you with my expositions on the meaning to life as related to said words…” Here goes.

captivate- This is a good word. When I first read it, I was reminded of a song from the 90’s (I think) that I don’t know the name of or who sang it. It had some of these words, “I’ll be your crying shoulder”  There was also some weird line about love’s suicide or some such nonsense. But ANYWAY, he says “I’ll be captivated, I’ll hang from your lips….I’ll be the greatest fan of your life. ” That’s what I think about Honey. I am his biggest fan. One time he was annoyed with me (ONE TIME???)  because I asked him a bunch of questions. He said WHY would he know that? I told him that he should be flattered, I assumed he knew everything!  See, captivating! But I do not hang from his lips.

Those were my first thoughts. THEN, I started thinking about what captivated me. What fascinates me? So many different things at so many different times! I have been captivated endlessly by crushes. Bobby Sherman, David Cassidy, Randolph Mantooth (Emergency! anyone?), The Beatles, John F. Kennedy Jr.

Certainly captivated  by our children. Who is not completely captivated by their own precious, delicious, can’t get enough of you,  babies? Grown children as well. I can still look at them and  my heart overflows with love. Does that ever end? I can’t imagine that it ever will. I hope it doesn’t, I would be very sad to lose that feeling of pure, undiluted love.

A short list of things that have captivated my attention; books, especially my Girl, Laura Ingalls Wilder, movies, scrapbooking, Jewel Quest and Zuma, Freecell and Penguin, cards, and blobbing. January will be my second year of my in-captivation.

poetry- Not a fan of the poetry. I have no culture. I am way too literal, I don’t even get some of it. Too foofy and silly. Unless it is funny, I can get behind the funny. The word poetry looks pretentious to me. Whisper it, poetry. See? Way too serious.

 fantasy-I know that this word has connotations of Disney, and all that word incites. From Princesses to talking animals, to amazing love stories, to unbelievable inventions. But to me, it reminds me of the science fiction of my youth. I LOVED “Lost in Space”, “The Time Tunnel”, “Land of the Giants”, and “Star Trek”.  I wanted to BE Penny Robinson. 

I spent endless hours thinking about these shows and entertaining the possibility of living those lives.  My brother and I played those shows. Throwing ourselves around the basement to simulate space turbulence. Running and hiding to escape aliens, or giants. Transporting here and there. I’m not quite sure why I loved this genre so much. I am not particularly a sci-fi aficionado now. I guess I was captivated!

drama- Another word that I am not a fan of. Drama has only negative connotations for me. I do not enjoy this particular brand of People. Their philosophy is to spin things around themselves in the worst way possible. To make every life situation into something bigger than it is, or exaggerate it until it no longer is truthful. Which, by the way, is LYING.  Things never need to be worse than they are.

They live for upheaval. They enjoy ill health. Any little blip on their radar is cause to launch into their tale of woe. Do they think that when we ask how they are, we continually need to be treated to  their boring, laundry list of busy-ness? Everyone has seasons of busyness, but if your whole life needs adjusting, all the time, you need to take it to the Lord. Who is in control of their lives anyway?  Maybe they will run themselves around in circles so fast, they will turn into melted butter. Get a grip, Tigers.

I don’t  understand the need to do this. They live on a plane of emotionalism that I am not impressed with. They are not dealing with things uncommon to man. They are having life.

Oh My. That word hit a nerve. Evidently, my last one on that subject.

people- “People who need people, are the luckiest people in the world” Oh, I have hit the jackpot in this category. I LOVE my People!

 I would say that I am a people person. There are a few kinds that make me want to throw myself off a tall cliff, but for the most part, I like people.

What amazes me about people, are their different gifts. God has made us all in His image, and He has allowed some access to extraordinary gifts. Gifts of prayer, finances, sewing, organization, creating beautiful things, wisdom, cleaning, painting, compassion,  cooking, teaching, vision, gardening, encouragement, helpers, healers, servers, animal whisperers, leadership, humor, caregivers, worshippers and do-ers. This is not in any way a complete list.

People also seems to be a collective word. As in We the People. It’s who we are. We belong to this group. It’s us. A body, God’s body, with different components, with different jobs. That makes me glad, because I am not gifted in all the areas on that list above. And that’s ok. I am not the entire body of People. I am a part. I can do my part.

Hey, if you want to play along, let me know in the comments and I will send you 5 words of your very own!

We have our meeting with the city about the sewer line this morning at 10. We would appreciate your prayers.

9 Comments

“I Am” Meme

July 4, 2009 at 2:29 PM (Around Our House, Family Life, Honey, Meme's, This and That, Whatever)

I saw this on another “blob”, so I will copy it. It’s what I do. And, NO, I don’t know her. Just in case you were wondering. As my children frequently do.

For Today…

Outside my window… SUNSHINE, for the first time all week!!!

I am thinking…I should go make the Payday bars to take out to the lake this afternoon.

I am watching…   the second disc of the John Adams mini series that Ab-Cat had reserved for us at the library.

I am thankful for… As always, Honey. He just makes our life good. He takes such good care of us and I can’t think of anyone I would rather be with.

From the kitchen…  the sound of crickets. Nothing going on in there lately. Oh, Honey made salsa last night.

I am wearing… my new jammies that I purchased at Mrs. Schmenkman’s in Virginia.

I am reading… “Jimmy” by Robert Whitlow. So far, so good. I am not quite sure where he is going with the story line, but the main character, who is mentally challenged, is beyond precious.

I am praying… for our children. Always work to do there.  Two have some college decisions to make and they all always have other choices to make. Plus, praying that the wee pup makes a speedy recovery. It’s hard to see her looking so pitiful.

I am creating…bead bracelets!! I went out with my friend, The Oreo Mom, on Wednesday. She is my beading buddy, but we have not beaded in a couple of years. She took me to a new, yummy Arabic restaurant she found and we shopped for some new beads. We then went back to her house, had a cup of chai and happily beaded the rest of the afternoon!

I am looking forward to… our family reunion, coming up later in July. There are going to be some people there that I have not seen in years.

A picture for today  I have two from our back porch.

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LOVE the pansies.

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I have several pots of coleus again this year. LOVING them as well.

Have a happy Independance Day!

1 Comment

Crazy 8’s

April 24, 2009 at 2:38 AM (Confessions, From the Heart, Lists, Meme's)

I have seen this little thingy on several blogs. It came at a good time for me, as I am trying to get my act together after vacation. You know how that is.

8 THINGS I LOOK FORWARD TO

1. The Memorial Day Weekend Shopping Extravaganza at Mrs. Schmenkmans house in Virginia !!!!! WOO HOO!!!

 2. Summer, planting flowers, being warm

 3. Walking again with Keelyody. My lower body is looking forward to that as well.

 4. Growing old with Honey.

5. Seeing what God has in store for our children’s lives.

6. Having a perfect, no ache and pain body in heaven.

7. The new Terminator movie coming out this summer

8. The Ab-Cat and The Boy driving. WITHOUT ME.

8 THINGS I DID YESTERDAY

1. Went to BSF

2. Went to the fruit and vegetable market.

3. Went to Sam’s Club to buy mass quantities of big food.

4. Went to the library with The Ab-Cat

5. Went over to curl Polly’s hair. She is the sweetest 91 year old lady I know!!!

6. Took The Boy up to register for another semester of night classes. So he can attain his goal. Of GRADUATING  high school in June.

7. Watched “Parks and Recreation” and “The Office” with the Ab-Cat. We were banished to my bedroom because Honey was all into a hockey game. Whatever.

8. Picked The Boy up from night school at 9:45.

8 THINGS I WISH I COULD DO 

1. No matter what I say I wish for, Honey always says “I wouldn’t waste a wish on that”, so lets see. How about I wish I could remember the things I need to remember.

2. Not let certain people annoy the heck out of me.

3. Be more succinct

4. COOK!

5. Teach our kids everything that it has taken me 46 years to learn, so that when they are 46, they will be way wiser than I am.

6. Type faster.

7. Have a king sized bed.

8. Explain to everyone I have ever known, that without the Lord, I would be a bitter, broken, empty shell of a human being. And because of  His undeserved favor to me, I’m not.

 

8 SHOWS I WATCH

1. Sarah Connor Chronicles

2. Heroes

3. House

4. Chuck           

5.  24                            And those are just the Monday night shows!

6. American Idol

7. Biggest Loser

8. The Office

I tag anyone and everyone who would like to be tagged!

5 Comments

49 ers

April 7, 2009 at 2:40 AM (Lists, Meme's)

Here is a little question thingy that I picked up over at Warren’s. It came at a good time, cause I’ve got nothing.

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE?
Not after anyone, but inspired by a little BOY who lived down the street.

2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED?
The other night watching The Biggest Loser, I teared up.

3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING?
Sometimes I do, and sometimes I don’t. It’s like I have a duel personality.

4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT?
Russer Honey Ham

5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS?
Why, yes I do! The Ab-Cat, The Boy, and Muggins Q. Mouse.

6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON, WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU?                                                                                You know, I think I would.

7. DO YOU USE SARCASM?                                                                                                                                                                                    You bet I do.

8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS?                                                                                                                                                              I DO!

9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP?                                                                                                                                                                                I can’t imagine what could ever persuade me to.

10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL?                                                                                                                                                              I don’t eat cereal any more, but when I DID, it was probably Honey Nut Cheerios

11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF?                                                                                                             As a matter of fact, I don’t.

13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM?                                                                                                                                                  Vanilla Bean or Dulche LeLeche. Not a big fan of chunks o’ stuff in the ice cream.

14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE?                                                                                                          Their general vibe. Nice? Funny? appropriate?   And then their SMELL.

15. RED OR PINK?                                                                                                                                                                                                            Pink, please.

16. WHAT IS YOUR LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF?                                                                                                      Oh, where to begin? I wish I was thoughtful. I can be critical. I cannot tolerate a lack of common sense. There is a certain kind of people that I can’t deal with, so I don’t. And I’m pretty sure that’s not what Jesus would do. And He keeps plopping at least one or two of them in my lap. At all times.  Is that enough for right now?

17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST?                                                                                                                                                                         I am going to say my Grandma Georgia. There just wasn’t enough time for her to tell me everything I wanted to learn from her.

18. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO COMPLETE THIS LIST?                                                                                                                     Anyone who would like to, is welcome to do so.

19. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING?                                                                                                                 Pink Life is Good jammies with white daisies and hunter green swippers
  

21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW?                                                                                                                                        An airplane overhead. And the howling wind we have been having.            

22. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE?                                                                                                          Copper

23. FAVORITE SMELLS?                                                                                                                                                                                           My clean family.  Lilacs. Brownies baking is pretty good.

24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE  PHONE?                                                                                                  Probably The Boy asking to be picked up from work last night.

25. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU?                                                                                                                     Well, he didn’t exactly send this to me, but yes, I am becoming quite fond of Warren and his Family!

26. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH:    Oh, that’s an easy one! I DO NOT CARE. About any of them!! Right Jip?

27. HAIR Color?                                                                                                                                                                                                                At the moment 1/2 bonfire and 1/2 birch with a gruesome grey stripe down the middle.

28. EYE COLOR?                                                                                                                                                                                                            Green

29. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS?                                                                                                                                                                            Not since I was in my early twenties. The contacts? Me no likey.

30. FAVORITE FOOD?                                                                                                                                                                                             That’s a hard one for me. Honey could tell you that I don’t have much use for food. I would take it in pill form if I could. Having said that, I do like dessert.

31.SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS?   Happy endings. Just saw “Slumdog Millionaire”, VERY happy ending! Plus, I am a world class weenie.

32. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED?                                                                                                                                                                       See above.

33. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING?                                                                                                                                                  I have changed from my jammies and am wearing a rust shirt with a brown velour hoodie. I have to work soon.

34.SUMMER OR WINTER?                                                                                                                                                                                   SUMMER, BAY-BEE!!!!

35. HUGS OR KISSES?                                                                                                                                                                                                Both, thank you.

39. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW?                                                                                                                                                       STILL trying to persevere with The Shack.  Started a new on e at the Dr.’s the other day and I am probably further in that one already!! “A Stitch in Time” Don’t know the author.

40. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD?                                                                                                                                                                    A blue Gel bump.

41. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON TV LAST NIGHT?                                                                                                                                        No TV, we had CareGroup. We did DVR “The Sarah Connor Chronicles”. So it is waiting.

42. FAVORITE SOUND(S)?                                                                                                                                                                                       My family laughing. 

43. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES?
Beatles. My friend, Suzanne Suzanna Danna and I were just a wee bit obsessed with them in our younger years. She loved John. I loved George. How is it that we chose the ones destined to die early?  I could probably have a MUCH better memory if I could just jettison all of those Beatles fun facts from my brain. They take up an awful lot of room. I have no need of the dates they were born.

44. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME? ?                                                                                                         Europe

45. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT?                                                                                                                                                           I’m pretty sure I have told you all that I am a fountain of useless information. Including, but not confined to, remembering all the words to all the songs I have ever known.

46 WHERE WERE U BORN?                                                                                                                                                                             Stanford General in Palo Alto, Ca.

48. HOW DID YOU MEET YOUR SPOUSE/SIGNIFICANT OTHER?                                                                                                             At a bar in Windsor, Ontario, Canada.  It was called Hadley’s. Good times!

49. WHAT ARE SOME THINGS THAT DRIVE YOU CRAZY?    No common sense, exaggerating to make situations worse ( it NEVER needs to be worse), Stoopid people, rude drivers,  when you tell your children to clean their rooms and get ready for Florida and they don’t, Honey’s pre-vacation OCD.

Now you tell me 49 things I don’t know about YOU!

1 Comment

Six

February 13, 2009 at 3:07 AM (Family Life, Meme's)

Here is another tag from Queen B . It’s a real easy one.  And I am ever so thankful to have it.

 Because I am experiencing another truly heinous MOTHER of a headache, and I seem to be coming up empty in the post department. So thanks, Q.B.!

What I need to do is go into the 6th picture file and show you the 6th picture. Easy-peasy. Here we go:

florida-n-stuff-006

This was Christmas ‘07. The Gang was playing Mousey’s new game, Apples to Apples. They played ALL day.

The picture stars the back of our Uncle Bob’s head, cousin Lindsay (who is getting MARRIED next month!!!), Honey, Ab-Cat and Mousey. I’m very glad this picture was presentable. It could have been a bad scene. Knowing our family.

Now I have to tag 6 of you Guys. How about:

Capri Lis at Life on Sassy Cat Hill

Capri Deb at Life in Stitches

Steph at Just in case you’re wondering

FringeGirl at the domestic fringe

 Warren at My Home Among the Hills

Shannon at Take the Automatic 7

Can’t wait to see your sixers!

 I am very happy that I have nowhere to be this evening, except  schlepping two children. We’ll be parked in front of the television. Honey and I are so behind in DVR’d shows, and I really can’t muster any enthusiasm for anything other than who made the final 36 (or however many) on American Idol, who was voted off on Big Fat Loser and Big Top Chef.  Heroes and Lost will have to wait until another day, as it requires thinking. And my brain has already informed me that it is not doing that today.

8 Comments

Of All The Pets I’ve Loved before….

January 13, 2009 at 12:39 PM (Cats and Dog, From the Heart, Meme's)

The Queen B tagged me for a meme. I KNOW, this must be my lucky week! First an award, now a meme.

I am feeling special, special.

 My friend, The Peanuts Champ, asked what a meme was. Since I don’t know what the actual definition is, I will just share what my best interpretation is. You answer questions about your life.

This meme is pet themed. It should be a snap, cause we love our pets.

1. What is the first pet you remember? 

When I was maybe 5 or 6, I found a stray kitten somewhere. I begged to keep it, because I have always been a cat-ish sort of girl. My parents were in the process of divorcing, but my Dad still lived there. On the couch. And evidently he was not a cat-ish sort of guy. So my Mother’s compromise was to let me keep it, but outside. We fed it in the garage, which she left open a tiny bit at the bottom. I named her Pebbles.  I loved her, and petted her and dressed her  in baby doll clothes  for maybe a month or two. Then winter came and Pebbles was gone. Maybe she went to live at another home. INDOORS. Or maybe, we lived 1 street away from a busy 4 lane highway. Anyway you look at it, I was brokenhearted.

2. How many different kinds of pets have you owned?

Only 3. The usual, fish, cats and dog. In order:

1. Pebbles, the unfortunate kitten.

2. Fish. Guppies to be exact, with 2 angel fish. That my 2 year old brother killed. Scared one to death by dropping a toothbrush in the tank, then offed the other with a pony tail thingy. Fish, the Flushable pet.

3. Muff, the oldest cat I’ve ever known. My parents put her to sleep when she was 19. She was deaf, blind and going bald. Her full name was Muffietta King Kong George Elizabeth Grenada Halstead Hoover. My kids still ask me to say her name. She was a good kitty and had a beautimous fluffy tail.

I still think the reason that our Mom let my brother and I keep this stray kitten was in some way a payback for the sad debacle of Pebbles. We loved Muff for many, many, many, many years.

4. Isabeau, aka Izzie-kitty. Our first child. I cried for days when she died.

5. Her poor terrified, retarded,  sister, Navarre. See question #3.

6. Mocha, the best cat we have ever owned. A moment of silence for The Bajoka.

7. Indiana Jones, aka Indi. The most unadventurous pet we have ever owned. Probably the prettiest, absolutely the quirkiest. Not a good kind of quirk.

8. Katie, Abby’s Yorkie. She will be my first and last dog. She is precious, but she is, you know, a dog. And she stinks. Even immediately after bathing. But she is SO cute, it is her saving grace. She also has the small dog Napoleon complex. She so badly wants to be the boss of someone.

florida-n-stuff-191

9.  We adopted The Family that I wrote about here.

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That’s Halle  Berry up front.  Mama Mia is the one who always has devil eyes. She is adorable, she is just not photogenic. And Lucy is beside her. 

And that is the whole bunch of them.

3.  What was your strangest pet?   

Our strangest pet was one of a pair of sisters that we smuggled into Canada when Honey and I were first married. We named them Isabeau and Navarre, after the lovers in “Ladyhawke”. And I’m sure I don’t know why now, but it seemed ever so appropriate then.

Isabeau, was one of my all time favorite cats. Her sister, Navarre? Not so much. Maybe she didn’t like the fact she was named after a man. Or she was severely mentally disabled. She was not a normal cat. She never wanted to be touched,  or looked at , and acted like she had been beaten by people. All people.  She was all hissy and skitterish. She also had an aversion to the litter box. Maybe she didn’t like to get her paws dirty. So she always had to be in a room with hard floors. She also had these weird mouth sores that NO vet could ever figure out.

 We put up with her for about three years, until I was 9 months pregnant with the Ab-Cat and we were moving to a new house that was entirely carpeted. It was time. It almost killed us, but we took her in.  Izzie didn’t even seem to notice she was gone. Navarre hadn’t liked her either.

4.  What is your dream pet?

 Unfortunately, our dream pet went to cat heaven about 12 years ago. His name was Mocha.

5. What is your nightmare pet?

That would be Navarre. No redeeming quality.

6. Your best/ funniest pet story…

It’s our best, but it’s not funny.

Well, once Honey had to save a muskrat from our 6 pound Yorkie, Katie.

Abby had let her out for her last evening tinkle and she said she heard some rustling in the rocks, then Katie was chasing a muskrat up to the front door!! So she slammed it shut!! And YELLED for Honey!

Honey had to run to the back yard with a flashlight, following the horrible noises. He picked Katie up, but she and the muskrat were one. She wouldn’t let it go! He finally clunked her on something and she let go. When he brought her in the house, she was covered in blood and some kind of foul stench. We washed her up and took her over to the All Night Weekend Emergency Room for some emergency surgery. That muskrat had gone for her eyes and did some serious damage. She had all around both eyes sewn up, as well as a spot on her head and a gouge on her back. She looked pitiful and had to wear a cone forever. She is an expensive pooch. But she didn’t loose her eyes. I have some pictures, but I decided they are too disgusting  All in all, not Honey’s favorite night either. But he loves his sissy-dog.

7. Tell your worst/ saddest pet story…

That would be when Mocha died.

 He was a big old Tabby cat that we got after Izzie died.  Since The Ab-Cat and The Boy were then 3 years old and 9 months, we weren’t excited about getting a  spastic kitten for claw type reasons. He was 3 years old already and had been raised by a man who did not have a lot of rules in his house.

He turned out to be a wonderful family pet, who never raised a paw to anyone, despite the man handling he endured by our two, then three children. He also never met a stranger, and no lap was off limits. When we had Caregroup at our house, he was an equal opportunity lap cat.

There were only three small things about him that were a problem.

1. He liked heights and he would jump on the counter to get on the fridge. I don’t like cats on my counter.

2. He was a major hunter. He was forever bringing me “presents’. Once he brought me a mole, that was still alive. And let it loose INSIDE the house! He was a great bird dog as well. So much so , that our neighbor asked us to keep him indoors because he was killing all the birds that our neighbor was feeding. He felt like he was an accessory to murder.

3. Because of the indoors policy, he would knock you over trying to get out the door. A regular Houdini Cat.

Unfortunately, after getting out one night, he came home and laid on the couch. He was never really right after that. I took him to the vet and told him I thought he was dying. I was right. We never did find out what happened. The vet said it could have been a bad animal he ate, or anti-freeze. Something. We were all heartbroken.

He was the smartest, most patient, and intuitive cat I have ever known. And no, our neighbor didn’t poison him. He was a lovely, gentle, man who had already passed away by this time.

8.  Did you ever have a scary animal experience?

Nothing is coming to mind. Honey would possibly say it was separating the dog and the muskrat.

9. What was your favorite pet? 

I’m going to go with Mocha.

10.  What did you really want to tell us about pets that didn’t fit into the other questions?

 This story was a God Thing. After our car accident thirteen years ago, every member of our family slept in a different place. For quite some time.

 Mousey went home to be a Hostler for a while, with visits to my step-brother and his wife’s house, and other friends graciously kept her as well.  After The Boy was released from the hospital, he ping ponged all over the place. Abby remained in the hospital for the next 7 weeks, with either Honey and I spending the nights with her.

But right after the accident, I was home, with a chest tube, keeping my partially collapsed lung from collapsing.  I was alone. And it was awful. Our house was so quiet. Unnaturally quiet.

Every time I would try to close my eyes to sleep, I saw the windshield shattering. I would start to rethink that day, relive every step, think about Abby’s poor broken body.  Because of the tube, I could only sleep on my back. I don’t sleep on my back. I wasn’t really sleeping anyway. Despite a small arsenal of pain medication. This went on for days.

Mocha always slept with me, but always at the foot of our bed. One night, he came up to visit, as was his habit. But instead of going back down to the end of the bed, he settled himself right in the crook of my arm. He stayed there all night. And  that night I slept. It was like a kiss on the cheek from God. 

He also slept in Abby’s bed during the day until she came home. He missed her too.

 I still miss that Boy.

So that is way more information than you ever needed to know about all the pets I have loved. Except one, I didn’t love Navarre.

So now I have to tag others. This part doesn’t usually work for me, as my friends just ignore it. But, I AM HOPING, because this meme is pet related, they may comply. They love their pets too. So here goes.

Capri Lis over at Life on Sassy Cat Hill

Capri Deb from Life in Stitches

Your IT!

6 Comments

What Shoe Are You?

October 14, 2008 at 12:23 AM (Help Me Please, Meme's, Whatever)

http://www.blogthings.com/whatkindofshoeareyouquiz/results/?result=Clogs

 

You Are Clogs
You are a solid and down to earth person.
You seek – and almost always achieve – a really sound balance in your life.You are stylish yet comfortable. Mellow but driven. Excited yet calm.
You are the perfect mesh of contradictions.No matter what happens, you have the ability to stay well grounded in your life.
People know that they can truly depend on you.You should live: In EuropeYou should work: At a company dedicated to helping the world  

 

 

 

 I ACTUALLY wear these!!! The first part seems acceptable, but the last two? Not so much.

I don’t want to live in Europe, and not that I wouldn’t want to be dedicated to helping the world, but I don’t want to work right now.

Oh, and I have no idea what that symbol means. Can anyone help a girl out?

3 Comments

I’m Trying, Folks

October 11, 2008 at 2:26 PM (Confessions, Family Life, Honey, Lists, Meme's, Muggins Q. Mouse, Our Boy, Whatever)

Seriously, I’ve got nothing. Now that I have waxed poetic on our snacking tendencies, the tank is empty.

I saw this on another blog, so I will again do what I do best. Copy.

FIVE RANDOM/STRANGE THINGS ABOUT YOURSELF

This shouln’t be too difficult. I think I have mentioned before that I am NOTHING, if not random, or strange.

1. Mousey is sitting here eating a bowl of cereal and I asked her how I might be strange or random. She said “when we are driving in the car, and talking about something, then you see something else, like a puppy, or a squirrel, and have  to tell us about it, in the middle of the conversation. And then go right back to the other conversation”      Well who doesn’t do that?

Mousey says:

 This is Mousey i just hijacked the writers chair. OK, right when we were having a conversation about not knowing what we had for dinner last night, Mum had to blurt out ” omigawsh, smell these Kleenex, I think they were sitting on some candles or something”. Which automatically proved my point in “strange random things” number uno. I had to write this for her because she was laughing too hard.

2. When the kids come into the house, I greet them with “hello, go wash your hands”. Because I don’t want the cooties of the world in our house! And you know, they touch things. All the time. And that grosses me out to no end.

I have perfected the art of leaving a restroom using a paper towel, so as not to touch the door handle. Or using my knuckles or elbow or the back of my hand to do simple tasks. I do it naturally, without thinking. I’m sure no one would ever notice.

The one most on board with this quirk is The Boy. We wash our hands everywhere we go. We have our favorite soap smells.  We actually discuss who has soap smells we like. His favorite is U of M Hospital soap. My personal preference is Arby’s. And our powder room, Vanilla Brown Sugar.  I’m so glad I could pass this quirk on. It’s good to have a companionable quirk.

3. Honey could tell you that I have a small  window of opportunity to be fed. And then I turn into a horrifically crabby  BEAST. I get a splitting  headache and feel sick. This never causes me a bit of problem in my everyday life. Cause I am in control of my own eating. It usually only rears it’s UGLY head when we are on vacation, or when Honey is holding me hostage to HIS schedule. He could go all day without eating. Even if he said he was hungry hours ago.

I can be “thinking about eating”, or “getting peckish” and it would be ok. But if I am hungry? He has learned that is NOT the time to drive around looking for that certain place that he can’t quite  remember where it is. Or try and find the “voted Orlando’s best pizza” in a driving rainstorm/ thunder and lightning display. OR not want to stop, because he is not ready yet. I guess you could say he has learned this lesson the hard way. Having actually MET the Beast, on numerous occasions.

I was having a conversation with my Folks last week and they said that my Grandma Georgia was the same way! Another companionable quirk!

4. I am an advocate of personal space. I don’t like to sit too close to people. If I can smell them, it’s too close. I don’t like to talk to people that are thisclose to my face. Ever. Step AWAY.

I don’t want to make myself appear to have a phobia about this, cause I don’t. I can touch and be touched by others, can give and receive a hug. And we are known gerbils at my house, all piled up together on the couch. Just want to clarify  that.

5. I can remember all the words to every song I EVER learned. And it is taking up way too much space in my brain. I need to find the delete button. Cause I can’t even remember what I had for breakfast yesterday.

 A lot of that 70’s and 80’s music could go. As well as jr. high choir songs. Just ask Mrs. Scmenkman. I launch into “Oh, Shenandoah” every time I visit her and we drive over it. EVERY STINKIN TIME!

I have no need for the entire catalogue of Beatles material. I could keep the ones I especially like and get rid of the rest. TV theme songs? Not necessary for my quality of life. It could go on and on.

So there you have it. A short  list of my random/strangeness.

I will invite you to either tell me something random/strange about yourself, OR you may add your observation to the collection of random/strange about me. Please be kind.

5 Comments

Tagged

September 13, 2008 at 6:44 PM (Meme's)

Oh, my GOODNESS, I have had a little of “The Hectic” going on!

 Shesh !!!!!!!

Mrs. Schmenkman even called today to see if everything was OK.

 But it’s over for the moment, so we are moving on.

Something exciting happened a few days ago. Or maybe it was last week. I’m not sure. You know, “the hectic” was happening.

I GOT TAGGED.

For a meme. Which, I so helpfully  learned on another blog, was pronounced as rhyming with theme. Because I always thought it was Me-Me, as the questions are usually about me-me. It’s good to be in the know.

I have never been tagged for a meme. I have read  many, and I did participate, anonymously (of course), in one that was just thrown out there to anyone who wanted to participate. I didn’t credit her with it and I didn’t tag anyone else, so I don’t think it really counted.

But NOW, I have officially  been tagged by Beachy Mimi.

http://beachymimi.blogspot.com/2008/09/meme-from-mamma-belle.html

 I will just apologize right now. I have STILL not learned how to do the here and here thingy. But, this is the only way I know how to get you over to Mimi’s place.

Which I highly recommend, by the way. Because she is a fountain of information. On life lessons, middle age dating, and , ummmm, “grooming”.  Plus, she is all about the funny. Which I always appreciate. She is one of my every day reads. AND, we share a birthday month. That has nothing to do with anything, but common ground is good.

Here are the rules:
1. Write about 5 specific ways blogging has affected you, either positively or negatively.
2. link back to the person who tagged you
3. link back to this parent post
4. tag a few friends or five, or none at all
5. post these rules— or just have fun breaking them

Since I received “The Tag”, I have been thinking  about how blogging has affected me. So here goes.

1. The most positive way that “blobbing” has affected me, is that I am able to keep in touch, much better , with family and friends. I am not much of a phone person, and an even worse e-mailer. This way , I can type ONE  little update on our family , or what is going on around this nut hatch, and then press publish, and, all done. Then they comment back. Well, a few of them do. It can evolve into several back and forth, quick e-mails, in which we interact in each others lives. : )   I love that!

I love having these little conversations with people that I would not normally have. I can have the best of intentions, but I’m telling you now, I am not going to be in phone or e-mail contact with even a quarter of these loved ones every week. So for me, it is a little like a Round Robin letter.

2. Another way in which it has affected me, is I no longer watch the morning news channels; Good Morning America, Fox and Friends, Today, ect. I don’t know that this is a positive or a negative. I think it’s a neutral. Instead of telling someone what I heard about on the TV, I just tell them about what I read about on a blog. And GOODNESS, there is a lot to tell! Just ask my family and my walking buddy, Keelyody! They get to hear all about it!

3. Since my scrapbooking is haphazard at best, I do feel like this is a journal for me. Hopefully, I will be able to put this onto a disc or something so I can keep it forever and ever. While my children think that this WHOLE blogging thing is “re-tah-ded” at the moment, I have high hopes that they will someday appreciate this home we have created together, and will want to fondly remember it. I know I will.  PLUS, I know it will be easier to make three copies of a disc, than it would be to make three copies of the dang scrapbooks!

4. I love so many  of the blogs that I have found. I can’t say that I interact with many. I am STILL a world class “lurker”. I am trying though. And exibit A and B would be Beachy Mimi and her delightful daughter, The Queen B, both of whom I have actually had  contact with. I cannot tell you how shocked  I was to have had Queen B reply to a comment I had made on her blog, or when Beachy Mimi left a comment on MY blog! It’s a good thing.

I can’t figure myself out on the comment issue. I am so reluctant to leave comments on other blogs. I guess I think they don’t need my comments. But, on my blog? There could NEVER be enough comments! I love the comments! I don’t get it.

 I have my little morning routine. I get up, turn the computer on, put the kettle on for a cup of chai, feed Mia (she’s a little bit demanding  about her meals), check my e-mail and then go to my favorites file. There are probably 35-40 there. Some I read every day, some post less often and I check them once a week. Some are keepers for life and some get deleted as I find better,  funnier, and more inspirational  blogs to replace them with. I guess I am getting choosier.

 For example, one blog, that I have read for quite a while now, is on the chopping block. At first, I thought her dry sense of humor was amusing. But I have now come to see her as just a  cranky, crabby person who takes offense where none is offered, and I don’t really care about her thoughts anymore. So BAM, she is deleted! If only it could be so easy in real life!

5. I would have to say that the only negative I can possibly think of would be that my family thinks that I am a little obsessed with this. But they would be wrong.

 For one thing, I am always a little obsessed when learning a new thing until I get the hang of it. It’s how I process things. And for another, I don’t spend any more time on MY hobby than others do on THEIR hobbies. So get YOUR plank out of MY eye!  I am fairly certain  that I spend no more time on “blobbing” than you all do on watching golf, Facebook, making music mixes on cd’s and IM-ing. And, why no, that wasn’t in any age appropriate order!

As for tagging others?  Your IT !

http://caprilis.wordpress.com/

http://debkolar.wordpress.com/

http://beckib.wordpress.com/

http://automatic7.wordpress.com/

So, thanks Mimi! For everything. The tag, your blog, and your comments. It’s been fun!

7 Comments

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