I pass this billboard on my way to the pet store, and it always makes me laugh. Because there is nothing, there will never be anything, “gourmet” about Krystal. If you’ve never had the dubious pleasure of eating a Krystal burger, let me describe it thusly: it is the most chemical tasting thing, topped with reconstituted onions (or “recons”, as those in the biz call them), on a fluffy white bun, that exists in the fast food market today. I kid you not, when I say that you could replace the “burger” with a patty of shredded brillo and toilet cleaner, and no one would notice the difference.
They are NAS-TAY, and trust me when I say that you’d be better off never bothering to try the nasty things. Ugh.
The only way I can figure Krystal stays in business is that their food is so incredibly cheap that if you had $5 for your day’s worth of food, you could actually fill up on the chemical nastiness at Krystal, whereas the more expensive McDonald’s or Burger King would only get you a meal or two.
* * *
We spent the weekend watching movies, some of them together and some not. Friday night we watched the far too long
The Door in the Floor. I rented it because, for some ungodly reason, I thought it was a horror movie, but it turned out to be based on the John Irving novel
A Widow for One Year. It just seemed to drag on forever, and finally about two-thirds of the way through, we started fast-forwarding it, and stopping it if anything interesting seemed to be happening. A total waste of time, that movie.
Saturday, we watched
What the Bleep Do We Know? I ended up snoozing through most of it, but Fred seemed to like it. It was an odd movie starring Marlee Matlin intercut with interviews with quantum phyicists and new age authors, and – as the editorial review on Amazon says,
a vaguely convincing (and certainly mind-provoking) theory about… well, actually, it sounds a lot like the Power of Positive Thinking, when you get down to it. I was more awake for the end of the movie than for the beginning, and I think it might have been somewhat interesting if I’d stayed awake the entire time… but not interesting enough to try to watch it again on my own.
Saturday afternoon, Fred watched
The Pacifier with the spud, and said it was better than he’d expected. Especially the scenes with the duck, ’cause Fred loves him some ducks, for sure.
Saturday night, we watched
Coach Carter, which was pretty good – I could have done with a little less basketball, though. Heh.
Yesterday, he and the spud spent the entire afternoon watching The Omen
I,
II, and
III. Since I had no desire to see any of the three, I went upstairs and watched
The Upside of Anger, which I’ve had in my possession for a week or so from Netflix. I didn’t know if I’d like it all that much – when it comes to Kevin Costner, I can go either way, depending on the movie – but I ended up liking it a LOT. It probably helped that I liked every single actor in the movie except Mike Binder, who I don’t really care for (ironic, since he wrote and directed it), and it ended up being very much worth watching.
Last night, we watched
Taxi Driver, which Fred had never seen. That ending sure drags on a bit, eh?
We still have
The Usual Suspects and
Angels in America to watch, plus I have
Mind the Gap from Netflix we might try watching, as well.
I think we’re rapidly running out of choices, though. By Wednesday, Fred might be desperate enough to watch some episodes of
The O.C.
* * *
Currently
reading:
Horseplay. I’m enjoying it, even though I’m not terribly interested in horses. That’s the sign of a good author, I suppose – to write a book centered about something that doesn’t really interest you, but still manages to keep you interested anyway.
Finished Friday at the hospital:
Nights of Rain and Stars. Good book; I do love Maeve Binchy, most of the time.
* * *
So, the kittens have been pretty much out of their room most of the day, lately. We let them out about mid-morning, put them up for an hour at lunchtime (otherwise, Rambo bugs the hell out of us, begging for food. Which is our own damn fault, I know), and then put them up at 9 when we go to bed. It’s working out pretty well; for the most part, our cats have adjusted fairly well, though they don’t go out of their way to snuggle with the kittens, or even play all that much, but at least the kittens have each other to play with. They’ve learned that sometimes Mister Boogers will play with them, but that they’re better off leaving Miz Poo, Spanky, and Spot alone. Jodie did rub up against Miz Poo yesterday, and got a smack on the head for her troubles.
Jodie likes to disappear for long periods of time, just long enough to make us worry. I finally figured out where she’s been going – she climbs up into the recliner in the computer room to sleep. That way, no one will bother her, and she feels safe.
Too cute, these two.
Something disturbing happened on Thursday, though. Rambo likes to hang out on my desk and sleep on the cat bed there. I heard a loud noise Thursday afternoon and looked over to see him NURSING on the cat bed. It’s… quite honestly, it’s kind of gross, the loud smacking noises he makes.
I did some looking around online, and found that it’s a tendency that siamese cats have, to nurse on wool. I don’t think I’ve mentioned it here, but it’s been my theory that Rambo’s got siamese in him, because to me he looks a little siamese. Also, he can be a talkative motherfucker, which is a siamese trait as well. Or so I’ve heard.
Anyway, I found one page that said you should try to stop kittens from nursing on wool (there’s a theory, by the way, that the wool smells like the wet fur around a mother cat’s nipples) because if they ingest it, it could cause digestive problems. Another page said to let them do it, because it makes them happy and doesn’t hurt anything. Since I’d rather he not ingest wool, I moved the bed to our bedroom, and put a non-wool cat bed in it’s place, and things seem to be going okay. He found the wool cat bed and nursed on it briefly on Saturday, but there were places to go and people to see, so he didn’t do it for long.
It honestly wouldn’t bother me except he is SO FUCKING LOUD when he does it. It’s awfully cute, though, how happy he gets, kneading and purring and smacking.
Rambo nurses on the cat bed, while Jodie looks on in disgust.
One minute they’re viciously attacked each other, the next they’re snuggling up to sleep. Crazy kittens.
Sleepy Jodie.
Put a towel on the floor, and it becomes the favorite sleeping place for the cats.
When you’re recovering from surgery, what do you need? The medicinal healing effects of cats, of course.
All of today’s uploaded kitten pics are
here.
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Potential spoilers for the Upside of Anger
I too watched TUSOA this weekend, and I’ve been dying to talk about it with someone. I think Kevin Costner is probably the worst successful actor on the planet, but I actually thought he did a very believable job in this movie. I figured out whose funeral it was about 5 seconds into the movie, but other than that, the ending was a complete shocker to me. Did you see that curve ball coming?
Upside of Anger spoilers
Laurie(inOly): I TOTALLY didn’t see that ending coming; I knew whose funeral it was, because at some point I read a review of it, but for some reason I thought it was the death of her husband that sent Joan Allen’s character into a tailspin, so the “three years earlier” came as a surprise to me when it came up on the screen.
I’m sitting here nursing my own baby while I read, and hormones must be coursing through me because your movie nearly made my cry, Robyn. I teared right up for that little kitty, nursing away.
And now he’s back to fighting with his big brother, and the hormones are back in “mildly aggravated” state. 😉
I have a cat that is 12 years old and she “nursed” a particular blanket we had for a long time, until we finally got rid of the blanket. Now I have two one year old cats that both nurse on a different blanket. I think it has something to do with them being separated from their mothers too soon. It makes me feel bad whenever they do that, but I don’t think it hurts them. The movie was cute, those kittens are adorable!
Chloe was a nurser, too. I just let her do it, as she was so happy too, but it made me feel horrible, as Jeanette said. She liked my mother’s bathrobe, a few blankets, and a stuffed cow I had. Now it’s a stuffed polar bear. It was particularly funny with the cow though 🙂
The healing power of cats is very potent indeed!
I suspect that Rambo was weaned too soon, and the smell of the wool cat bed reminds him of his mother (whether or not he ever knew her, I’m not sure; maybe it’s an instinctive thing).
Nursing babies (kittens or human): cute. Kitten nursing on an inanimate object: a little gross. But I guess you get your comfort where you can when you’re a bitty thing. 🙂
One of my cats was also a serious nurser, but instead of a blanket or toy he would go after his own belly, it was very bizzare to see him all curled up and hear him ‘nursing’ on nothing, or wanting to be held at the same time. It was very cute, but I’m glad he’s apparently grown out of it (he’s now 3) it.
My husband likes Krystal. I have NO earthly idea why. I’m not sure I’ve ever eaten a Krystal burger, but I’m pretty sure I never will in the future.
They sell those crappy burgers in the frozen food section at my grocery store. GAG.
POSSIBLE “STARVED” SPOILER: So if you haven’t seen last night’s episode, don’t read!!!
OMG Robyn!!!!! I started watching “Starved” last night after I read your mention of it the other day……Now I have ONE more show I am hooked on..along with “Entourage”and “Intervention”…..now that “Six Feet Under” has turned so awful and only one more episode anyway….
The image of Sam crawling around on the floor at the colonic cleansing office, emema water spewing out his a$$ just about made me pee my pants. I haven’t laughed so hard in years…..If Fred saw it, I hope he didn’t dislocate his shoulder while belly laughing. What a riot that was.
Thanks for turning me on to yet another crazy show!!
Kathy: I haven’t seen last night’s STARVED yet, so I’ll review your comment after I have! (I think we’ll probably watch it tonight)
Oh, forgot to mention: we used to have a family dog that was so spoiled, if you placed a kleenex tissue on the floor she would lay on it. Anything for the comfort for the Princess. heh.
Oh, and where is Smart and Sassy this week? My life is meaningless and shallow and I need to live vicariously through the antics of others. That, and I need to laugh at the a$$hats that have the chutzpah to write you ladies and wonder if they are going to be earmarked as “bitches” because they may get the balls to stand up for themselves…..
I grew up in Alabama and LOVE KRYSTAL burgers. I know people that grew up in the South who don’t like them, too. My husband is one of those who does not like them. We were driving from Gettysburg, PA. last year and I got all the way to Bristol, TN and had to stop for some Krystals. Hubby said, “You’re not eating that in the car.” He calls them “bombs.”
I had a part siamese cat when I was a kid, and she nursed on my chenille bedspread.
Awwww! Rambo is such a sweetie! The movie is adorable! Is it me, or does Jodie look cross-eyed in that pic where she’s yawning?
Awww…Fred is being guarded by Mister Boogers and Boogers, Jr. Cute!!
I’m not familiar with Krystal burgers, but if it’s anything like White Castle, I’ll pass!
My two Siamese cats nursed(sucked) on anything wool and eventualy anything that felt like wool. They will suck holes in anything. The sucking actually turned into chewing, it made this sqeeeek squeeeek noise when they did it. I could hear it across the house and would go running to stop them. They ruined several pairs of my father’s socks, several dish towels, and my favorite berber fleece pullover. But, I loved the little bastards:) It didn’t cause any blockage, but occasionaly they would hack it up in a hairball-type glob. We started calling them sock-balls instead of hair-balls.
It would be best to discourage the behavior early because it can be destructive. From what I found out about it, when I was living with it, is that it is often caused by removing nursing kittens from their mother too early.
Yep. I’ve got an eight year old Siamese who is now the proud owner of a ruined black wool scarf that used to be mine…
Krystals are great! I know a lot of people think they are gross though – so I understand. Definitely not gourmet food though. Now that was taking things way too far! I also live in Alabama, but I used to live up north. When I lived in the Chicago area, there was another place that served almost exactly the same burgers at a chain that has been around forever – White Castle. Now you’ve made me hungry. Mmmmm…reconstituted onions….ooooaaaaaaah.
I totally saw the ending of The Upside of Anger coming. Strange how I am able to do that on some movies. My daughter freaked out when I told her, and then it came to pass. I too, liked the movie and characters very much, and was shocked that scuzzy Mike Binder was the writer/director. I think Kevin was so likeable and believable because the part was so close to his real persona. Didn’t Joan Allen rock? Great movie.
Daughter’s cat used to try to nurse on her hair and ear lobe. When daughter left, cat went for my ear lobe. Pissed me off when I was trying to sleep!
I have two five year old cats that I got from a pet shop and they both suckle on a furry toy of my daughters. They have both had their own kittens but still suckle. I have four other cats who don’t do it – three of them are kittens of one of the cats and the other one is a kitten i got straight from the breeder.
I have a theory that it’s when they are taken from their mother too soon that they have a need to suckle. This is just my theory and is probably bobbins – but I am sticking to it with my empirical evidence of two cats.
Nuala
I wish I’d read your entry earlier in the day. One of the next three movies being shipped to me from netflix is The Door in the Floor. 🙁
Yup, I reckon Rambo has some serious Siamese in him. The big ears and long nose are a dead giveaway.
We had a siamese that would sit on my mother’s lap. As mother knitted from the top the cat would quietly chew from the bottom. Took some time before she realised what was happening!
well now I dont feel so weird (proud actually) of having a kitty who would nurse on her own tail when she was younger. 🙂 is very cute though.
I have 2 9 year old cats that are littermates. The bigger male used to nurse on the smaller male for probably about 2 years. It was a little strange and at first I stopped it, but then I realized it kept them both quiet and out of trouble, so I let it go.
I’d be such a good mother – yeah, do whatever as long as you’re not bugging me. 🙂
Our cats do the same thing when any of us are sick. Neither of them usually like to lay with us too much, but when we’re sick they settle down with us and give us “kitty healing vibes”. 🙂
I was trolling through Diaryland, randomly choosing & reading some diaries (do this when I am bored) and I was reading one called Oliviablue. It’s cute & all about dogs/puppies – she does the foster parent for puppies (just like you, except for the dog part). I went to read her profile and she has Fred Anderson listed as one of her favorite authors. How cool is that?
When my cats were little, the Fat One used to try to nurse on a towel… or maybe it was his cat bed. I forget. Anyway, I read that distracting kittens is a good way to break them of the nursing habit so everytime I saw him doing it I would drag a string around in front of him. It seemed to do the trick. Of course now he’s obsessed with strings. Before we moved he used to grab his string in his mouth, drag it from wherever it had been and lay it across my feet. Brilliant! I have genius cats.
ow… those claws… while nursing… I’m glad babies don’t have claws!!!