8/2/07

* * * How creative are you? Reader Liz says: We are knitting, crocheting, sewing, quilting, and any other crafty things one can do for an Albany, NY Homeless shelter and a separate Women’s domestic shelter. We welcome anything so long as it’s (drum roll please) made by hand. So far we have scarves, blankets, an amazing quilt, hats, gloves, shawls, scrunchies, and wood toys. The site is desperately out of date and I will be working to make a few updates soon, but I would really like to pull in over 200 pieces and I know with your help that could possibly be done. Check it out here (there’s an email address in the sidebar on that site). I KNOW that a bunch of you out there are the crafty types, what will all the knitting and crocheting and other crafty things. They’re taking donations ’til Halloween (October 31st), so get to knitting! And sewing! And crocheting! And crafting!

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So yes, I have a new redesign. I really like it – I’ve been wanting to do something with two sidebars for quite some time now, but couldn’t find anything I liked in the colors I wanted, so I ended up taking the design Fred uses and making the changes I want. Of course, I started working on it months and months ago, in fact I think we were still living in the old house when I started working on it. Sitting my ass down and working on a redesign is something that doesn’t come easily to me, because I hate all the damn fiddling around – changing something, saving it, going to see how it looks, a thousand million times to get the look I want. It’s worth it, though. I think the new look is very “me.” I think my favorite thing about the whole redesign is that “Flickr” box over there to the left. Every time you refresh the page, you get a different random picture, and I like seeing what pictures pop up. Surprisingly, it appears that I take a lot of cat pictures. I know that some of you don’t like/ are having issues with the redesign. Some of you aren’t seeing the logo the way it should be seen, but if I set it to a fixed size, it intrudes into the right sidebar for a bunch of you, so I went back to a percentage-based sizing thingy (I’m sorry to be so technical), and I’ll always link directly to the logo on the first post of each month, so you can always see how it’s supposed to look. Not everyone liked the previous design, either – it didn’t work for them – but I’ve checked the design in my Firefox and Internet Explorer and it looks okay to me, so how it is now is how it’ll be for at least a while. I’d hate to lose any readers over this, of course, but you’ve gotta do what you’ve gotta do.
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Is it just me, or in this picture: doesn’t Joss Stone look strikingly like Juliette Lewis?
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Sugarbutt had to go to the vet Tuesday to have that spot on his neck biopsied. Since he’s one of the cats I can actually get into the carrier (Spot and Spanky are the two I absolutely cannot wrestle into the carrier) I was sure I’d have no problem getting him in the carrier, but just to be safe I put it in the middle of the computer room floor the night before so the cats would be used to its presence and not get all freaked out. When it was time to leave for the vet, I took the bandage off of Sugarbutt’s neck (we’ve been calling it his “ascot” because we’re dorks and it amuses us), then started rubbing his neck where it seems to be itchiest and bothers him the most. He purred and purred and purred and threw his head back in ecstasy, and before he knew what was going on I was lowering him into the carrier. He made one desperate attempt to save himself, doing his starfish imitation, but it was too late, and I closed the lid to the carrier, and we were on our way. I made him listen to Keith and the Girl with me, my favorite episode, #517, Justice. He gave me dirty looks, but when they were talking about the girl who’d pulled off the ball (just one of them) of a man who’d rejected her and the astonished-sounding Patrice said “That’s some gorilla strength she’s got!”, I’m pretty sure I heard Sugarbutt chortle, though when I looked at him he just gave me that wounded why you hate me, Momma? look. I dropped him off with no problems (except for the big German Shepherd who stuck his face right up against the carrier, sniffed mightily and then barked, to which Sugarbutt responded by hissing very loudly. Which scared the German Shepherd into peeing on the floor. It was a fucking river of urine stretching across the floor; I gave thanks that I didn’t have to clean it up.) and they told me I could pick him up between 5 and 6. When I picked him up that evening, he was a bit out of it (they had to knock him out to do the biopsy), and on the ride home he lay in the carrier with his back to me and dozed. Then when we got home, he did what he ALWAYS does after a trip to the vet. He turned into a total love slut. He followed me from room to room, rubbing against my legs if I stopped moving for a moment. When I went into the kitchen, he jumped up on the counter and rubbed against any part of me he could reach (which made slicing okra a whole lot of fun). When he was on the floor and I bent to scratch behind his ears, he flopped over on his back and purred loudly. It continued into Wednesday, but today he’s a little calmer. I don’t know for sure why a trip to the vet is followed by two days of desperate love-seeking, but my theory is that Sugarbutt – having a tiny little cat brain – doesn’t remember that I took him TO the vet, but does remember that I rescued him FROM the vet, so he’s desperate to thank me so that I’ll continue to rescue him in the future. Speaking of Sugarbutt and lurve, I have to take a moment to let y’all know – because I know you were JUST saying to yourself, “Self, I wonder if this still goes on?” – that since we moved into this house, Sugarbutt does not approach me in the dark, dark night to knead upon whatever part of my person he can reach while simultaneously licking my neck. Literally, the night before the cats and I moved into this house, he kneaded (kned?) and licked for all he was worth, and since we’ve lived here, he’s half-heartedly attempted it only once. It was annoying sometimes, but I kind of miss it a little.
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Really, here at Crooked Acres, it’s sometimes best to just look the other way, and not ask aaaaaaany questions.
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Word came down from upon high yesterday that there’s room for Spanky and Gilligan at the pet store. They don’t do adoptions on Wednesday or Thursday, so I’m waiting until mid-morning on Friday to take them down. No need to have them there, in a cage, when I can sneak in one more day of petting and sweet-talking them, right? I’m very interested to see if there are any changes in the personality of the pretty, pretty Maryanne without her two brothers around to run interference between her and the humans who only want to pet and snuggle with her. “Hellew.” He’s so cute, I just want to squeeze him. ::thlurrrp:: I put the carrier in the kitten room so they’d get used to it, and they thought it was the COOLEST THING EVER.
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::gag:: “That’s not liquid candy, it’s DISH SOAP!”
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Previously 2006: No entry. Sorry! 2005: I wanted to lay in bed and sniff my hair all day long. 2004: me: “Brian, I sure do love you, but I’m glad we’ll never have to sit this close to each other ever again.” Brian: “I feel the same.” 2003: No entry. 2002: No entry. 2001: $1200 for one single washer. What the fuck’s up with that? 2000: can you say “Bring a book”?]]>

33 thoughts on “8/2/07”

  1. And that would be??
    I thought the same exact thing about the pic of Joss Stone, if I hadn’t read who it was I would have kept right on thinking Juliette Lewis.

  2. Don’t tell Fred, but I have secretly christened him a “DUNK” — It’s a cross between a “hunk” and a “dork” and after seeing those barnyard photos, I can’t think of a better moniker for him.

  3. I thought the pic was Juliette Lewis, too, before I scrolled down.
    The pics of Fred crack me up! You got yourself some kind of man there!!
    Just curious – when you have multiple fosters and not all can go off to be adopted at once, how do you pick who gets to go to the pet store and who stays behind with you?

  4. Just wondering if Jack Frost is still at the shelter? Really would like to know about those pics. We could put some really good captions under them……

  5. Do any of the other cats freak out when you take one to the vet? I took my younger cat to the vet last week. We were only gone for a half hour, but the older cat then hissed and growled at the younger for *a day and a half*. Not only is it annoying, but the younger one just gets this pitiful look of confusion and dejection, like “Whyfore do you hate me, big sis?”.

  6. I can just see Fred sitting around at home, getting a little bored, but not enough to want to work so he thinks “I know…I’ll go play with the chickens!”
    He is a Dunk.

  7. But what’s up with the hu-MUN-goe shirts, Fred? (AND Robyn, I might add) You’ve lost the weight, show it off!

  8. I noticed that in yesterday’s post you mentioned Corey Feldman acts like he has a “HUH-YOOG” stick up his a**… did you pick that up from Stephen King’s Lisey’s Story? Because I’ve been reading it and there’s a lot of “smucking” and “puffickly huh-yoog” scattered all over the book. I don’t know why, but it annoys me. Did you read it? Did you like it? I have Blaze waiting for me, but I’m making myself finish Lisey’s Story before I get to it.

  9. Okay, question: I was wondering how much your cats shed and if you have to brush them constantly? We have only two cats and a very large house, and there’s always cats hair everywhere. I especially notice the white fur from our cat Buddy Squeak (who looks like Spanky’s twin–mostly white with some orange). Do you notice the white fur from Spanky and Spot all over the friggin place, too? Sometimes I pet Buddy and a river of white fur just flies off of him. I do notice that when I just put in a little effort and brush them maybe once/week it makes a HUGE difference, but I’m not good at doing that regularly.

  10. Possibly the most boring question in history, but I need to know and think you might be the one with the answer!
    Q: We have 3 cats, and 2 dogs and recently moved into a house with hardwood floors throughout. I sweep every day, twice a day, and still there’s balls of fur fluff everywhere. I know my broom isn’t up to the task, but surely there must be the broom of all brooms out there just waiting for me to discover it. What do you use?

  11. Awww, I love the picture of Sugarbutt in the sink. I used to have an orange kitty who adored hanging out in a sink–ANY sink.
    Fred as the Chicken Whisperer (ha, Donna!) is cracking me up. 🙂

  12. What size shoe does Fred wear? The pic of him with the chicken on his back his foot looks huge. Just curious.

  13. From your entry yesterday – Shawshank is my absolute favorite movie of all time. Brooks and Red break my heart everytime. I have tears streaming down my face everytime I watch that movie. I also learned what magnanimous meant by watching that movie!
    Speaking of The Two Corey’s reality TV show – have you seen the new “Scott Baio – I’m 45 and Never Been Married Show?” It is a complete train wreck where he hires a life counelor to help him figure out why he messes up every relationship he has ever had. She makes him go back and meet with all these women to ask them what he did wrong. Turns out Joanie really did love Chachie. It’s really horrible but I can’t turn away!

  14. Holy crap in that third picture it looks like Fred is waiting for the chicken to give him a high-five. THAT needs to be in a banner post haste!

  15. Yep, the new layout/logo works fine in Firefox but not so much in Safari. Don’t worry though – you won’t lose any readers over it. The header is the only part that isn’t working.
    Same question/comment as Teri – it does look suspiciously like chicken poop on Fred’s shirt!

  16. I LOVE the redesign, and the percentage-based whatzmawhoozit works for me! It looks perfect now!
    And…I totally saw that picture of Joss Stone, and before I read any of the surrounding text, thought, “What IS Juliette Lewis up to these days?” So clearly you are correct.

  17. 1. 12 (and you know what they say about guys with big feet…)
    2. no, paint
    3. Still no

  18. Alright Robyn… here are my questions…
    Who/What inspires you?
    What animal do you think is your spirit guide/totem? Why?
    Also, What is your most FAVORITE recipe in the world?

  19. My Questions:
    1. You don’t post entries on the weekend. Do you stay off the computer for the entire weekend? How much time per day would you say you spend on the computer, now that you are busy with Crooked Acres?
    2. What do you and Fred weigh now?
    3. Have you ever checked out the “lifecams” on justin.tv? and would you ever think of wearing one yourself around Crooked Acres”
    4. What veggie will you NOT grow next year that you did this year and why.
    5. What do you think of Star Jones and all the hoopla about how she lost her weight
    6. You guys do an awful lot, where do you get all your energy???!
    Thats it for now
    Thanks!

  20. Fred’s happy grin (3rd pic) made me laugh out loud. That man sure loves his girls (but their feet are still icky and scary)!

  21. OK, I am getting a little worried about Fred and his ‘Chicken Man’ tendencies. Fred does realize he has plenty of cats to play with right? That playing with the farm fowl is a bit… odd?
    Fred may need some intervention I am afraid. He is way too happy living the farm boy life. (And gawd do I envy him says this former hobby farm gal!)

  22. I like your redesign, though I do get the screwy looking logo. I recently went to a three column layour and now I’ve been told my page is loading very slowly. or not at all, for some readers. I deleted a widget or two and it seems a little better. You have loads of stuff on yours and it loads just fine.
    And I sooo want the code for your archive calendar. And some of that corn from your garden.
    You can keep the giant bugs, though. Please.

  23. Yay new layout! I like it a lot. I saw in the comments you had a lot of entries for your August banner… sucks to be popular, huh. 😀
    I may have a BOOK for you shortly. I will investigate next week.

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