CAE – Page 14 – Bitchypoo

1/23/09

I watched the two-hour episode of Lost yesterday, and then I started watching the hour recap show that aired before that (then I stopped watching the recap show, because I had the latest Housewives of the OC show to watch), and may I just say – HOLY CRAP, I forgot how much hotter Sawyer was … Continue reading “1/23/09”

If Saturday Night Live does a parody of Lost, they should have the time-shift, then Sawyer and the gang wandering through an episode of My Three Sons, time-shift, then the gang wandering through an episode of The Brady Bunch, time-shift, wandering through an episode of CSI, and so forth.

No? Too obvious?

By the way, are Fred and I the only ones who see Sean Whalen (Neil, who existed in that episode of Lost only to pull off the “Fire!” line) and say “Hey, look! It’s the Aaron Burr guy!”?

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

I also went to see the movie Doubt. It was great-it totally captured the feel of a 1960’s parochial school/parish experience (minus any abuse in my case). I think it should have won some awards. Heavy subject matter but I like that. Meryl Streep was wonderful.

I really, REALLY want to see Doubt – Fred sent me the link to the trailer when it first came out, and it’s so rare to see Meryl Streep in the part of the “bad guy” that I’m looking forward to seeing it.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

I actually like this cookie recipe. I do alter it a little. I use jumbo eggs (because that’s what we always buy), milk chocolate chips, and add a little extra bread flour to compensate for the larger eggs. Anyway, my family and friends really like them. Cookies are my thing, though. I can’t cook, but I can bake cookies. I’m going to try your frozen egg thing one of these days too!

I might have to try that recipe this weekend – it looks good, and you can never have too many chocolate chip cookie recipes!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

About the Kindle and other reading devices…they seem neat, but here’s my problem with them. You don’t go to bookstores to get your books anymore. BOOKSTORES! One of my all-time favorite places to be. Also, I like the feel of books, the paper kind.

That was my original thought about the Kindle – but then I thought about it some more, and you know, I think it wouldn’t actually completely replace real books for me. I’d probably use the Kindle to read the books that I know I want to read, the ones written by my favorite authors or that other people strongly recommend. But I’d still go to the book store and browse, and I’d definitely still visit the used book store. The Kindle would be more of a supplement to real books for me, not a replacement.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

I realized at some point that there are lots of people who know their blood type. I didn’t know my blood type, and (apparently) that’s some really important information to know. So, just to find it out, I donated blood at the local red cross! Turns out I’m A+

A plus! Plus! Plus! Plus!

I feel it important for some reason to note that at one point I did know what my blood type was, but since it was nothing exciting, like the universal donor type or the universal recipient type, I promptly forgot what it was.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Just a thought… I wonder how many people looking for infertility treatments end up here this week b/c of all the frozen egg references?

I actually have a robots.txt file on my site to stop random people from Googling up things like frozen eggs and ending up here. If you search specifically on “Bitchypoo” or some other terms you’ll probably still end up here – but as often I use the many forms of “fuck”, I thought it best to try to slow down the flood of random surfers who were ending up here. So far, it seems to be working fairly well!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

The best recommendation I’ve heard for a stray cat ‘house’ is to take an old piece of carpet or an old stiff throw rug, roll it up and put it inside the pet carrier making a sort of tube. If you’re feeling particularly nice you can add a towel or old throw blanket as a liner. The carpet will insulate and cut down on cold wind. I used this a few years back when a friend bought a house that came with an outside cat – I gave him the insulated carrier to use on his back porch until there was enough room at the shelter where I volunteer to bring in the cat.

What a neat idea!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

We got a kitty-sized igloo (kittyloo?) for some ferals that live outside our front door and put some nice clean straw in it. The kitties seem to love it. We keep trying to coax them indoors but they always run away. We’d really like to get them to vet and have them fixed — any ideas?

It sounds like you’re going to need to trap them. If there’s a Friends of Ferals in your area, they might be willing to lend you a trap or two to get the task accomplished. In fact, you might check with any shelters in your area – they might be able to lend you a trap or tell you where to find one cheap!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

For the Cat Enabler: please give that kitty an option other than someone’s car engine to crawl up in. *SHUDDER* I remember a cold morning with a stray kitty next to a fan belt and parents going to work…. You are a kind, generous person ((hugs)) to you!

Indeed!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Here is another great website much like TasteSpotting.

Thanks for the link – I’ve added it to my Google Reader!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

You mentioned not too long ago that your cleaning rags had some sort of build-up on them and weren’t absorbing as they had before. You were going to try using some Tide (I think) to see if maybe the homemade laundry detergent was the source of the build-up. Did the Tide help any? I use some microfiber rags from Sam’s around my house, and now I, too, am finding they don’t absorb like they used to. Since I was a few months behind you in trying out the homemade soap, I’m wondering if it’s the cause.

I did try the Tide, and after a couple of washes, my cleaning rags have gone back to absorbing like they should. I’m going to use Tide for my towels and cleaning rags from here on out – because what good is a towel that won’t absorb, I ask you? NO GOOD AT ALL!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

My mom is about to become a 6 cat household. I blame you.

Oh, sure. Y’all alllllllllllways blame the pusher!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

oh my Tortie used to excessively groom. She was bare on her underside. Since she’s trimmed down almost 5 pounds in 2008 (she was 18 lbs and is now 13), she hasn’t done it. Today she broke in the new vet. She bit his tech and pooped on the doc. She HATES the vet’s office.

“She bit his tech and pooped on the doc” make me laugh out loud. HEE – I bet the vet didn’t know what s/he was in for!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

A+-the same as my Mom. Found out when I donated blood 30 years or so ago (God I’m getting old). Sweet that Fred’s Dad was so concerned. I am the oldest of five and we look somewhat different so we teased my Mom about the milkman, mailman, eggman , butcher etc. I am also one of the two planned kids. Did you know in 1970 a woman needed to have 5 children and her husband’s signature to get her tubes tied? My Mom’s last pregnancy almost killed her too. It’s a good thing times have changed. I wouldn’t trade my siblings for the world but those rules were rough on women.

Holy crap – five kids AND her husband’s signature? I had no idea! Hey – I don’t remember having to sign anything when Fred had his vasectomy. I wonder if I could sue!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Can you guys maybe post a sign saying something to the effect of “Sorry–chickens are not for sale!”?

Probably we could, and if it keeps up, maybe we might! (But then, what would Fred over-explain to complete strangers?!) (I’m sure he’d find something! Heh.)

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Last time I was over in Decatur, I saw a truck with some sort of poultry (guessing chickens). They were stacked in these tiny cages with no protection from the wind and noise and I felt so damn guilty for ever eating chicken in a commercial restaurant that probably buys them from a factory farm.

We see a lot of big trucks with stacks and stacks of cages stuffed with chickens when we’re driving into town. I hate seeing them, but what I hate even worse is when we see several dead chickens by the side of the road – occasionally, it appears, one of the cages comes open and the chickens fall out, and it’s just a very sad sight to see. Poor things.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

I planted an ash tree in our previous backyard and my 2 dogs chewed it down to about 6 inches but it must’ve had a good root system–it started growing again the following spring! Maybe your weeping willow will do that too, I imagine that would make a great shade tree for them.

Neither of us thought of that – unfortunately, Fred pulled the resultant Weeping Willow stick up and let the dogs have it (they like to play rousing games of “I have the stick!”/ “Hey, that are mine!”). We’re going to the flea market again this weekend, maybe we’ll buy another Weeping Willow and give it a try!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Maybe you’ve addressed this before, but … sheep? Have you considered adding sheep to Crooked Acres? You could grow your own lamb and … sweaters? Anyway, if you did, would George and Gracie also guard them or are they purely for the chickens and you’d need to add to your canine population as well? And this could get out of hand REAL quick.

I actually want sheep less than I want goats, and I want goats not at all.

I don’t think we really have enough land to put sheep back there – I don’t want our 4 1/2 acres to get crowded, and the back forty is really (as far as I’m concerned) for the dogs and the chickens. If we were, against my desires, to get sheep, I’m not sure how that would work – I’d imagine that George and Gracie would learn that the sheep are part of their flock and thus need to be protected as well.

We’re going to get pigs this weekend, and I’m curious to see how that’s going to go. The dogs can’t get into the pig-yard portion of the back forty, but they’ll obviously be able to see and smell the pigs, so we’ll see! Fingers crossed that the dogs don’t stand there and constantly bark at the pigs…

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

This is unrelated to today’s post, but I finally got around to looking up info on Tim Tams. They’re in Wikipedia, and I learned how to do a Tim Tam Slam; now I must get to Target.

I’ve never actually tried a Tim Tam Slam, since I’m not really one for hot beverages, but I hear it’s close to a religious experience!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Real Housewives of the OC. Y’all said:

OMG! Lynne needs to shut her mouth. Gretchen needs to get the beneficary thing straightened out. Jesus, I never thought i would never agree with Vicki but damn, she is right!!!! Tamra is still a bitch. Etiquette demands that you treat your guests with respect.

and

Speaking of RH of OC, please tell me I am not the only one who has trouble looking at the train wreck that is Vicki? I cannot stand her to begin with but her face seems to be more hideous each time I see the show, which isn’t all that often. If she isn’t the biggest hypocrite in the world, I want to know who is. She clearly hates Gretchen and Lynne. Lynne seems to be a good person for the most part (she would be pure awesome if she wasn’t so vain) and I like how she is trying to protect Gretchen from the other evil blonde ones. Lynne is growing on me somewhat too. And Tamra. OMG! She seems to just be pure evil. How could she try to set Gretchen up for a fall with her own son??? Gross! I have never been in a fight, but I am sure if I ran into Tamra I would have no problem punching her in the throat. OKay… deep breath. Think happy thoughts. Back to our regularly scheduled program. *sigh*

and

I can’t wait to hear what you think about the RHoOC. My head exploded when Vicki was attacking Gretchen about how she needed to make sure she was taken care of in case whats his name dies. And then, when Lynne has the audacity to disagree with her, Vicki has a hissie fit and tells her *she* is being confrontational. Plus, does Gretchen really deserve to be “taken care of” because she is the last girl that whats his name has screwed? I don’t think so. It sounds like that guy has been married many times before and has several kids (who are almost her same age). The kids should get his money and Gretchen should be happy to have her ginormous ring and the money he has supported her with these last few months. Plus she is a total babe, she could find another sugar daddy in two seconds.

And I said:

1. Tamra seems REALLY determined to believe that Gretchen’s envious of her, isn’t she? I think Tamra is DREAMING. Also, I knew Gretchen wasn’t going to go off and make out (or sleep!) with that weasel Ryan. She might have been drunk, but she’s a good girl.

2. Jeanna really kind of does seem to like to make excuses for other people, doesn’t she? Vicki’s alcoholic ex-husband, now Jeff’s ex-wife showing up at the hospital? That – the ex-wife showing up at the hospital – seems kind of weird to me. If my ex-husband were dying in a hospital, it would never occur to me to show up to sit by his bed! Not that I wish him ill or anything, I would just consider it very much not my place.

3. Those bracelets that Lynne makes and that sell for $200 – $300? ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Between that, and Lisa (Atlanta)’s jewelry (strung together at the kitchen table with a bunch of friends), I think that maybe I need to go into the jewelry business. I mean, given – I don’t know anything about jewelry, I don’t really wear much, but did those cuffs look all that super-fabulous to you? She puts fabric on them, then glues random stuff to the front! What a business woman!

4. The discussion at lunch, with Vicki and Jeanna on one side and Lynne on the other – I actually kind of see both sides. I understand that Vicki and Jeanna wanted Gretchen to make sure she was “taken care of” and I understand that Lynne was appalled, because she thought that it was morbid, like they were saying Jeff was GOING to die, instead of hoping for the best. BUT Lynne was being too idealistic (I think maybe she didn’t understand how sick Jeff was), and at that point, I don’t know that he was up for the “If you die, am I going to be okay?” discussion with Gretchen. If she was going to have that discussion with him (and she seemed pretty uncomfortable at the idea), she should have done it months ago.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

I have the Bubba Keg!! The second bigger one, that is. Hubby picked it up for me over the road (truckdriver) to drink water out of and I love it. I can fill it up before bed and it will still be cold by noon the next day. The only complaint I have is I can’t get the damn lid off half the time. The seal must be good on it!

I used to wash Fred’s coffee cup on the weekends, but I had such a hard time getting the lid off that I stopped – I figure, if he’s that bothered by how dirty it is, he can wash it himself. There are limits!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

“Matrix move!” Bwah! I’m stealing that. Simon does that as part of his victory lap after a successful trip to the pan. Weirdo.

So many people have mentioned that their cats do the “victory lap” (ha!) after a trip to the litter box that I’m wondering if that’s when Sugarbutt gets ass-on-fire-itis. Next time he’s racing around like a lunatic, I’ll have to peek at the litter box and see if that’s what got him going!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Are the doohickeys on some of the cats’ collars invisible fence thingies or something else?

Yeah, those collars – as seen here:

are electric fence collars. We have an electric fence around the back yard, and the collars prevent them from leaving the back yard and wandering off to get mauled by coyotes or whatever. Right now, only four cats – Tommy, Sugarbutt, Mister Boogers, and Kara – wear collars, because they’re the only ones who regularly attempt to get out of the back yard. The rest of the cats are good kitties.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

But you DO have chicken cancer. Sort of.

Cancer is when cells suddenly begin to experience uncontrolled/unchecked growth and multiplication, creating a tumor which consumes resources that would otherwise nourish the rest of the body, right?

And y’all started out with one or two or four or eight little baby chicks, and are now experiencing (almost) uncontrolled/unchecked growth and multiplication of them (not those precise chicks, but you’re gonna be up to, what, 120 after the next batch hatches?). This has created a “chicken yard” which requires new henhouses, and rearranging the garage for the incubator, and buying/training guard dogs, and fending off eager would-be chicken purchasers, and…

I wonder if your subconscious is telling you to lay off of the chickens for a bit. (“LAY” off, get it, chickens, “LAY” off, see what I did there..? …? anyone?)

I saw what you did there, smartass.

Yeah, depending on how many chicks we get from the batch currently in the incubator, our chicken population will number in the low 100s. And I wouldn’t be surprised if my subconscious is all “Okay, NOW we have enough chickens?”

This chicken cancer is OUTTA CONTROL, though! Nothing can stop the growth!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

I took my cat Elphaba to the vet yesterday for a checkup and shots. She is perfectly healthy but at 17 mo old is 14 lbs. She is not a big cat she’s kind of small. I have cut back on her dry food. She gets half a can at night. The vet recommended light cat food. I’ve never seen it but I’m sure it exists. Anyone have any suggestions? She’s not a fussy eater so far (obviously she loves her food just like her owner). I wonder if she’ll hate the diet food.

I know at one point in the past we were feeding our cats “light” food – I think it might have been when Tubby was still alive – and I recall our cats liking it. I’ll be damned if I can remember what it was, though. Aren’t I helpful?

Readers? Got a diet cat food suggestion?

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Grey’s Anatomy

Hey, I haven’t watched Grey’s for a couple of seasons now so help a girl out- didn’t Denny DIE? If he is the one I’m thinking about he is delicious!

and

I can’t stand the Denny story-line. I hope they’re going somewhere with that, otherwise I will be bothered. Yes, Izzy is crazy. We all know it. Fine. Be done. At least Mer & Der don’t break up every other episode. That was getting tiresome. Have they drawn up the plans for their house?

Yeah, you’re remembering Delicious Denny correctly – and yes, he did die. But Shonda Rimes apparently has the Denny love going on, and thus spawned this ridiculous story line wherein he’s DEAD, but Izzie can still SEE him and TOUCH him and HAVE SEX with him. It’s pretty idiotic.

And of course Meredith and Derek haven’t drawn up plans for their house – if they do that, then how will they have every intern and resident in the hospital living with them?

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Robyn will you please give us a review of those damn ShamWows? I have wavered back and forth over ordering those things for months, so please let us know if they work as well as Vince (are you following me camera guy) claims. : )

and

I echo the request for a ShamWOW! review. I keep having this feeling that they are really ShamWhatevers.

and

ShamWow was the subject of my 13 yr. olds science project titled: “ShamWow or ScamWow?”. My husband saw the ads and thought “Vince” the spokesman was a riot and proclaimed all he wanted for Christmas was ShamWows.

Son did the Soda-on-the-Carpet experiment ~ too bad it was a “StainMaster” square of carpet and WOULD NOT absorb much soda (next year’s experiment, maybe?). The claim of “Absorbs 20 Times Its Own Weight!!!!” was proven false. It does, however, hold as much water as 18 paper towels.

I find ShamWows to be kinda stiff and unwieldy, but THEY ARE MADE IN GERMANY, as proclaimed right under the name on every towel several times, like they are cloth BMW’s or something. Come to think of it, that may be the reason why they are stiff and unwieldy. (Hey, I’m German so I can say that.)

I hope I get an “A” on it.

I’ll see if I can’t work up a few simple experiments this weekend and report back. I have to admit that this was a total stupid-ass impulse purchase on my part, and I’m rolling my eyes at myself, because I strongly suspect it’s going to be a waste of money!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

You can get a driver’s license at a grocery store? How awesome.

Yeah, there’s this section off to the side of the Bruno’s (it used to be Bruno’s, I think it might be Southern Family Markets now, I don’t remember) where they do tags and driver’s licenses (just renewals, not the testing) and taxes. It’s pretty convenient!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

How is Joe Bob? You have not mentioned him since your sister was down.

In his cat bed, atop the bookcase in the kitchen, Joe Bob says “How YOU doin’?”

Joe Bob is doing just fine. It’s coming up on a year since we adopted him, and I feel it’s really been in the last few weeks that he’s truly completely integrated into the “pack.” There are less incidences of the other cats picking on him, he seems really happy, and he’s carved out his “spot” in the house (atop the bookcase in the kitchen, usually). He and Stinkerbelle still go at it sometimes, but I think it’s sort of a case where they are secretly in love, but fighting their feelings.

That Stinkerbelle, she’s a hussy.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Do you read Living the Country Life magazine? Subscription is free. This month’s cover story is on Great Pyrenees!

The funny thing is that not only do we get that magazine at home, Fred gets it at work too, and he brings it home every month, even though I’ve told him we already get it at home.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

i hate the bubba keg with the small bottom. i’m sure they serve ice water in hell with it, but it keeps falling over, spilling, and the sinners never get any ice water.

I share your hatred. I don’t know what Fred did with his Bubba Keg with the small bottom, but I’m kinda hoping he brings it home, so I can beat the shit out of it with a hammer. Fucking thing.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

I saw this and thought of you.

“Thawed in the refrigerator, whole eggs and egg yolks can theoretically be used as normal. We’ve found that we don’t get quite the same leavening in baked goods with previously frozen eggs, so we tend to use them in recipes where this isn’t an issue”

Very interesting – I hadn’t heard that you should add salt to the eggs before freezing, but maybe I’ll give that a try and see how it goes! Thanks for the link.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

They’re coming around, these two kittens. Rumba allows petting more than Samba does – though I can’t blame Samba, really. Twice a day we pick her up and shoot medicine down her throat, who can blame her for being a bit skittish? She’s still an angel about it. She sounds better, but still congested. I think I might put a humidifier in the room with them, I think it would help with the congestion.

They are super-playful little girls. It always amazes me how hard kittens play, kicking and biting and leaping on each other, and no one gets hurt. It’s just part of the day, jumping on their sister and biting her neck, then racing around the room, running up the cat tree, leaping off, and racing in to use the litter box.

More pictures over at Love & Hisses.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Note that while Spanky’s looking at the camera saying “Wha?” and Tommy’s giving the camera his sexy gaze, Newt is looking at Tommy and going “Nyah!”

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Previously
2008: Since it’s getting late and I need to scoot out of here, how ’bout some links to check out, some pictures to admire, and a promise to see you tomorrow?
2007: Questions answered.
2006: You can’t ride two horses with one ass.
2005: No entry.
2004: Damn Home Depot.
2003: Yep. READY FOR SPRING!
2002: Sam’s rocks. Just so you know.
2001: I don’t know how on earth I missed it the first time around. But I’m sure it was Fred’s fault.
2000: “Fred, is F-A-G a bad word?”

1/16/09

The spud made it home yesterday just fine. She was flying via US Air, but she wasn’t on the flight that went into the Hudson. Thank god. (And thank god that all passengers made it off that flight!) & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & … Continue reading “1/16/09”

The spud made it home yesterday just fine. She was flying via US Air, but she wasn’t on the flight that went into the Hudson. Thank god.

(And thank god that all passengers made it off that flight!)

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

When Fred called me at home yesterday and recounted this conversation with his father, I howled. Because first of all, FRED LOOKS JUST LIKE HIS FATHER. I would have thought that his father’s first step would have been to call Fred and ask what his blood type was, just to be sure that he remembered correctly. I’m curious as to whether or not Fred’s father discussed this with Fred’s stepmother at all, because she’s a very sensible woman, and I would have thought she’d tell him he was being a dumbass.

I do feel some sympathy for the man, I’m sure he struggled long and hard whether to tell Fred, why it must have been a good twelve hours of fretting and googling, but mostly I’m just shaking my head and laughing.

(Also, who are you weirdos who actually KNOW what your blood type is? I haven’t got a clue what my blood type or the spud’s blood type or for that matter, what the blood type of any of my family is.)

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Robyn, I think you should write to Alton Brown and ask him to do a frozen and thawed vs non-frozen egg show, and let us in on the science of this. Inquiring minds want to know!

I think that if the cookies I make later today come out cake-y and prove my frozen-and-then-thawed eggs = cake-like cookies theory is proven correct, then I very well might do that!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Now, why did this make me think of you?

more animals

Hmph. I cannot imagine!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

I keep meaning to ask you if you have any Bathroom Kitties? My male cat Chip is almost inevitably in the shower several times a day or just laying about on the floor in front of it. Amber shows NO interest, but he the total Guardian of the Shower. Cracks me up.

We have Spanky, who is our Bathroom Ambassador. If you walk toward the bathroom, Spanky gets very excited and runs so that he is walking into the bathroom ahead of you. He rubs against every surface he sees, and he purrs and purrs. Then you say “Okay, I’m fine, you may go now” and he vacates the premises. He just wants to make sure you’re comfortable before he leaves you alone, apparently.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Jesus H. I stop reading for a week and you have dogs.

That’s why you can never take your eye off me for one minute! “Stop reading for a week” indeed!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

The second pic that Nance took of you, you look about 12!

My favorite picture of those three is the last one. I look so concerned, like I’m about to say “And how does that make you FEEL?”, and it cracks me up every time I see it.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

What kind of teeny birds are those on the feeder? their color looks so… milky or something. but not like, white. just… smooth and blended. even though I don’t really blend my milk.

Those are Tufted Titmouse – which I only know because I posted a picture of them shortly after we bought this house and was like “What the hell are these?” and several people told me what they are. I think they are seriously purrrrrty.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

You have the prettiest birds, really. But that won’t stop me from have chicken pot pie for dinner tonight

I agree, we have some very pretty chickens – and it doesn’t stop us from eating chicken, it surely shouldn’t stop anyone else!

Earlier this week, we had chicken enchiladas and I had enough meat left over to make a small batch of chicken and rice casserole. SO good!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

I have been taken aback at this season’s Real Housewives. I got interested in it last year (The Orange County is my favorite, the others are just wannabes). But the CATTINESS!! I don’t remember it being so blatant last year, do you? Last year, it seemed more like it just highlighted each of their lives. This year, they are so catty, they are meowing. Or did I miss it last year??

and

The Real Housewives is my favorite guilty pleasure. They are beyond catty this season. Is it just me or is Vicki the most obnoxious person to ever draw breath? Poor Don and her poor kids! Love to hate her.

I think the Housewives have increased their assholery since last year. The most recent episode made me really REALLY not like Tamra and her trashy fucking son. God, what a couple of sleazeballs. Did you see the way he kept pawing Gretchen? HE GRABBED HER ASS when she was clearly beyond three sheets to the wind.

Vicki is the most insecure, neediest woman I have ever seen in my life. Between the following her mother around begging “Tell me you love me!” and “How come you never buy anything for ME?” and the automatically disliking the new housewives, and the bitchiness about how Gretchen likes to be the center of attention – POT KETTLE BLACK, Vicki!

I feel sorry for Gretchen, because she’s such a sweet girl and to be thrown in with those women, especially Tamra, who is clearly so very perfect that she can pass judgment on Gretchen taking a day off to get away from the hospital. Tamra deserves Simon-the-douche, I think.

GOD I LOATHE TAMRA. ALSO VICKI.

And Lynne and her husband at dinner, talking about how a bottle of wine was missing and it was probably their daughter, gosh we should really do something about that, yeah let’s get right on that, :shrug: I predict an alcohol-related accident on their daughter’s part before the season is over.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

I swearz….I was just looking at some lolcats….and look what I found!

I love that site!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Love the names you picked out for the Dogs, I am assuming George Burns and Gracie Allen?

But of course – although I have to admit that I didn’t come up with the idea on my own. It was shortly after I read this entry at One December that we decided to get dogs, and I immediately knew that I wanted to use those names.

Fred protested, but he didn’t have a choice in the matter.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

In one paragraph you say “where did my muscles come from?” and then in the next paragraph you talk about pushing 240lbs of kitty litter around. I’m not a Dr. and I don’t even play one on TV, but I’m guessing you may have answered your own question.

and

Muscles come from lugging litter and Jimmy’s cracked corn and boxes and kitty crates, etc., etc., etc.

Okay, I suppose you have a POINT. I was just surprised because I haven’t done any more of that stuff in the last year than I did the year before – but my mistake was in not realizing that it’s entirely possible that I gained muscle from doing all that in 2007, I just didn’t have an InBody scan to compare it to from the previous year!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Off topic, did Nance tell you that they have FiestaWare cat and dog bowls? I confessed in her comment section awhile back that I’m such an addict that my cats eat out of FW bowls. My complaint is that they don’t offer them in all of the colors, so our cat bowls don’t match our plates and bowls. My name is Mia and I am an addict.

No, she certainly did not tell me that – Nance, you have been lacking in my FiestaWare education!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

I also saw the Purina One food. I was just curious…does that seem to work well with the kitties? I am using Iams and would like to switch, since Purina One is slightly less expensive.

I actually bought that bag of Purina One Urinary Tract Health food a few months ago when Joe Bob developed a UTI. We got the prescription stuff from our vet, and I thought I’d try them on the Purina One version, but they liked the prescription stuff so much that I didn’t have the heart to switch them over.

I’ve always heard good things about Purina One food, though, if that helps!

(By the way, when my sister and nephew were visiting, she kept calling Joe Bob “Billy Joe”, and it cracked me UP.)

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Hmm..we used to use Fresh Step, but the dust was terrible. Do you not have that problem?

Yeah, it’s pretty dusty, but the litterboxes are all in locations (laundry room, bathroom, foster kitten closet) where the dust doesn’t bother us.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

I can see Spud has features that are different from yours, but riddle me this? If she doesn’t look like you, then explain the phenomena that is how her and Brian look like brother and sister? LOL

It’s a mystery, is what it is! Like someone mentioned, it’s probably that she looks enough like me that people see the resemblance, and Brian’s mother and I look like each other, so he resembles her, so there’s enough of a resemblance there that they look like siblings? Maybe? Sounds good to me!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Random question – what is that green thing by Claudette as she is grooming herself in the sun?

It’s a laser toy. You turn it on, open the top, and a laser light goes in circles. Some cats find it fascinating, other cats couldn’t be less interested.

Here it is, in action:

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Glad to see that Miz Poo is overseeing Claudette’s grooming techniques. You would not want to adopt a kitten out that doesn’t know proper grooming techniques.

Miz Poo always likes to make sure that the babies are super clean before she releases them out into the world!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

[the vet] and the other employees of the clinic actually take ivomec every month themselves, but they’ve never tasted it straight (apparently it’s really good with Coffeemate in it)

!!! Wait – the who’s in the what now?

*a little bit of Googling later*
I had no idea that humans could get heartworms. Although Wiki says it’s of negligible consequence. Still.

I shall now proceed to spend the next three months being faintly worried that this goddamn cough, for which I have undergone four separate courses of antibiotics and multiple other treatments unsuccessfully, is indicative that I have A GIGANTIC WORM LIVING IN MY HEART SLURPING UP MY BLOOD.

“Thanks so much,” Robyn! (c;

Seriously, though, do they take it to protect themselves against heartworms, since they are high-exposure, or is there some other reason for it?

*more reading*

Wiki says: “Usually the adult worms are killed with an arsenic-based compound. The currently approved drug in the US, melarsomine dihydrochloride, is marketed under the brand name Immiticide.” [bolding mine]

!!!!!!!!

Though I didn’t ask any questions (I wish now that I had!), my impression was that the vet and employees use Ivomec as a broad-spectrum dewormer rather than a heartworm-specific dewormer.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Robyn, would you please post that link to the recipe website where they keep updating recipes and all things food? I can’t remember what it is called but it has multiple pictures of recipes on each page and continuously updates. Thanks.

Tastespotting! God, I love that site.

(I also love Half Assed Kitchen. I made the chocolate pudding last night and it was just what I needed on a cold-ass winter night!)

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

How long were your eggs frozen for? Do you think it might work if I froze some eggs for a week, thaw them, then bake? My husband has always ADORES cake like cookies. I’ve tried many recipes in the past, but none of them really were that good in my opinion. They were good directly out of oven, but then turned to bricks. I’m going to give it a try with the frozen egg theory. How long does it take to thaw and egg?

They were frozen for at least a couple of months, but I bet that if you just froze them for a couple of days or a week and then thawed them, they’d likely be the same.

I usually take the eggs out and put them in a bowl about an hour before I want to use them, they thaw pretty quickly that way!

Let me know how it goes!!!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

There is a cat in my complex who is always outside – even when it is cold. I have put a heavy fleece blanket outside on my lawn chair for it to sleep on – which he/she does regularly. But sometimes I think it is too cold for that (I have a big, mean inside cat who would hate it if I let the outside cat in, otherwise I totally would), but as a next best solution is there something like a dogloo for an outside cat? Am I enabling too much?

I think your cat friend would likely sleep in a dogloo (or other kind of less expensive dog house!) if you put one out there. For that matter, a small carrier with a blanket in it might work, too. They also make these neat self-warming pads that you could put in the bottom of the house or carrier.

Are you enabling too much? Do you know that you’re asking that question of someone who insisted that her husband build a small house for the front porch for cats who weren’t (at that point) ours? And that the house comes complete with a heated pad and a warming lamp?

Probably when it comes down to it, if the cat gets cold, s/he can likely find a place to keep warm – but there’s nothing wrong with making sure s/he’s comfortable!

Cat enablers, unite!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Kindle thoughts? (Not Yankee Kindle Candles)

It seems just the sort of thing that might interest you, combining reading and a fun gadget. I don’t have it or any other electronic reader so I can’t say whether it would be worth it.

I have actually messed around with Nance‘s Kindle and think it’s pretty damn neat. I do want one, but I decided I’d wait a year or two before I start agitating about wanting one* so that all the bugs can be worked out. Maybe I’ll get one for Christmas 2009!

* The steps to getting stuff I want are as follows: 1. Talk occasionally about the item. 2. Talk frequently about the item. 3. Talk constantly about the item. 4. Be told “THEN GET ONE IF IT WILL SHUT YOU UP! JESUS!” (Fred has a low patience threshhold when I start whining about wanting something. We both do, actually – thus the reason he now owns a Yamaha DGX-625 keyboard.) 5. Decide I’m not sure whether I really want the item. 6. Decide I do. 7. Get the item.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Robyn, I’m not sure we should take your word on the taste difference in the cookies made with the two types of eggs. The only way we will believe you is to taste the difference ourselves. Please send all of us 6 of each type of cookie for evaluation. I’ll e-mail my address to you right now!! LOL!!!!!

Wouldn’t you just die if a box o’ cookies showed up on your doorstep? 🙂 (Fred would kill me if I sent out 1200 boxes of cookies, I suspect!)

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

“I’m going to the vet’s AGAIN? Are you shitting me? Why you hate the Poo?”

(Miz Poo’s been obsessively grooming and now has herself a belly bare of fur. She’s driving me nuts. Wish us luck at the vet’s!)

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Previously
2008: Dear Peoples of the Bitchypoo Readers
2007: I suspect this behavior will not go over well with the ass-showing Mister Boogers.
2006: Things you may not know about me.
2005: No entry.
2004: I put too much perfume on this morning and now I’m sitting here with the stank rays shooting off me in every direction.
2003: And on the way home, he recounted, word-for-word a conversation he, his doctor, and I had had, only he substituted the nurse for me, and had her saying what I’d said.
2002: Ever hear of “Shut up, Junior, that’s rude, and the next time you say it, you’re going to your room for the rest of the day”?
2001: I’m such a ditz sometimes
2000: I’ve turned into such an old lady.

1/2/09

New month, new logo! Thank you to Aly, who whipped up a banner for me in no time flat! Thanks, Aly. You rock! & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & We left out of here mid-morning yesterday because … Continue reading “1/2/09”

New month, new logo! Thank you to Aly, who whipped up a banner for me in no time flat!

Thanks, Aly. You rock!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

We left out of here mid-morning yesterday because Fred had no pressing projects to do, so we decided to head up to Amish country (Lawrenceburg, TN) for a few hours.

To our surprise, none of our usual stops were open. New Year’s Day is a holiday and lots of places close on that day! Huh. Who the hell knew?

Since the little general store in Bodenham wasn’t open (we’d been hoping to buy a breakfast sandwich there, since we were both starving), we ended up stopping at a gas station to pee, and then bought a “Hunk A Pizza” to split.

We’ve been mocking the Hunt Brothers and their “Hunk A Pizza” for years now, but as it turns out, it’s pretty damn good pizza. Especially when you’re very hungry!

We drove around the Amish houses in Ethridge, but we didn’t dare to approach any houses, because we didn’t know whether they were sleeping off their wild New Years celebrations, so after an hour or so of driving around, we headed for home.

There were a LOT of hawks out and about. Well – I don’t know that they were hawks, they apparently could have been turkey buzzards according to Fred. Whatever they were, there were a lot of them!

I’d much rather see them in Tennessee than hovering over our chickens, that’s for sure.

We stopped and ate lunch at Chaparral’s Steak House (steak salads for both of us), then headed home.

It was a pretty pointless trip, but it was a lovely day and we got out of the house for a few hours, so I’m calling it good enough!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Speaking of dreams, I had a horrible dream last night that I came home from work to find a bunch of stray cats on my porch. We already have 5 cats (all were strays we SWORE we were not going to keep, ahem) and I was crying trying to figure out how I was going to find homes for them all. Then I realized one of them was Delmar and I was so upset thinking that you must be going nuts looking for him and wondering how I was going to get him back to you!

Hmm… or more likely I knew there’s a sucker at your house who provides homes for stray cats, and I left him there! 🙂

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

I have an old floor-to-ceiling cat tree that is structurally sound, but desperately needs to be recarpeted — at least the shredded legs if I’m willing to live with the faded blue of the horizontal pieces (which, being very lazy, I probably am). Have you or any of your readers ever carpeted a cat tree? Do you glue the carpet down, and if so, what kind of glue? Or do you use those huge staples that shoot out of a gun? Any recommendations on what kind of carpet is best (other than cheap remnants)?

I’ve never recarpeted a cat tree, but if anyone out there has experience, I’d love to hear about it!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

I googled build cat tree and found a lot of sites that will sell you a plan, but also this site, which has a section entitled “Do you feel up to building a cat tree?” I thought that was a great question.

One of the links is to Ron Hazelton’s Housecalls, and he has a video about how to build a cat tree. I don’t have time to watch the video right now, but I’ve bookmarked his site. I can drool over ALL the do-it-yourself projects I’m too lazy to ever actually do. Although I might actually carpet an existing cat tree because I think I’m more cheap than I am lazy.

Very interesting – thanks for the links!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

How did Mr. Boogers lose his tail?

We don’t know for sure, but we suspect he was born with just a stump of a tail. He was that way when we adopted him at about 6 months of age, so either he was born that way, or something happened shortly after birth. Either way, I cannot even begin to imagine him with a full-length tail, he wouldn’t look right!

For the record, my sister says that Mister Boogers’ tail looks longer in pictures. It’s about four inches long, if you’re curious.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

I have a feeling that when it’s time for the fosters to go to the store for adoption, they’re all going to rebel and refuse to go. Sounds like they’ve gotten a little too comfy at Crooked Acres!

Think so? I don’t know, they look pretty miserable to me…!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

This made me think of your posts talking about Tim Tams! I am going to have to watch for them!

Mmmm… Tim Tams!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Oh Robyn, didn’t you know YouTube was around all the way back in 1985?

Thanks for sharing the old video. I love Tubby, he always reminds me of Cartman when I see him. And my own slightly tubby cat, of course!

Oddly enough, I said that exact thing to Fred after I watched the video. He’s especially Cartman-like when he’s rolling around on his back looking bitchy.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

We just adopted a 3 year old cat out of foster care and we’ve found that he only drinks water out of the running faucet! He’s a sweet boy but he will howl and howl until we turn on the water. I cannot afford to have my water running all the time. Do you have any tips to break him from this habit and to just drink from his water bowl?

You absolutely need a Drinkwell fountain (look on eBay, you can probably find it much cheaper). The water imitates the water from a faucet, it runs all the time, it keeps the water clean, it’s pretty easy to clean (I clean mine about every ten days), and most of our cats love it to death. We also have a Petmate fountain upstairs, and the cats like that one, too. The Drinkwell most closely imitates the action of a faucet, in my opinion, so I’d suggest you start there.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

NINETY?! I told someone the other day that you had 45 chickens. Are you sure they’re not rabbits that just LOOK like chickens?

We haven’t actually let the chickens hatch that many of them. For a while there, it seemed like every time we went somewhere, we were picking up eggs to hatch in the incubator. Even now, when it’s really too cold to hatch eggs, Fred is agitating to hatch some featherhead eggs, ’cause he wants to know what a white-crested black polish crossed with one of McLovin’s sons would turn out to look like.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

I still haven’t tried or seen Tim Tams. I looked them up on google and it said that they include malted biscuits. Does that mean malted like “Whoppers” candies are malted? Just curious!

and then someone else said:

Hi Elissa,
Not sure about the malted biscuit part but if you like a crunchy chocolate cookie, chocolate soft frosting and chocolate coating on your tongue, then these cookies or biscuits (if you are British or Australian) are worth a try. Of course, I would check on the availability of rehab before you try them. There is no going back.

I’ll agree with that!

I don’t find any part of the Tim Tams comparable to Whoppers, really, but perhaps I need to buy a package later today (since I’m going to be RIGHT there by Target!) and double-check!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

I live about 20 minutes from Dulles! Not that you care or anything.

If I’d known that Christmas Eve, I might have called you up and asked you to run over to the Hyatt with some food for my sister and nephew! 🙂

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

What can I do to keep my 8 mo old kitten, “Snickers” (He sent you his Christmas photo) from chewing up paper. He is also into destroying book corners. Last week it was the spine of a library book. We had to shut him away from the Christmas tree as he was ripping off the wrappings on the gifts. Help! I need advice.

and someone said:

Catsy,
My cats are 12 and still like chewing up paper, destroying books, and unwrapping presents. The best advice is to keep the stuff you want to keep away from the cat. I don’t think you can “train” them not to do it.

For the most part, you can train your cats not to chew paper or whatever while you’re around with the help of a can of compressed air or a spray bottle of water, but once you leave the room, all bets are off. You really do have to train yourself not to leave anything you don’t want destroyed or chewed upon out for the cat to get hold of. Maybe when he gets older he’ll calm down a little, but you can’t count on it.

(Loved the picture of Snickers, by the way! What a cutie.)

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

I was reading your egg salad recipe, and I noticed that the yolk part of your eggs is very yellow. I seem to remember you guys (maybe Fred?) commenting that the yolks of your fresh eggs were a much darker color? The reason I’m asking is because we get fresh eggs here in England from the dairy down the road, and the yolks are SO dark they’re more of a burnt orange color than yellow. Even when boiled. I’ll have to take a pic for you.

and someone else said:

Egg yolks will be more or less yellow depending on what the hen ate. Lots of corn (high in carotenoids) in chicken feed will result in yellower egg yolks. If memory serves, flaxseed also has a lot of carotenoids and will darken egg yolks.

Where I live in Canada, the preference is strongly towards really pale yolks. The regional preference for egg yolk colour fascinates me. Visitors to my part of the world are often disturbed by how light our eggs are. (As I would be by a burnt orange coloured yolk).

Our yolks do tend to be a much darker orange than the eggs we (used to) get at the store. Our chickens eat layer rations from the co-op, the occasional handful of cracked corn, and lots and lots of bugs and grass and weeds. I also think our eggs taste a lot better than the ones from the store, but I might be the teeniest bit prejudiced.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Wow, Brian turned into a handsome young man, didn’t he! Is he tall too?

He’s just a smidge under six feet tall. He’s awfully skinny, too, which makes him look even taller than he is. He’s a string bean!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

By the way- you guys look like Robodorks hugging on that chicken.

Well, that’s because we ARE robodorks, and proud of it!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

I LOVE the chicken. I need to know where he is so we can go visit him someday.

He’s at Exit 6 off highway 65 in Elkton, TN. Go visit him, he needs the company!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

It looks like the chicken just birthed you in the first pic.

Good, ’cause that’s what I was going for! Heh.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

It’s Robyn! In jeans! Which brand did you finally decide on?

I ended up finding the Fashion Bug LA Blues Wilshires the most comfortable. They suggested the size 11 petites for me, so I ordered them, got them, and found them too big. I ordered 9 petites instead, and they fit just right. I need to order a few more pair, though – I currently only have two pair, and need a couple more to get me through the week between laundry days!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

A tip if you ever do go back to Red Robin, any of the burgers with beef patties you can ask to have petite size and it’s a smaller patty & bun, and it’s a buck less.

I’ll definitely do that next time!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

No trip to Trader Joe’s when you went to Nashville?! I was sure you’d hit it up.

No trip to Trader Joe’s this time, because we weren’t going home ’til late at night, and I’m pretty sure that I’ll want to buy stuff that needs to be refrigerated. A trip to Trader Joe’s is definitely in my future, though!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

I miss Opryland, the amusement park they tore down to build Opry Mills. But their IMAX theater is very cool. Red Robin is wonderful! Did anyone get the burger with the egg on it? I tried one of those the first time I went and it was so GOOD.

Fred always talks glowingly about Opryland and wishes it was still around, too!

None of us tried the burger with the egg on it, but I have my eye on it for the next time I visit!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

I just noticed your new(ish?) profile pic in the upper right hand corner of the page. When did Bitchypoo bring the sex-ay? It must have been before the SCOOP HANDS! Or do SCOOP HANDS! make you sexy? Seriously, you look mysterious, and can I say, beautiful in that pic. I highly approve!

::Blush:: Awww, go on, you! To be fair I had the camera set on some super-flattering setting, apparently, one I haven’t been able to duplicate since. Also, I was laying down, which helped reduce my wattle, and I was apparently having a good hair day.

(Also, SCOOP HANDS can never hurt!)

I think this is a fairer representation of what I look like on a day-to-day basis:

(In the gas station bathroom at Lawrenceburg, TN where we bought our “Hunk A Pizza.” I am clearly exhausted from the 9 hours of sleep I had the night before.)

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

I’m still snorting about you all deciding to go out instead of just ‘sitting around’ and then going to Madison to check your PO Box! Whoop-ta-ha!

Didn’t I mention that we live large ’round these parts? We totally do!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Tell me, how do you pronounce pecan? Is it pee-can or p-caun with the emphasis on the caun?

I usually pronounce it pee-can, though I occasionally go the p-caun route for no particular reason. Fred always pronounces it p-caun and mocks me for using pee-can.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

You MUST make sugared pecans! Must, must, must.

Anything that starts with ‘sugared’ HAS to be good!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

How did you like Cherryholmes? I love them!

I LOVED them! I love their sound, and they did a song that resulted in a standing ovation. And for that matter, thanks for the reminder – I wanted to download some of their songs on iTunes!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

So…Furminator. I’m about to buy one. A link you have shows a large one. Is this the size you have? Are the brushes the same for cats and dogs, except different widths?

The brush we have is this one, not the large one. I think when I bought the Furminator we have, they either didn’t have the ones specifically for cats, or I just didn’t realize they existed. I expect they’re probably the same – I use the one meant for dogs on the cats, and it works really, really well. I highly recommend the Furminator!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Doesn’t Miz Poo just look terribly miserable? Poor neglected baby!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Previously
2007: I LURVE THE LOBSTER.
2007: I’m surprised the damn government didn’t declare a “National Day of Celebration” for Wednesday to commemorate Saddam Hussein’s death, just so they could stop the mail delivery for a third day in a row.
2006: No entry.
2004: No entry.
2003: Note to self
2002: (“Damn, Robyn sure is impressed with herself, isn’t she?”)
2001: Robyn’s Resolutions for 2001.
2000: Exciting, no?

12-19-08

Get yer calendars!!! & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & You know you’ve been in a wardrobe rut when you go to have your hair cut and colored by the same woman who’s been cutting and coloring it … Continue reading “12-19-08”

Get yer calendars!!!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

You know you’ve been in a wardrobe rut when you go to have your hair cut and colored by the same woman who’s been cutting and coloring it for years and you walk in, and she exclaims “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you in jeans before!”

I’m sure she hasn’t – I’ve been wearing gray cotton pants for as long as I can remember. I’m sure the world shifted on its axis a bit when I left the house in jeans instead!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Chickens have knees? Is that where the nuggets come from?

Of course not. The nuggets come from the tenderest part of the chicken buttocks. The meat on their knees would be far too tough for dipping in tasty, tasty sweet and sour sauce!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Beware the road trip to Trader Joe’s! You’ll take home your loot, taste some of it and spend your life plotting a way to get back there again! Seriously though, we bought one of their brined turkeys for Thanksgiving and it was hands down the best turkey we’ve ever had. Their orange-cranberry tea scones rock the house too! Beware…. BEWARE!

All you’re doing is making me want to go THAT MUCH MORE, you realize? I’m calling for a road trip, soon, and if Fred won’t go with me, I’ll go by myself!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Not a fitness magazine, but I work for Eating Well magazine and it’s a food magazine with a focus on nutrition. It’s great if you love food that is healthy for you, but not just tofu and mung beans. I hope you all go out and get a subscription or 6 for the holidays!

I really like the Recipes Makeovers section!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

This is a site that you can order and they sent the person a package that allows them to pick whatever magazine they want the subscription for
https://subs.timeinc.net/giftscriptions/sitehome.jhtml

That’s such a good idea, I love it!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

I love the flooded pic of the back 40, that is so neat looking! I also like the leaves and how they match the chickens. You arranged that didn’t you? Come on, you can tell us!

Not only did I not arrange the leaves to match the chickens, I didn’t even notice ’til I read your comment that they matched!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Has the back forty always flooded like that? Or is it because the ground is froze and not letting the water drain properly?

It floods like that when we get a lot of rain in a short amount of time, usually in the spring. We got something like ten inches of rain in less than twenty-four hours. Fred was starting to worry that the water was going to come up to the house and flood us out. The water’s gone down a lot, but we still have more standing water than I’d like to see.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Robyn, are you closer to Nashville than you are to Atlanta? Because we have Trader Joe’s here too. Just sayin. In a total non-stalkery way of course. Ahem.

Yeah, we’re quite a bit closer to Nashville than Atlanta. It takes about two hours to get to Nashville, and twice that to get to Atlanta. If I really like my trip to the Nashville Trader Joe’s, I might have to institute a country-wide tour of all the Trader Joes’!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Not sure if you know this but they sell static electricity sprays that you just spray a little on and you wont get shocked anymore. I think there’s a cheaper version as well.. you just mix some fabric softener in water and spray a little on you.

Not only do I know about that spray, but I have some of it. I haven’t had much of a static problem this year, which is why I haven’t been using it. But it was like once I got the super zap in Publix, it opened the floodgates for me for the rest of the day. I hate that!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Hey, was the 1999 pregnancy planning for serious, or was it a very early setup for an April Fool’s joke?

It was serious, actually. Fred was more into the idea than I was back in ’99, but I was certainly willing to have another kid. But then time went by and after a few years we decided that we really didn’t want to have a kid, which is why he eventually had a vasectomy.

When I re-read that 1999 entry the other night, I said to Fred, “Imagine if I’d gone off the pill and we had a kid! We could have a 7 or 8 year-old running around right now!” It’s kind of weird to think about, actually. I asked him if he had any regrets that we hadn’t had a kid, and he reported that he didn’t have the tiniest iota of a regret, so that makes two of us.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

How do you know which eggs have been fertilized and are going to hatch and which eggs you can eat?

You can’t tell if an egg is fertile unless you stick it in an incubator, wait 7 – 10 days, and then candle it to see if anything’s growing in there. You can eat fertile eggs – there’s no taste difference between a fertile egg and a non-fertile egg at all. When we decide to incubate and hatch eggs, we gather a bunch of them to account for the non-fertile eggs, and after Fred candles them he discards the non-fertile ones.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Beautiful picture of you, Robyn! It reminds me of this one, except your pic is not tragic.

I am compelled to tell y’all that in that picture, I was laying down (which made it so that my chin flab kind of disappeared) and the lighting was particularly flattering. I think this picture is a truer representation of what I really look like (though you’ll note I didn’t capture my chin flab in the picture!)

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

One hardly dares to wonder how the cashier knows what kind of underwear her (presumably adult) neighbor’s son wears.

It never even occurred to me to ask! Maybe she’s a freaky stalker type who sneaks over and goes through her neighbor’s son’s drawers!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Why do the kittens look So. Pissed. Off. in that picture??? Were you teasing them about their belly fat? Did you bruise their wee kitty egos? Or did you tell them that the dream I had last night was NOT, in fact, a dream, and that all of them are coming to live with me in Houston? (My first Robyn dream! I feel like I’m part of an elite club now!!!)

I think they look so annoyed because I ran upstairs and woke them up, and they weren’t fully awake yet. I do not tease them about their belly fat, I only play with their belly fat when it’s within reach. I can’t help myself!

I always love hearing about it when y’all dream about me. Is that weird?

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

“Women after my own heart” So glad you added that. Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do. I’m not a mom and even I know that!

Oh, I did my share of bribing the spud with Happy Meals when she was little. I just thought it was funny that all those mothers, in a row, were bribing their kids with McDonald’s. No one was offering KFC or Taco Bell. I guess every kid really does love Mickey D’s!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Heck, we humans are all sensitive about our belly fat…..why should a cat be any different?

Too true. If someone reached out and played with my belly fat, they’d be drawing back a nub!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

I always look at the snippets of “On this day in year X” things at the bottom of your posts. I almost never click, though. However, I could not resist “Fred leaned down and SNIFFED MEESTER BOOGERS’ ASS AGAIN.” I laughed so hard I was sitting here with TEARS streaming down my face.

I have to admit, I went and re-read that entry, and laughed my ASS off. Fred mocks me when I laugh at something I’ve written, but damn – I can’t help it. I’m a funny motherfucker sometimes!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

I don’t think the making of the cat tree is the hard part – it’s the sticking on of the freakin’ carpet that sucks.

Amen to that. I’ve told him I’m willing to take care of the carpet-sticking and the sisal rope-wrapping, if he’ll just build the damn thing for me. I need a second cat tree for the foster kitty room!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Call me antique-identification challenged, but what is that curli-cue thing on the floor in the background of the photo of Tommy?

That’s not an antique, it’s a scratcher. I got it at the pet store. The cats mostly ignore it, although every now and then a kitten will sit on it and sharpen their claws. (Which do NOT need sharpening, believe you me!)

Also – Robyn …. Wally Lamb’s latest book is out as of last month. It’s called *The Hour I First Believed* and I got it yesterday – can hardly put it down. So far, I highly recommend it.

I just added it to my wish list, I’m sure I’ll pick it up at Target soon. So far, I’ve liked everything I’ve read by Wally Lamb, I’m looking forward to reading it.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

You have to check out these last minute xmas gifts on Gattina’s blog. They are hilarious.. especially the Crazy Cat Lady Action Figure. Funny how things can make you think of someone you have never even met.. 😛

She doesn’t come with enough cats! Is there a pack of additional cats you can buy, I wonder?

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

License plate guesses:

Dixon something, I didn’t even think about that. But I see a lot of vanity plates where it looks like their initials…maybe it’s like DX and (‘n) BX. Although I don’t know anyone whose last name starts with X, so who knows.

I think it’s boring old initials. Dan Xbing N Beth Xbing. Maybe their last name doesn’t really start w. X.

I think the plate’s owner is a hunter – So my guess would be… ducks and bucks.

It is “Docs in box”.

I think it is Dixon and Blixen – the Southern reindeer. or maybe Detox and Botox.

I bet they are dog-lovers, and it stands for dachshund … something… dachshund boxer?

I like dicks in a box. That’s what she said. (HA!)

It must be dick in a box. I just know it. Have you seen the follow-up jizzed in my pants?

I hadn’t ’til now – that is just WRONG. Hee.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Those kittens are killing me with the cute. Delmar and Lem are coming downstairs more and more during the day. Every once in a while, I’ll hear Delmar in the next room, meowing sadly like he’s suddenly realized that he is in need of love and doesn’t know where the love supply is kept. When I call him, he runs to me and I pick him up and kiss him and pet him and snuggle him, and he purrs and purrs and purrs.

I go upstairs at least a couple of times during the day, and all four kittens always join me and snuggle up to me and purr and purr and purr.

The girls are still more skittish than the boys, but compared to how they were when we first got them, it’s like night and day. I thought for a long time that Claudette would never ask to be petted, and now she demands love from me regularly.

LOVE DEM KITTEHS.

More kitten pics over at Love & Hisses.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Joe Bob has found himself a box. And he is studiously ignoring Mister Boogers, who’s sniffing around and ready to make trouble.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Previously
2007: I believe the phrase “JESUS FUCKING CHRIST ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?!” were bellowed in my car about sixteen different times.
2006: I think my favorite part of the video is at the end when the boys are eating and Miz Poo is so intent on getting a snootful of Booger ass that she is uninterested in Snack Time.
2005: I’m sure that if Rachel McAdams knew that pictures of her nipples were going to be splashed all over the internet she would have yanked out the hairs just to spare the Dork Brigade the sheer horror of having to be aware of the fact that she’s a living, breathing human and exists for purposes beyond serving as an image for them to jerk off to.
2004: I’d swear to never use Amazon again, but it’s so FREAKING convenient I just can’t help myself.
2003: Clearly we were in the presence of REALLY important people.
2002: Because I’m just that good.
2001: That’s right, damnit, I’m a chick magnet!
2000: We’re standing strong in the face of those two snowflakes.
1999: Though I guess “substance” would be a matter of opinion.

12-12-08

I live in Los Angeles and have recently been fostering dogs through a rescue called Paw’d Squad. They rescue cats and dogs. Here in L.A. there are many abused/mishandled Rottweilers and Pit Bulls. I am currently fostering my third Rottweiler. His name is Jeffrey. He was rescued when he was just about dead from starvation … Continue reading “12-12-08”

I live in Los Angeles and have recently been fostering dogs through a rescue called Paw’d Squad. They rescue cats and dogs. Here in L.A. there
are many abused/mishandled Rottweilers and Pit Bulls. I am currently fostering my third Rottweiler. His name is Jeffrey. He was rescued when he was just about dead from starvation and mange. Please check him out on the Paw’d Squad website. Also please read this and check out his pictures.

(Jeffrey, before.)

The reason I am asking you to take a look is because I have noticed you putting good charitable causes up on your journal so that your readers can donate if they want to. I am sure people would be
interested in Jeffrey’s plight. I would certainly appreciate it, as would Jeffrey and his non-profit rescue. Please tell people who donate to reference Vituperation /Bitchypoo so we can log how much gets donated.

By the way, Jeffrey has been with me for three weeks now. He is getting better and better every day. He has food, cozy beds, a roof over his head, toys, medicine and most importantly…love. None of which he has had before. He is kind and gentle, even with my nineteen year old cat Casper.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Hey, Huntsville/ Madison area residents – buy a toy, get a free haircut!

We’re running a Christmas toy drive! If you bring in a new unwrapped toy in it’s original box for Toys forTots on Monday, December 15th from 9 to 5, you get a free haircut! Stop on by for a great new look for Christmas and a chance to brighten someone else’s life. Appointments recommended, but we will serve on a first come-first serve basis. Merry Christmas!!

A Cut in Time is located on Wall-Triana Highway in Madison. Want to drop off a toy or two and not get a cut? You can do that, too!

(Thanks to Katherine for the heads-up!)

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

If you go to this web site, you can pick out a thank you card and Xerox will print it and it will be sent to a soldier that is currently serving in Iraq . You can’t pick out who gets it, but it will go to a member of the armed services with your name and town.

(Snopes confirms that this is for real.)

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

It has been raining like a motherfucker here, and yesterday afternoon about half the back forty was under a few inches of water. The chickens were thrilled.

The area right around the coop wasn’t under water, but they didn’t have to venture far to stomp through puddles, and I was actually surprised at how many of them were standing around knee-deep in the water. I was under the impression that chickens don’t like to be wet at all, but they seemed to be handling it pretty well.

I had to go across the ditch late in the afternoon to check on them, and though I was wearing boots that come to right under my knees, I was afraid they weren’t going to be tall enough. They were – just – so I didn’t end up with boots full of water. Thank god, ’cause that was some cold-ass water.

The parka that was handed down to me when my nephew outgrew it, a Columbia parka (which I’m wearing in this picture here), came in mighty handy when it came to keeping the rain off of me yesterday.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

I actually didn’t get home yesterday until around noon. I did my morning stint at the pet store, trained a new volunteer who’s taking over Thursday mornings, went to Amazon and killed some time, went back to the pet store to buy some food (which was dumb, because they’re on holiday hours ’til the 23rd and the store was actually open when I left), went to Michael’s to buy some fake poinsettias for the front porch (among other things), went over to Goody’s to browse, went by the post office (99% of the Christmas cards are mailed!), then came home and unloaded the car.

Naturally, the minute I pulled into the driveway, it went from a desultory drizzle to a fucking Noah-and-the-ark downpour, and OF FUCKING COURSE when the weather is like this you cannot just put your goddamn key in the lock and open it, you have to turn the key with one hand and pull on the door with the other so the goddamn lock will turn and so by the time I got the goddamn door open I’d dropped half of what I was carrying, so I flung the door open, bellowed “JESUS GODDAMN FUCKING CHRIST ALMIGHTY”, and kicked all my packages across the room.

Cats scattered in every direction.

With the car unloaded and most of the stuff I’d bought piled on the table (thank god we never use that table, I don’t know where I’d put all my crap otherwise), I headed back out to visit my beloved Publix.

And it was every bit the glorious experience I’d imagined. I managed to refrain – barely – from kissing all the Publix employees square on the mouth, but believe you me I WANTED to. Despite the fact that the store was packed with other area residents who LOVE PUBLIX BECAUSE IT ROCKS, I was out of there in no time flat.

I do believe I would marry that store, if it’d have me.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Spoilers for the latest episode of The Real Housewives of Orange County. Skip this section if you haven’t seen it yet (or aren’t interested)!

Six minutes into this episode, I had a heart attack when it was revealed that Jeanna paid EIGHT THOUSAND DOLLARS for her bedroom linen. There’s not even any FURNITURE involved in that sum! You can get a good used CAR for that kind of money. THAT IS MADNESS.

When Jeanna said that about Matt having the perfect body and being great in bed IN FRONT OF KARA, I howled. I think Kara wanted to run screaming from the table. I can’t stand hearing about how Matt is mean to Jeanna. I don’t think she should let him stay with her when he’s up to visit the kids – she needs space, and he’s SUCH an asshole. Jeanna’s got such pretty eyes, I wish I had silvery blue eyes like that.

Vicki and the “Woo hooooooooooo!”s are going to be the death of me.

Lauri and George have 7 kids between them? How did I not realize there were so many?? Josh is struggling with a heroin addiction – that is some scary stuff, I really feel bad for Lauri. It’s got to be heartbreaking to watch your child go through that. I’m not surprised that Lauri opted to leave the show – I think she made it clear last week that she’s kind of over the cattiness and drama and I don’t think that the publicity the show brings to Josh’s life does him any good.

Wine-tasting looks borrrrrring (it probably doesn’t help that I don’t like wine!), but the grape-stomping looked kind of fun. It was nice to see Vicki and Don actually relax a little bit together. I did NOT need to see Tamra cavorting around in lingerie and I SO did not need to hear her talking about how she and Simon ‘sealed the deal’ before they met Vicki and Don for dinner. EW EW EW. (On the other hand, if I had a body like Tamra’s, I’d probably cavort in lingerie 24 hours a day!) That restaurant was weird and confusing, and I’ll stick with Applebee’s THANKS. I’m clearly not meant for high-end restaurants!

And then the part where Vicki and Tamra were picking on Don and then Vicki started crying – boy, they know how to have a good time, huh? Unnnnncomfortable!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Now that the supercoop is finished, how about another project for Fred:

more animals

I think it would be SO COOL to have something like that in the foster room!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

I know you get asked this all the dang time, but Dave would like to know what camera you use. He loves your pictures.

I actually use two cameras – our big camera with the huge zoom lens is a Sony DSLR-A100. I use that one to take pictures of the chickens or the cats outdoors usually, but it’s such a heavy camera that I don’t take it on road trips or carry it around in my purse.

The one I carry around in my purse is a Sony DSC-W300. I take the majority of my pictures with that one, especially the ones on road trips, or upstairs with the kittens. It’s quicker to use, and I like the pictures I get with it.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

OMG!!!! I got my Daisy (her name was Sylvia) from Paw’d Squad! I adopted her back in March of 2006! She is the love of my life! She has her own blog, and everything. She also has a face book account and we have been posting on Jefferys page!

How cool is that!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Do you imagine having a kitty like this one?

I’m surprised Joe Bob’s not a toy thief. That boy smiles too damn much to NOT be a criminal.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

I swear I heard the angels sing the first time I walked through the doors of my new Super Target. I adore that place. We have Trader Joes, Marsh (locally owned and very nice thank you)and Kroger as our big grocery stores. I need Hannafords apparently. And what is Peapod?

I am VERY jealous of the fact that you’re close to Trader Joe’s. I’ve never been there, but I wanna visit! The closest one’s in Nashville. I smell a road trip in my future.

Peapod‘s the online grocery shopping site. It doesn’t deliver in our area, unfortunately, or I’m sure I’d be all over that!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

That ho shops at Safeway in Edmonton Alberta too. In the express lane, with a cheque and yapping with her friend and rearranging the items in and out of her little old lady cart.
Bitch please.

I suspect that woman has doppelgangers all OVER the world, existing solely to cause aneurysms and spread hate and anger wherever she wanders.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

I agree with Christina N, above – “While you’re waiting for radio-fetcher/battery-decision-maker to get back, let’s go ahead and ring my purchase up instead of wasting everyone’s time. It’s only a few items, so even if Other Customer does come back before we’re done, she won’t have to wait too long.” Not a question, a statement.

You know, I would have considered saying something like that, but I honestly never expected that the checkout process would last so freakin’ long – I kept thinking it was allllllllmost over, and yet it dragged on and on and on.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

What’s wrong with Porkkly Dorkkly? I mean, I know your last visit was painful but it can’t always be bad like that, can it? Or is it that Publix is just wonderful in comparison? I haven’t been to a Porkkly Dorkkly in decades and I’ve never been to a Publix, so I was just wondering.

It’s partly that the store sucks (last time I was in Porkkly Dorkkly, they were out of onions. ONIONS. Who the hell runs out of onions?) and partly that Publix is so awesome that Porkkly Dorkkly suffers by comparison.

(I do have to admit that if Porkkly Dorkkly has a really good sale, I’ll likely force myself to stop by and stock up!)

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Question for Friday – what is your favorite fitness magazine? I am looking for a xmas present for my sister.

I think the only fitness magazine I subscribe to these days is Self, and I really, really like it. I used to read Women’s Health, but if I recall correctly it tends to be so full of ads that there was no real content to the magazine.

Anyone else have a fitness magazine suggestion?

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Oh, I have a horror story. I sold real estate for a few years. Agents would sometimes send me e-mails with info for my clients — and sometimes there would be catty, nasty comments made by the realtor about my clients or theirs. (Real estate can be very high pressure and people can go a little insane when selling or buying a house. I think agents sometimes vented by being bitchy — I never did!!! I appreciated my clients!) So I would edit out the nastiness about the client and forward the e-mail on with only the pertinent info that the client needed to know, (dates, money amounts, etc.)

Little did I know that when I made the edits and forwarded the e-mail, the ORIGINAL E-MAIL SENT TO ME WAS ATTACHED. So the clients could read my edited e-mail and then the nasty e-mail sent to me by the other agent. We had an archaic e-mail system at the time that didn’t save a copy of the e-mail being sent, so it took a fairly long time for me to figure out what was happening. If I recall right, one day I cc’d myself on something I sent a client and I figured it out. I felt really sorry for the clients who read mean things about themselves. No one ever said anything, though.

and

That reminds of a time when I sent a very smartass remark regarding a coworker to THAT ACTUAL COWORKER! I’d absentmindedly put her name in the address book instead of the intended recipient. OMG, I had to pretend like it was a joke. Luckily, she seemed to buy it. I still cringe when I think about it though.

Ohhhh, these stories just make me cringe! But at the same time it’s kind of reassuring to know that I’m not alone!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Relevant to absolutely nothing (but cats), this is too funny; my kids and I quote the end every day!

Too funny!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Have you thought about guineas? I know those little mothers are LOUD. They squawk when someone drives up and they squawk when something (dog, etc) gets close. As for protecting, I don’t know, just know that they’re some kind of “watch dog”.

and

I think someone mentioned guinea hens (I probably spelled that wrong). My uncle had quite a few on his ranch and as I remember they were quite dumb and continually got run over because they would run toward cars. Possibly trying to be protective but it just didn’t work out. You had to drive in quite a long way on a dirt road to get to the ranch house and those birds would literally lunge toward any cars. They would see their bird friends get run over and then they would do it too. Just a vicious cycle of poor dumb guinea hens – possibly they really aren’t all that dumb, maybe he had a bad batch!

Kamikaze guinea hens!

My concern with guinea hens is that they’d be so obnoxiously loud that it would disturb our next door neighbor, and she’s such a good neighbor that I don’t want to annoy her.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

I see you have a control knob on your cute little piggie [humidifier] – does it make a big difference between the different settings mist production wise? I want to get one for when the kids rooms for when they are sick, but their rooms are so small that using a regular vaporizer with their doors closed makes horrible condensation (read: indoor rain) on the ceiling and walls. (We 2 have naughty cats that drive the kids nuts at night, so we keep their doors closed.)

Yep, the control knob makes a big difference – when it’s turned all the way up, the steam shoots out the pig’s ears. When it’s turned all the way down, steam barely comes out the pig’s ears.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

do you ever get lonely since the spud left?

Actually, not really. I miss the spud, but even when she lived here, she was gone a lot. We text and talk frequently, so I get to know what she’s up to.

I’m really looking forward to her visiting next month, though!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

We had a serious discussion about the Christmas budget. The adults agreed to scale back and we (with my son’s approval) decided to take 10% of the budget to buy food for the animal shelter. He helped buy and deliver it this past weekend. We are certainly doing other things as well, but the shelters here are really in need of donations – more than we are in need of more stuff.

This is SUCH a good idea!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Hey Robyn. Just a word of caution-anyone who has cats should definitely steer clear of liquid potpourri. It is sweet like anti-freeze and once ingested is deadly. My orange tabby who looks just like Suggie got into this a few years back and ended up with a fever of 105 and a hole burned through his tongue. I threw that shit out faster than you can say HUGE VET BILL!!!!

That’s some scary stuff, thanks for the warning!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

It appears that Tommy isn’t particular about which orange cat he snuggles with. The other night Lem climbed into the cat bed with Tommy, and Tommy was all “Okay, I guess you need a bath!”, and he licked and licked and licked Lem.

And then Lem apparently got too big for his britches and required a smackdown, and Tommy was only too happy to comply.

Then Lem stomped off, and Tommy stretched out alone in his bed for a few minutes of uninterrupted slumber.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Previously
2007: I’m telling you, the book-buying thing. It’s an illness!
2006: I did a lot of nothing yesterday
2005: (If you must know, it’s the “Tinferl” that really hit my funny bone. I don’t know. Don’t look at me like that. Shaddup.)
2004: Those two just make me shudder. And not in a good way.
2003: “Hey!” he thought to himself. “I think that might be the same bird and the same feeder!”
2002: “That’s okay, Bessie. I hate you sometimes, too,” he said.
2001: No entry.
2000: A blue spark leapt from my tender, sensitive pinky finger to the door of the Jeep in the Wal-Mart parking lot, and I all but screamed.
1999: But if I end up MIA, y’all know where to tell the cops to look…

12/5/08

It’s that time of year! If you want a holiday card from Crooked Acres, go here and follow the directions. I will absolutely send cards to other countries. If you’d like to send me a card (definitely not required, but always appreciated), you can send it to PO Box 565, Madison, Alabama, 35758. & & … Continue reading “12/5/08”

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Get yer calendars!!!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

It got so cold yesterday that I finally gave up, went out to the wood shed, got a pile of wood, and made a fire. I’m apparently a fire-building prodigy, because that fire was AWESOME.

(Okay, maybe the Yankee Kindle Candles had something to do with it. MAYBE.)

Now that I know I can build fires with not much trouble, I’m going to be a fire-building fool.

The only problem is that I have to leave the back door cracked so the cats can go out in the back yard, and even if I just leave the door open a tiny bit, the air from outside is FRIGID and it kind of makes it pointless to build a fire.

There’s a doorway between the kitchen and laundry room, and there was originally a door there. We took it down because it kind of got in the way, but I think Fred’s going to put it back up this weekend and put a cat door in it. That should hold back at least some of the cold air. I hope.

(Yes, I could just make the cats stay inside when it’s 25 degrees outside, but they like going outside SO much, and they get SO miserable when they can’t, and they are SO spoiled rotten that I can’t bring myself to abuse them so.)

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Too cute:

See more funny videos and TBT Videos at Today’s Big Thing.

(Thanks, Deserie, for sending it my way!)

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Do you think you could get the recipe for the popcorn from Nance? I’ve been looking for a good one for some time.

Anyone who wants the popcorn recipe, email me and I’ll send it along to you.

Let me say here, though, that I brought a big-ass tin of the popcorn home with me and His Majesty didn’t care for it. I still thought it was good, but I’ll admit that it’s best when it’s fresh.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Silly me, I assumed that when chickens roosted they would “sit” facing the same direction. It’s so nice of you to give Newtles such a nice, private place to sleep. Too bad you will need to wash the towels regularly.

I always thought they’d face the same way, but when you think about it, it makes sense that they’d face opposite ways – I bet they fit together better that way, and stay warmer!

You think too highly of my housekeeping skills. I don’t wash those towels regularly – I just don’t take from the top of the pile! (Those are extra towels, ones we use to dry off cats or the floor if we’ve gone out in the rain and subsequently dripped water all over the floor. They’re not the ones we use after showering or anything.)

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

When I was a vet tech we had one [a Great Pyrenees] come in that had gotten into antifreeze, VERY DEADLY, and the treatment then was iv alcohol. That’s right, iv EverClear to be more specific. For 3 days we had to keep him drunk. They’re not small dogs, it was like having a drunk human to deal with. Even while he was smashed he did try to keep the concerned look going, well until he’d pass out.

I actually had no idea that there was a treatment for pets that had gotten into antifreeze, I thought it was an automatic death sentence. Ya learn something new every day, eh?

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Chicken ears?! I guess I never thought of their ears before!

I know, isn’t it odd to think of chicken ears? How else would they hear the “OMIGOD THERE’S FOOD” call from the other chickens, though?

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

How is it that you have no Maine accent what so ever? I spent the 8th grade in Bangor and I could barely understand what those kids were saying.

‘Cause I didn’t actually grow up in Maine. My growing-up years were spent in Canada, Indiana, Michigan and Guam, ’cause my father was in the Air Force. When I worked at LL Bean many years ago, taking orders, a caller asked why I sounded like I was from the Midwest instead of Maine. I don’t think I sound like I have any accent at all, personally.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

I curse you for telling me about Tim Tams. I went to Target today and looked for them, found them on sale, brought them back to work and proceeded to eat 1/2 the box. They are very good. Thank goodness I don’t go to Target often, but if I found my car heading in that direction I will quickly re-direct. Tim Tams are the devil!!!

I AGREE. I asked Fred yesterday if he needed anything from Target and he said “Tim Tams!”, so I bought a pack of the regular and a pack of the caramel. I behaved and didn’t eat any during the day, but once he got home and opened the pack, it was ALL OVER. (I prefer the chocolate creme to the caramel, personally.)

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

I passed by the Tim Tams the other day deciding that they must be evil bits of crack best to be avoided.

Smart thinkin’! I recommend you all stay far, far away from Tim Tams. They are EVIL. It’s how Australia will end up taking over the world – we’ll all be rolling around, clutching our guts and moaning in pain, and they’ll just swoop right in and conquer us. Those wily damn Australians!

You sound softer and gentler in real life than you did in my head. I’m sure that sounds insulting but I don’t mean it to be. Maybe it’s because I have the audio image of you bellowing “Who wants snackin’?” in a not so docile voice in my head. Aaaanyway, I’ll just shut up now.

It always surprises me when I hear a blogger’s voice and they sound all sweet and girly. For some reason, in my mind most of you sound like pack-a-day whiskey drinkers.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

I don’t know why I was so surprised that you didn’t have a southern accent – this is the first time I have heard you talking and in my mind I always think you would have a southern accent, even though I know you are from the North.

I has no accent at all! I am neutral!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

I LOVE that picture of Maddie by the tree. And doesn’t Nance have the most awesome ornaments on her tree?

It was really nice to have Nance’s Christmas tree to admire and get me in the holiday mood, ’cause we won’t have a Christmas tree this year and I always like a nice Christmas tree. With ten cats, it’s just too much of a pain in the ass to put up a tree, but I’ll still have decorations scattered around the house. Nance had some really nice ornaments on her tree – including one I sent her the year she adopted Maddy, with a picture of Maddy in it, and “My first year” across the top of it. (The sock monkey’s my favorite, though!)

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

You should do a video journal entry sometime (with you and/or you and Fred). That would be awesome!

I don’t even have to check with Fred to know his answer is “When hell freezes over!” He’s camera shy and doesn’t like the sound of his voice (I don’t know why – I think it’s a perfectly nice voice.)

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Is the Spud going to visit you anytime?? You must miss her.

She’s supposed to come visit in January! Yay!!!!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Which cats are indoor/outdoor and which are only indoor and why? Are any declawed??

The only cat who doesn’t go outside is Stinkerbelle, because she’s a scaredy-cat and can’t quite figure out the cat door. The others go outside whenever the back door is open (less often when it’s as cold as it’s been lately), except for Maxi and Newt, who go outside whenever they want and are free ranging cats. (When it’s due to be especially cold, Fred will keep them inside unless they’re insistent about wanting to go out.)

We use SoftPaws on our cats to lessen the scratching issues. Well – we use them when we get around to it; it’s been a while since we had a SoftPaw session, though. The cats are actually behaving themselves and not digging at the couch, so we haven’t been in any hurry to cap them up.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

disgusting would be like, pickle/peanut butter jam. berries and spice aren’t so gross.

Is it weird that I think pickle/ peanut butter jam sounds kind of good?

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Is Nance Polish? The haluski sounds Polish. I’m from PA originally and my dad’s polish grandprents lived in Pittsburgh for a while. I will have to ask my dad and aunt if they know about the haluski. LOVE the sock monkey ornament I missed it because I was focused on Maddy. Comments are fun they offer a different take on an entry.

Nance said: I’m sure there’s some Polish in me somewhere – but Haluski is definitely a favorite ‘burgh thing because everybody around here (even the EYE-talions – hee) eat it. We also fart a lot. Snort.

For some reason, “haluski” sounds to me like some kind of fish you’d get in Minnesota, I don’t know why.

I agree about comments!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

A youtube hardehar that had me rolling in the aisle

I’ve actually seen that! Local reader Jean sent it to me, and I forgot to link to it for y’all.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Did you watch Stephen Colbert’s christmas special? John Legend had a pretty funny song about Nutmeg!

I had NOT seen that, but it made me laugh out loud. I love Stephen Colbert.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

I want to know how to make the cinnamon rolls too!

The recipe, direct from Fred’s mouth: Make basic bread dough, roll it out, paint it with a mixture of melted butter, sugar and cinnamon (to your taste), roll it up, slice it, let it rise again, dollop more butter/ sugar/ cinnamon on top, bake at 400, 20 – 30 minutes. You may need to cover them toward the end to keep them from getting too brown.

If you see them boiling in butter, you know you’ve done it right.

(He used our bread machine to make the basic bread dough, if that helps.)

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

OMG have you seen this cat toy? Flinga-ama-string – click on the video.

Oh my god, I WANT THAT. I might have to get that for the cats for Christmas…

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

…Is no one going to address the absolute cuteness of the petite Felina ?
Such a good girl to protect her MommaNance and guard her domain. She is sooo adorable and seems to always have a “???” look on her little face. Totally squishable too.

Felina is absolutely adorable, there’s no doubt about it (especially when they dress her up!). I have to admit, by the end of my visit, if I’d walked into a room and Felina had NOT barked at me, I might have been a little bit disappointed.

Luckily, that never happened!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

So, while I was in Pennsylvania, those unappreciative little bratty kittens, who’d spent NO TIME at all downstairs before I left (or rather, Lem would come downstairs, run around, but bolt back upstairs if anyone looked at him funny), started coming downstairs.

The first night I was gone, Fred told me that Delmar had not only come downstairs, he’d actually CLIMBED UP IN FRED’S LAP AND STAYED THERE WHILE FRED WATCHED TV.

Brats.

Actually, Fred doesn’t go upstairs and hang out with the kittens nearly as much as I do, so with me being gone, Delmar was probably love-starved and thus came looking for love. Since I’ve been home, he comes downstairs every evening, and last night he climbed up into my lap a few times.

Every time I look at him, I want to squeeze the stuffing out of him. I mean, I want to squeeze them all, but especially Delmar.

More pics over at Love & Hisses.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

“Heyyyyyy, baby, you come to this printer often? There’s puh-lenty of room for two, trust me sweet thing. You could always sit on Suggie’s lap. I won’t bite. Unless you want me to, of course. Muh-YOW!”

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Previously
2007: I assure you that if Stinkerbelle saw those hussies all snuggled up with HER MAN, she would NOT be pleased!
2006: Le sigh.
2005: no, I didn’t take anything for the pain. Then I couldn’t bitch about the pain. DUH!
2004: Yep, fuck that.
2003: The child is evil. EVIL, I say.
2002: (Close your email clients, you damn Crimson-heads. I know you lurrrve your football team and all, but really. Breaking news?)
2001: Woman of the Year.
2000: What can I say? I’m just the kinda gal who likes profanity in her daily email…
1999: “Let’s kill the Mommy bitch and eat all the canned cat food in the house, then lay around and lick the litter out from between our toes.”

11-28-08

I am actually going to be traveling today, but because I love you, I did my usual Comment-Answering Extravaganza late last night. & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & It’s that time of year! If you want a holiday … Continue reading “11-28-08”

I am actually going to be traveling today, but because I love you, I did my usual Comment-Answering Extravaganza late last night.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Get yer calendars!!!

2009 Crooked Acres Calendar. ~~~~~ 2009 And3rson Kitties Calendar. ~~~ 2009 And3rson Foster Kitties Calendar.

(All calendars are marked one dollar above base price; all proceeds are donated to the local no-kill cat shelter I volunteer for.)

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

I put makeup on exactly twice a year – once at Thanksgiving, once at Christmas – and I always feel compelled to document the result.

Thanksgiving breakfast was FABULOUS. Fred made cinnamon rolls (and it pisses me off that he can do things like make cinnamon rolls with no recipe whatsoever and they come out SO DAMN GOOD), and the bacon and sausage was a big hit, and so was the sausage gravy. Fred went off to take a nap after everyone left, and I vegged out in front of the computer, then did laundry and packed so I wouldn’t have to get up this morning and do that.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

What it’s like when you walk into the new chicken yard. Note that the pigs get bitchy because I don’t have any food for them. They are spoiled ROTTEN.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

I must know: your thoughts on the True Blood season finale AND the Atlanta Housewives Reunion! (To the latter let me just say: OY.)

True Blood spoilers in this section.

I actually forgot that Rene was the bad guy – it’s been so long since I read the book that there’s a lot I just don’t remember. I still adore Sam, I am not surprised that Bill practically sacrificed himself to save Sookie, and I cannot stand that Maryann chick. Was she in the book? I don’t like her. And I can’t believe we have to wait ’til next Summer to see more of the series, damnit.

Atlanta Housewives Reunion spoilers in this section.

NeNe was just loaded for bear, wasn’t she? She was intense and confrontational, and I had a hard time even looking at the TV when she was yelling at Kim! I cracked UP when she rolled her eyes when Kim was talking about her album coming out in January (my guess: either the album will never come out, or it’ll be someone else’s voice!). Boy, you just always know where you stand with NeNe, don’t you? She doesn’t hesitate to tell you what she thinks! And the whole thing where Kim told NeNe that NeNe KNEW Kim was sick and NeNe saying “No, I didn’t, no one ever told me that!” – how good friends were they really if Kim never told NeNe that she had (as Lisa put it) “Cancer.” I find that whole “My doctor said it was 90% certain that I had cancer” and then just left it, and the interviewer (I can never remember his name) had to say “So, you don’t have cancer?” “No, but I have other things wrong that I’m not prepared to talk about” – I find that kind of suspect!

I was so surprised by Lisa just going OFF on Kim, I felt like it kind of came out of nowhere – not that Lisa didn’t have a reason to go off, it was just that she went from zero to 60 in no time flat. I had to rewind to make sure I hadn’t missed something that set her off!

DeShawn might be simple, but damn – she’s the most diplomatic of the bunch and she wasn’t going to give anyone any kind of ammunition to use against her! She was the only one who didn’t get caught up in the trash-talking (well, Sheree didn’t either, did she? I don’t remember that she did, maybe I’m just not remembering.)

Dwight needs to lose the long hair. He’s not a bad-looking man (though when you see him talking from the side, it’s apparent that he’s had some sort of chin plastic surgery!), but he looks so much better without that dreadful weave!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Robyn, don’t shorten those curtains from the bottom. Cut off the top edge, and sew a new “pocket” for the curtain rod. Much easier than dealing with the scalloped hem. All you need to do is measure and sew a few straight lines on the machine!

The curtains were made of very sheer, gauzy material and I’m pretty sure they were beyond my sewing skills, I can’t imagine trying to sew that stuff!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Robyn, do you drink tea? If you (or any readers!) do, you have to try a Tim Tam Slam. Bite off opposing corners (diagonal from each other), put one corner in the tea, your mouth on the other corner. Suck in the tea just until it hits your lips, and then very quickly put the entire thing in your mouth. You’ll thank me.

After Monday, when I ate so many Tim Tams I spent the evening clutching at my gut and bemoaning my stupidity, I think it’s best that Tim Tams be banned from the premises. I am breaking up with the Tim Tams (at least until I see the display at Target and packages of Tim Tams throw themselves in my cart, that is).

I don’t drink tea, but I’ve certainly heard about the Tim Tam Slam, and I’ve encouraged Fred to give it a try.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Isn’t it funny, when Oreos first became available here Downunder people went crazy. Tim Tams were so … ho hum. Send me your address and I shall send you a TimTam package.

I can’t blame y’all for being crazy about Oreos – those things are damn good. I can see being ho-hum about them, though. If you can get them any ol’ time, there’s not the sense of urgency to have as many as you can cram in your mouth, right?

And thanks for offering to send me a package, but see above about how I’ve broken up with the Tim Tams. Those things are too damn good.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

For anyone wanting to learn more about all things homesteady — gardening, chickens, GOATS 😉 I highly recommend you head over to http://www.homesteadingtoday.com

I love that site – I don’t get around to visiting it very often, but I enjoy it when I do.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

The calendars are very cute!! But on a more serious note – do you think you can do anything about the Plain-Jane situation?

It’s only happenstance that Jane updated yesterday, you understand. Otherwise I’d be answering this question by saying that Jane’s gearing up to manage Holly’s campaign for the 2040 presidency and can’t be updating all the time. Apparently I’m wrong, and she can totally neglect the campaign to update her journal. That campaign’s not going to run itself, Jane!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

You know, Robyn, if you guys bought a dairy cow (or even a goat) you’d never have to go grocery shopping. You’d be making your own butter to cook your own eggs and potatoes. To eat with your own bacon. And put on your own veggies. ‘Course you’d have to grow some wheat so you could mill it and bake your own bread, too.

You know what annoys me? That there’s no way we could ever be completely free of having to visit the grocery store and purchase certain things, like flour, sugar… kitty litter, cat food. You know, the important things we can’t create ourselves (or at least not on 4 1/2 acres! We need more land, pronto.)

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Where did you find the big humidifier? it’s it free standing? Will you tell me if you like it? For some reason I have had the hardest time finding one. grrrr.

I ordered mine off the Gaiam site, this one.

(If that link doesn’t work, go to Gaiam.com and search on “humidifier”; it’s the whole-house humidifier) It’s more than I’d hoped to spend, but hopefully it’s quiet and will work for the whole house (at least the whole first floor!); I’ll definitely let you know if I like it; I’m keeping my fingers crossed.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

I went to Target specifically to get Tim Tams and couldn’t find any! Either I didn’t look close enough or they haven’t made their way to Arkansas yet.

I found them in two locations in our local Target – at the end of one of the cash registers, about halfway down the row of registers. They’re also, surprisingly enough, in the cookie aisle. Look closely, they kind of look like any other package of Pepperidge Farm cookies.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Do any of your cats put things in their food and water bowls? My cat likes to get her puff balls, my pony tail holders, that little ring around the milk jug, a plastic ring she found of my daughters, etc. She also likes to bring stuff and put it in my bed. Last night I was blessed with a soaking wet puff ball and most mornings I wake up with her black and red ribbon in my bed.

I’ve had cats put toys and other stuff in their water – though none of our current cats do it much. It can be a way to help them figure out where the top of the water is. You can cut up a straw and float the pieces in the water to help them see where the water begins, and see if that helps.

Also, what is with the infernal licking? She’s an inside cat, terrified of the outdoors (guess I shouldn’t have named her “Bad Ass Ninja Cat”) and cleans herself constantly. Annoyingly constantly. Every time I pet her she has to clean herself and/or me. Licking, licking, licking, licking. GAH.

Some cats are just constant groomers – but keep an eye on her. Some cats groom as a nervous habit, and it can get to be a problem. If you see any bare spots or the skin underneath her fur seems inflamed, you might need to take a trip to the vet.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

The best humidifiers are from Crane’s on Amazon. I have the Hello Kitty one and the froggie and I heart them.

It’s possible I might have ordered the Crane’s pig humidifier. DAMN YOU, Astruc! I am weak in the face of cuteness.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

In this dream, there were a shortage of pigs on the planet and humans were being used as surrogates. Here I was, pregnant with piglets, and you happened to be the only qualified human/piglet midwife. So I made the 5 minute drive from Maryland to Alabama so that you could deliver my piglets.

Thought you might want to know… May be a new career for you!

Hmmm. I wonder how much schooling I’d need to become a human/ piglet midwife? It certainly sounds interesting – and baby piglets are so cute. I bet I could birth the HELL out of piglets with SCOOP HANDS.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Well, well, well. You are so far ahead of the curve; this link is soooooo two weeks ago.

http://mightyhaus.com/archives/2008/11/bear-claw-scoops

Heh.

It’s hard to resist the SCOOP HANDS. Remember where you heard about ’em first!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

I thought Alabama was part of the humid south. Am I wrong?

It’s plenty humid here in the summer, but in the winter, the cold weather brings very dry air along with it. I’d guess that it’s rare to have much humidity in any location where the weather gets cold in the fall and winter.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Why Robyn Has Caused Me to Need Therapy: Tim Tams sounded interesting. When I was at Target, I looked for them but couldn’t find them. So I just thought I’d go on Amazon and see if they had them, or what they looked like so I would know what I was looking for. I entered “Tim Tam” in the search box. This is what came up:

http://tinyurl.com/5kmckc

I think I have lost interest in Tim Tams.

What, you don’t want a meal of haggis and spotted dick with some Tim Tams to wash it down with?

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Mister Boogers is not snuggling with Newt. He is trying to push him out of the bed so he can have it all to himself. Newt is trying to hang on for dear life.

and

Was Newt actually curled up IN that cat bed? If he was, Mister Boogers sure snuggled him right out of it. Newt doesn’t look at all comfortable. He’s going to wake up any minute and ask WTF?!!!

and

Poor Newtles! How long did it take him to realize that most of him had been scootched out of the cat bed?

Here’s how it went – Mister Boogers was laying in Fred’s desk chair, so Fred picked him up and put him on my desk (I was off watching TV, I think). Mister Boogers went over to the cat bed where Newt was sleeping, and just sat there and looked out the window for a long time. Eventually, he curled up and went to sleep, snuggled up to Newt. Newt apparently didn’t mind the snuggling, but over the course of about an hour Mister Boogers expanded to take up more and more of the cat bed, and Newt kept having to move to get comfortable, and as you can see, he ended up with more of him hanging out of the bed than there was of him IN the bed. He finally woke up and found a more hospitable place to sleep, which only reinforced to Mister Boogers that whatever Boogie wants, Boogie gets!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Hello! Can you remind me (probably again since you’ve probably explained it but I don’t remember) how you guys ended up with Newt and Maxi? Didn’t they belong to some neighbors? Did the neighbors give them up or did you guys just slowly, over time, end up with the two cats? I remember them being outdoor-only and I remember the box that you guys made on the porch but I don’t remember when they made the switch to indoor/”your” cats.

Maxi and Newt were originally stray cats, kinda (though we found out later that Maxi actually belonged to the people who sold us this house – who just left her here. Grrrr!), and when Maxi showed up on our front porch with a litter of kittens, Fred talked to the lady two doors down, who told us that they (Maxi and Newt) had just kind of appeared one day. Since they didn’t belong to anyone, we asked the Challenger’s House (the shelter I volunteer for) manager if we could foster the kittens and adopt them out via Challenger’s House. She was okay with that, and the lady who lives two doors down said she’d take Newt and Maxi. We had them spayed and neutered, and the lady took them in, but they were so miserable being inside that that didn’t last long, and they started coming to our house pretty regularly. When the weather got cold, Fred was worried that they’d freeze to death, so he built them a (heated!) cat house. He started letting them in the house for a little while at a time, and then one night it was supposed to get really, really cold and he was worried about them, so we brought them in and kept them inside (in the foster kitten room) overnight. That kind of broke the dam as far as the cats were concerned, so we started letting them in and out whenever they wanted, and they just kind of became ours. They hang out at the lady’s house (two doors down) during the day sometimes, but I think we all pretty much agree that they belong to us! 🙂

Also, have you been watching “Ruby” on the Style Network? The show is about an overweight woman from Savannah who is struggling to lose weight because of the health-related issues with being almost 500 lbs. Just curious if you’ve seen it and what you think.

I watched the first episode of “Ruby” and enjoyed it, but I need to set up to tape the rest of them! The thing that struck me about the show was when Ruby went to her friend’s house for dinner, and her friend was making, I don’t even remember what it was, lard-coated lard deep-fried in lard or something (actually, I think it was the mac & cheese that caught my attention) and talked about how they’d go on diets together but they never lasted, and I don’t know. I understand not wanting to make her unhappy by denying her the foods she loves, but the friends aren’t helping, if they really are concerned about helping her lose the weight she wants to lose. I’m looking forward to seeing how the rest of the series goes.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

I do have a question for you: What is the spud doing for Thanksgiving? Has she ever missed a major holiday with you?

(I’m not asking to make you sad, and I hope the question doesn’t — I’ll be away from both my kids on Thanksgiving and just wondered how you felt about it).

The spud spent Thanksgiving with her father and stepmother, just the three of them for Thanksgiving dinner this year.

She’s actually lived in Rhode Island for about a year and a half now, so I didn’t see her for Thanksgiving last year, nor for Christmas (though I did see her in January, when I flew to Maine and then drove down to Rhode Island with my sister and mother to spend the day with her). I figure, I got to have her for each and every major holiday for the first 19 years of her life (except the Christmas when she was 10 or 11, which she spent in Rhode Island with her father), so I guess it’s her father’s turn for a few years!

We do text and talk pretty often, and while it’s certainly not the same as having her here, it definitely does help!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

FYI…Steve & Barry’s is going out of business, so if you want to stock up on t-shirts, now is the time to do it!

Damn, I wish I’d realized that when I was at the mall on Monday. I guess it’s another trip to the mall for me next week! Steve & Barry’s has THE best t-shirts, bar none.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

when you have kitteh duty at the pet store, you often mention how you have to go back to buy something because they’re not open. Well, how do you get in? Is someone there to let you in, or does Challenger’s House have a key? Or do volunteers break and enter on a daily basis?

We volunteers are like Santa. We just slide down the chimney!

Actually, there are pet store employees at the store from 6:30 or so onward (and actually, the little grooming place inside the store is open earlier than the store is), so if the door hasn’t been left unlocked (which it rarely is), we can ring the doorbell and an employee will come and let us in. Then we have to find a manager with the key to the cat room to let us in there. If I can’t find a manager (they’re usually busy doing something, and I can’t always tell who’s a manager and who isn’t), I throw myself on the mercy of one of the store employees, and they always offer to find a manager for me. The employees of the pet store are without a doubt the most helpful employees of just about any store I’ve been in!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Bet you didn’t know your chickens can do this….

I did not! When we went out to visit with the chickens after breakfast/ dinner yesterday (we like to drag the relatives out to admire the chickens. They don’t seem to mind too much!) Fred picked up a chicken and demonstrated that very thing for his parents. I shoulda had the video camera with me!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

That is one fine stalker rooster! You must have more than one rooster I am thinking though. Do they get along or is there a head rooster?

We have two adult roosters right now (and one that’s just starting to try to crow, so he’s got a ways to go for he’s completely mature). Michelle seems to be the head rooster, and he and the golden rooster don’t seem to fight too much – the golden rooster seems to be fully aware of the fact that Michelle’s King Shit.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Maybe next year you could raise your own turkey:-)

At this point, we’re actually planning on getting a handful of turkeys when we get our spring chicks, and definitely intend to provide next year’s Thanksgiving turkey!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Hopefully the kittens won’t forget me while I’m gone. Fred’s under strict orders to give them extra love to make up for my absence!

“Humans is tasty.”

More pictures over at Love & Hisses.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Pretty Stinkerbelle. You can’t tell from this picture, but she really is a sweet thing.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Previously
2007: So I’ve signed up for Holidailies, and I’ll be updating every day in December.
2006: Go! Shop! Buy!
2005: “Well, GODDAMN,” I said. “NOT NOW, I won’t! I was GOING to, but now that I know you’d be sitting there all horrified about me reclining my seat in front of your parents, all worried that they’d be thinking ‘Good christ, look at her over there, so fucking LAZY she can’t expend the ENERGY to sit upright!’, I won’t! I wouldn’t DREAM of reclining on my OWN couch in my OWN home, I would HATE to embarrass you!”
2004: No entry.
2003: Fred’s sister nodded. “That’s what I figured.”
2002: I forgot that teenagers are, on the whole (though yours may be different, or at least pulling the wool over your eyes) bone idle.
2001: McAfee rocks.
2000: Recent purchases.
1999: I informed him that there was no way he was getting out of taking me to the emergency room for this.

11/21/08

Australians, I have a bone to pick with you. We’re friends, right? I tell you my problems, you tell me yours (in that adorable accent) and then we bond and tell each other that we’ve lost too much weight and those jeans make your ass look fabulous. So then, why. Why. WHY did none of … Continue reading “11/21/08”

So then, why. Why. WHY did none of you share with me the magically tasty Tim Tams? Did you want them all for yourselves?

I can’t say that I blame you if you were saving them all for yourselves, actually.

So I am peeved at you, Australians, and the only way I can see forgiving you this breach of friendship is if you send me a year’s supply of Tim Tams, immediately.

Seriously, though. I saw the packages of Tim Tams at Target yesterday and I was all “Um, okay. I’ve heard of these. I wonder if they’re good.” and I was hungry so I bought a pack of the chocolate creme Tim Tams and brought them home, and after lunch I was looking for something sweet to finish off the lunch experience and I spotted the Tim Tams, and I opened the pack and ate one and the birds sang and the cats purred and my life was complete.

You complete me, Tim Tams.

I think it’s probably a lucky thing that Target is a half hour drive away, so I can’t just run to the store to buy some.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

A small section about Survivor. Don’t read this if you haven’t seen last night’s show!

I have to admit that I haven’t been that into this season of Survivor, but that blind-side last night, where Randy handed over what he was POSITIVE was the immunity idol and then smirked, only to get his ass voted off the island? PERFECTION. I actually did a Roscoe P. Coltrane chortle when the voting was going on.

Does anyone else think that Matty bears a striking resemblance to Leonardo DiCaprio? And when he does that dorky-ass laugh, he strongly resembles Leonardo DiCaprio in What’s Eating Gilbert Grape.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Out of curiosity, do you not like the mini-blinds? You can hang the curtains over the blinds, insuring your privacy, but still covering up the mini blinds.

I didn’t really like them in the kitchen because they were hard to clean (although, y’know, it’s not like I tried to clean them all that often) and the ones in the stairwell and bathrooms looked horrible because of the ladybug (or I guess I should say “Asian Lady Beetle”) invasion of a few weeks ago. I like the fact that the curtains in the bathrooms and stairwell let in the light without my having to open them every morning and close them every night.

The saga of the miniblinds in the kitchen goes as follows: I took down the miniblinds and I took down the miniblind hardware, breaking the bracket in the process because I’m a great big klutz. Then I put up the new curtains, and lo and behold, guess what? When you put curtains like that on the windows? You can’t see through them, and apparently I REALLY like to look out the window when I’m doing dishes. DUH. What would be the point of windows in the kitchen otherwise, I ask you? So I thought about pulling the curtains to the side but they looked like crap. Then I thought about putting shades in the windows, but was concerned – because of the molding on the side of the window frame – that they would stick out at the top. Which isn’t a problem, except that there’s a limited amount of space between the window frame and the light. So Fred said, “Hey. If it will SHUT YOU THE FUCK UP, howsabout I stop and get the nice blinds (plantation-style) that we’ve been replacing the miniblinds with, and we put those there instead?”

And I was so frustrated that I just wanted it to all go away, so I agreed and then when Fred started to put up the plantation blinds in the kitchen, he said “Huh. That’s not going to work, they stick out too far at the top, you can’t put your favorite rooster valances back up if we have plantation blinds.” and I threw myself off the nearest cliff and I whined and moaned and threw some cats and then I said “WHAT DO YOU SUGGEST?” and he said “These plantation blinds don’t have to go in these windows. Don’t we have some miniblinds in some windows that we haven’t replaced yet?” and I remembered that there were two windows in the front room that still had miniblinds in them, so I told him that, and in pretty short order he’d put the plantation blinds in the front room and the miniblinds in the kitchen windows, and then he told me to calm the fuck down and stop that shit, and so I have.

(For the moment.)

My next project will be to actually get my ass in gear and go around and shorten all the blinds in the house to the correct length so that they look decent. FUN!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Don’t forget to include your take on last night’s Real Housewives of Atlanta episode.
I can’t wait to see the reunion show next week!

My bullet points on this week’s Real Housewives:

1. Kim and the smoking and her kids begging her to stop, oy. The more I see of Kim, the more I just realllly don’t like her.

2. Did it seem to anyone else that that call from Dallas Austin was him laying the groundwork for disappearing and never answering another call from her again?

3. I like NeNe, but I really think she’s probably best taken in small doses in real life; I bet she gets overwhelming pretty rapidly. Her friend – whose name I cannot remember, is it Dwight? – LOVES to use the word “Dreadful”, doesn’t he? He did it so many times during their conversation it made me laugh.

4. I think DeShawn’s got a good heart, but she really strikes me as not the sharpest knife in the drawer. And the part of the show, after she and her husband were playing basketball, when she was asking him about his future plans and he looked at her like “Why are you acting like you don’t know this?” made me laugh out loud.

5. Sheree strikes me as truly genuine when she’s talking about her clothing line and how much she loves having something of her own, but good god, girlfriend does NOT know what she’s doing, does she?

6. I love Lisa, though I think her insistence on making Sheree and Kim interact with NeNe strikes me as, I don’t know, pushy maybe? Why can’t it be enough that they’re civil to each other, why must they have heartfelt interactions?

This show ended on such an upbeat we’ve-overcome-our-differences note that I am DYING to know what happened between the season finale and the reunion show. I hope it’s not one of those cases where they hype the hell out of it and then it turns out to be NOTHING.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

I think what you would have done if you’d seen the men go to steal your chickens is run to get the camera! That way you’d have photographic evidence against them AND you could blog about it. Duh – Fred is so silly sometimes.

I suspect you’re right!!!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Um, possibly you have written about this (I think you have and that makes me a Total Skimmer, tm Jane. Or Tessie?) but have you considered getting a cow? How about ducks?

We did talk about getting ducks before we had the pond filled in, but haven’t really talked about it since. We talked about getting a cow, too, but with the chickens taking up the back forty, I don’t know that we’ve got the room. We could probably fit a mini cow back there, though!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

I gots to say something. I went to OTP [Old Time Pottery] on Wednesday afternoon because of your entry (and because I happened to be in the ‘hood.) THEY HAVE POTTERY. Lots of vases near the lamps, especially. So now you can go at your will, because it doesn’t violate Fred’s rule.

They must keep the pottery in the one section of the store I haven’t been through, then!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Have you thought of getting a Wii? Instead of planting my sorry, lazy ass on the couch after dinner, I’ve been making my daughter play Wii Sports and Wii Fit with me. I even got my husband to do the advanced step aerobics on Wii Fit last night and I must say that the laugh I got out of it made the game worth every penny! There are also some other pretty fun games to play–Mario Galaxy is AWESOME and was a game that the three of us played together. The Xbox 360 is fun too, though.

We’ve talked about it, but I don’t know how much we’d use it. I’m not really one for playing games, haven’t been since I kicked Super Mario Brothers’ ASS back in the early 90s.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

I found this site on another blog this morning and thought, who would like this? Robyn! So, have fun! Some of the games are really hard!

That site is just too cute!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Have you thought of re-naming Crooked Acres to the Chicken Ranch? Hee! Ask Fred to ‘splain it to you.

Fred doesn’t need to explain what the Chicken Ranch is to me, I already knew!

The idea of changing the name to The Chicken Ranch does amuse me, because if any Smallville residents pounded on the door, all appalled, I could claim ignorance and then ask how they knew the name of a brothel in Nevada.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

In regards to pantry moths…after buying flour or any grain like that I put it in a bag and pop it into the freezer for 24 hours. It’s supposed to kill anything that’s in there. Generally, there’s eggs in most grains so that’s the quickest way to deal with that. If you get them throwing out the items that they’re in doesn’t always do the trick. I cleaned out my cabinets several times. Finally I got so disgusted I took everything out of the cabinets and sprayed them liberally with a bleach spray (clorox cleanup or something like that) and wiped them all down and let me them dry overnight. I haven’t had the little visitors back. Just a couple of suggestions.

Do you find that your flour gets kind of lumpy after you keep it in the freezer? I have to sift my flour before I use it, and I’ve never needed to do that before; and the only difference is that I froze my flour before putting it in the canister.

Would you believe that I no sooner posted my entry last Friday, than I went to the pantry to see if we had quick-cooking oatmeal and found that it was SOLID pantry flies and crawling with the worms? The chickens sure did enjoy it when I tossed it to them.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

FYI-I was nosing about Target tonight & they had teeny Santa hats in with the dog apparel. Maybe that would work for the cats.

We do have pet-size Santa hats – I was looking for tiny ones, like such:

because tiny hats are FUNNY AS SHIT on cats. Unfortunately, that tiny hat (which I cut off an ornament) refused to stay atop the kitty heads long enough for a really good picture, so our Christmas cards this year don’t include tiny Santa hats.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

I keep my chocolate chips in the freezer. I don’t use them very often, and you can just toss them right into whatever while frozen.

I am embarrassed to admit that that NEVER occurred to me. I’ve moved the chocolate chips to the freezer, and I’m sure the pantry moths are crying bitterly right now because the Ghiardelli milk chocolate chips are no longer available to them. Take THAT, pantry moths!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Meh.

I still have the Tubby t-shirt with that on the back. It’s my favorite Sunday afternoon, movie watching, popcorn eating, sitting on the couch and being lazy shirt.

Though the Tubby t-shirts with “meh” on the back aren’t available anymore (CafePress started charging an additional $3 to have printing on the backs of shirts), you can still get Tubby swag (with the “Meh” on the front) here. (All items are marked up by $1; all proceeds go to the no-kill cat shelter I volunteer for.)

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Jewelry armoire is brilliant!! Anyone who wants one should wait until after Christmas; last year Target clearanced out the $100+ armoires for $25….score….I bought 3 (2 for me and one for my daughter…I keep my small purses, extra wallet, and so on in addition to jewelry, in them).

Keep that in mind, y’all! We’ve had our armoire for almost a week, and I can report that it’s working out even better than I’d hoped. Nothing has accumulated on top of it (except for the occasional cat), and I love that!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

So, I know you and Fred have read a ton of books on farming/canning/raising animals/gardening/etc. We’re making a move (sudden, and completely unexpected) from Columbia, MO to a tiny town in Michigan to live with my brother and his family on a small farm. You and Fred have inspired wifelet and I to raise chickens, garden, etc. So, can you list some books that have helped you out? Or if you’ve put them in entries that are easy to find, I’d even be good with links. We’re overwhelmed, but excited! Thanks for any help!

The absolute hands-down favorite book on this subject (for both Fred and I) is Carla Emory’s Encyclopedia to Country Living. It’s a huge book and covers just about any topic you can think of. It’s a no-nonsense guide to gardening, raising animals, even slaughtering them if it comes down to it. It’s so interesting that if what we’re watching on TV isn’t interesting me, I’ll get the book out and open it to random pages and just read about whatever.

Fred really likes Storey’s Basic Country Skills and Storey’s Guide to Raising Chickens – I haven’t really looked at them, but he swears by them.

We do have more books than that, but honestly I don’t think we’ve even bothered to open any but the Carla Emory and Storey books.

Fred also swears by the Backyard Chickens message board, there are a lot of people who frequent that board, and they’re good about helping out the “newbies.”

(Warning: chickens are absolutely addictive!)

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Robyn in a police car? Yeah, the first thing that came to mind was the accidental indecent exposure that several other people had thought of. But then I saw this video of a cat on a Roomba, and I had visions of one of the And3rson kitties taking a joy ride that got out of control, and… well… you can just imagine.

I dearly wish I could get one of our cats to ride the Roomba around. Instead, they all give the Roomba a wide berth.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

don’t forget to make hashbrown casserole for your thanksgiving brunch!

Fred’s parents will be bringing either hashbrown or grits casserole. I actually haven’t made hashbrown casserole in ages. I’m kind of having a craving for it, now!

My sister recently made the hashbrown casserole and added ham to it so she could have it as a main dish; apparently it was pretty good!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Do your cats ever try to fool you into feeding them more than the regular times? Our dog has discovered if she acts excited and makes enthusiastic false charges at the door to the garage one of us will assume she hasn’t been fed yet. We call it her Jedi Dog Trick. “You have not yet fed the dog. You will now feed the dog.”

Now that we’ve moved Snackin! Time! back to 5:00 (that’s when it gets dark, and it’s the easiest way to get them in the house so I can shut them in for the night), the cats still think that they should have their snack when we get our evening snacks. They run into the kitchen, mill around and stare at me with their big, hopeful eyes, and ignore my yelling “YOU ALREADY HAD YOUR SNACK!” at them. They haven’t convinced me yet that they should get another snack, but hope springs eternal i the hearts of the Crooked Acres Gang.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

You could just shorten the curtain for the downstairs bathroom.

I can’t, actually – it has a scalloped hem, and I’m not that skilled. Also, the material is that sheer, gauzy stuff, and the idea of trying to hem it when I’m sewing-impaired gives me a virtual migraine.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Can you catch a field mouse with scoop hands?

You can catch a field mouse with SCOOP HANDS, but you cannot keep the field mouse with SCOOP HANDS. SCOOP HANDS are kind of big and klutzy and not made for close work. SCOOP HANDS are good for herding field mice toward a big, empty container, though.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Okra is from the Devil himself. I cannot bring myself to eat HAIRY vegetables. UGH.

I do like fried okra – or oven-fried – but other than that, I’m not crazy about it. It’s a good toy for cats, though. I recently found a dried okra pod that Kara’s kittens kicked into my closet, and Delmar played with it for a long time before he lost it somewhere.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

I have a Friday question for you! Yes, its the lady that wondered why you didn’t have a long-haired cat. Now I know the truth, and it’s name is HairBall. Are any of your cats sufferers? Do you treat any of them for it? Do you groom any of the kitties? Thanks 🙂 Now get a long haired cat so I can ask you more questions. (hee)

Every once in a while one of the cats has an issue with hair balls. We give them some Laxatone, and that generally takes care of it pretty quickly.

I’ve mentioned the Furminator before, right? That thing is MAGIC. It removes loose fur like you wouldn’t believe, and it does it fast. I highly recommend you give it a try. I don’t use it on the cats as often as I should, but it does an amazing job on them. I prefer to use it on them outside, because fur tends to get all over the place when you use it.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Hey! You remember these kittens?

They’re all grown up, and I got to see them yesterday!

See current pictures of them over at Love & Hisses. They’ve grown up to be such pretty little monkeys. And though the pictures won’t show it, I have to say that Dora has got the LONGEST tail I’ve ever seen on a cat. I must have mentioned that about a hundred times when I was visiting, but it was cracking me up.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

The kittens are starting to come downstairs more and more often. When I was watching TV last night, I glanced down the hallway and all four of them were sitting on the bottom step, watching Stinkerbelle watch them. They don’t stay downstairs for long – and it makes them nervous if I get up and move around while they’re downstairs – but this is a big step for them.

Lem’s the biggest explorer of the bunch. He was the first to come all the way downstairs, I see him running around downstairs more often than the others, and I expect he’ll be the first one to come hang out with us while we watch TV in the evening.

This is just the biggest bunch of lovebugs. Delmar, especially, would like me to spend my entire life laying on the bed with him, telling him how pretty he is, and petting him.

I need to get a humidifier. The dry air in the house is making it very staticky, and the kittens don’t appreciate trying to sniff my hand and getting zapped in the nose for their trouble.

“Really? You think you wanna mess with me?”

More pictures over at L&H.

Also, pet store kitty pics over at L&H.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Tommy hangs out on the back of Fred’s chair, and is clearly thrilled about it.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Previously
2007: Go, Super Shopper, go!
2006: Right. Because six is perfectly normal, but SEVEN would be lunacy.
2005: Every time I contemplate reading those books, I get a “Good god, I DON’T WANNA!” sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach, which to me is a sign that, y’know, I DON’T WANNA and YOU CAN’T MAKE ME.
2004: No entry.
2003: No entry.
2002: Fuck him, too.
2001: It don’t get any better than that, nosir.
2000: I see enough nasty stuff in my life.
1999: No entry.

11-14-08

I left the house yesterday morning at 7 (half an hour later, just in case the chicks that were shipped from the hatchery arrived a day earlier than expected; they didn’t.) and didn’t get home ’til almost 4. After I did my stint at the pet store, I hit the following places (for the following … Continue reading “11-14-08”

After I did my stint at the pet store, I hit the following places (for the following reasons):

Target (for Tide (more on this in the next section), and to try on jeans because the pants I’ve been wearing are too goddamn big for me and I’m sick and tired of constantly hiking up my pants so I don’t flash my ass at the world. I didn’t have any idea what size jeans I wear, and it’s not any clearer after trying on about sixteen pairs of jeans. It seems that I can get my ass into jeans size 8, 10, or 12, depending on the brand).

The gas station (gas was $1.98 a gallon, and I was able to fill up for less than $25, woot!)

Michael’s (for crafty items with which to torture cats).

The pet store (since by then it was open, I could go buy the cat food I needed).

The fabric store, party store, and Hallmark store (looking for a tiny Santa hat; not having any luck).

Sam’s (kitty litter, edamame).

To Fred’s office to pick him up because we were going to go to a furniture store to look for a new table by the side door. We drove to the furniture store (located right around the corner from his office) and found that the store’s no longer there, so I dropped him back off at his office.

To Madison to the post office.

To Old Time Pottery to look for more cat beds (I bought three!) and to see what’s on the left side of the store (bedding, towels, curtains. No pottery!).

To Kohl’s to try on more jeans (in Lee mid-rise boot cut jeans, I wear a 10 petite. I couldn’t even get the Gloria Vanderbilt 10s over my thighs) and a couple of tops.

All this took me right up to 2:00, and I had to hurriedly pay for my purchases because I had to head for Huntsville and my doctor’s appointment. I haven’t had a pap smear or gynecological exam since January of 2005 (yes, BAD, I know) and so I finally scheduled one, and as much as I wasn’t looking forward to it, I knew I had to just suck it up and get it over with. Ya gotta do what ya gotta do.

The appointment went fine, I got myself scheduled for a mammogram in December, a prescription for the birth control pill (my period is so regular you could set your watch by it, and it’s getting tiresome to have the damn thing every month, so I got a prescription for Seasonale), and headed for home just in time to hit rush hour traffic.

The funny thing is that when I left the house at 7, I figured I’d be done with all the errands I wanted to get done by 10, and would have to figure out something to do ’til my appointment, so I wouldn’t have to drive home and then turn around and drive back to Huntsville. As it was, I had to rush out of Kohl’s to make my appointment.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

I bought a small bottle of Tide at Target because I noticed over the weekend that my cleaning rags and dishtowels aren’t absorbing anything, which makes cleaning (and drying dishes) a pain in the ass. I’m imagining that the homemade laundry detergent I’ve been using is leaving some sort of residue on them, preventing them from absorbing fluids. Hopefully a few washes with Tide will take care of the problem – I plan on continuing to use the homemade detergent on my clothes, though, since it seems to be keeping our clothes perfectly clean.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

This is totally unrelated to anything y’all are talking about but I wonder what you think about this. In First magazine this month Tricia Yearwoood had a section from her new cookbook.

I’m very interested in her method of cooking turkey. She said it makes it very moist and tender. She preheats the oven to 500.She takes a 12 pound or so turkey. She rubs butter and then puts salt and pepper all over the outside and in the cavity. She puts celery, onions and carrots in the cavity. She puts it in a roaster with a tight fitting lid Then she puts in 2 cups of boiling water and covers the roaster tightly. She puts it in the oven and when the oven reaches 500 again she sets a timer for 1 hour. When it goes off she turns off the oven and leaves the door closed until the oven totally cools, about 4-6 hours.

Does anyone cook turkey like this? Will that high heat wreck my fancy-dancy stainless steel roaster? How will it brown if it is covered for the whole process? Thanks for any info or opinions.

I’ve never heard of making turkey like this – anyone out there try it? Let us know what you think of it!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Since you’re always giving reviews on items, I thought I’d add one for you! I’ve used Sigg bottles for a while, but recently ordered/received a Fly Lady water bottle… and it’s big enough to put big pieces of ice in, has a screw on spout and cap that is smaller than Siggs, and DOES NOT SWEAT. The ice stays for hours and hours. I love it!

Speaking of water bottles Desi, who ROCKS, recently sent me a couple of CamelBak water bottles, and they look a lot like those Fly Lady bottles. My CamelBaks are really cool and easy to use, and I like them a LOT.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Thought you would enjoy this news story….

I guess we’re pretty lucky that none of our roosters has ever been really aggressive – and I can say that any rooster who tried to show us that he’s the boss of us wouldn’t be around for long! But the idea of random people being terrorized by roosters, well, it kinda makes me giggle.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Does Newt scoop up the Field mice and bop them on the head?

NOOOOOO, that’s Little Bunny FooFoo’s job! (I must have sung that song three thousand times when the spud was a baby.)

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

…what happened with joe bob? did he stop spraying?

He’s mostly stopped spraying – after that one horrible day, we’ve found a couple of small sprays, but nothing like the spraying rampage he went on that one day. I suspect that his behavior was due to Miz Poo smelling like the vet – that’s one thing that can cause spraying, anyway. We’ll be keeping an eye on him, though. I’M WATCHING YOU, JOE BOB!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

How do you keep the cat beds clean? My old cat is so hairy I finally gave up on keeping bedding clean. She likes to sleep on wool so I just get old wool sweaters at Goodwill, put them over a basket, and throw them out when they get too hairy. In 19 years of cat ownership I never could keep beds clean.

All the cat beds get tossed in the washer and dryer every couple of months. That gets rid of most of the excess cat hair. There’s always hair pretty much embedded in the beds, but once they go through the wash, it’s not too bad. Buying old wool sweaters at Goodwill is a really good idea!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

I’m just always amazed at your ENERGY level. You get up early and get hundreds of things done before rush hour even hits. Do you just have a high metabolism, or do you just ignore the tired feeling. I waste so much time on days I’m home. I often think, “If Robyn was in this house, it would be whipped into shape in about 2 hours.” But even shaming myself doesn’t work. I nap, I read, I watch t.v., and do an errand or two. Then I’m exhausted by 9 pm, and it’s on the couch for me. Ridiculous! And, no I’m not sick. Apparently, just way lazier than you.

I have to say that I don’t accomplish half of what I think I should every day. My house is SO not whipped into shape, I don’t vacuum nearly as often as I should, and I desperately need to do some decluttering. Most of what gets me moving my ass, though, is that even when I’m relaxing on the couch watching TV, my brain is telling me what I need to get done, and I get so annoyed by that that I get up and do it.

I get lots of lazy butt-sitting time in every day, though, I promise!

(Also, I’m usually sound asleep by 10. Sometimes earlier!)

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

I think Mister Boogers would be happier in a cowboy hat or something more manly. It’s not the hat, per se, but the flamboyancy of said hat!

Ahem. It’s funny that you say that. Did I mention that I went to the craft store yesterday?

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Dang…I was hoping you had used your SCOOP HANDS to catch the chickens and move them to the new chicken coop. I am slightly disappointed. Hmph!

You cannot actually pick up more than one chicken with SCOOP HANDS, which would have made the transfer a lengthy pain-in-the-ass process.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

How the hell do I get rid of the pantry moths. I have been battling them for weeks now. I have taken out every item, looked it over and put it back or tossed it depending on what I found. And yet, THEY return. I am really tired of them flying in my face when I open the door.

I found that Pantry Pest Traps work pretty well – I put a couple in the pantry, and though I do see a moth every once in a while, they’re mostly gone. I got mine at Lowe’s and they’re not too terribly expensive. They last for a couple of month, too.

Speaking of pantry moths, did you know that the little fuckers like chocolate chips? I was SO PISSED, the day I went to make cookies and the chocolate chips were infested with pantry moths.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

I just can’t wait until it’s Stinkerbelle’s turn with the hat 😀

Stinkerbelle seems to know where the hat is at all times and whether it’s headed in her direction, in which case she disappears into thin air. I’m not holding my breath that I’ll be able to get it on her head, damnit.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

I giggled when I read that you you bake cookies for the pigs. And I can’t even imagine what it would be like to have 91 chickens. And it makes me curious if you really struggle with adding to the household cat count. I think having a lot of cats only carries a negative stigma for single old ladies, like me, which is why I have to keep it at 2. (I don’t count the 2 young strays I just started feeding whose mommy got killed in the street last week – and they count as a bonus, because now I get headless mice on my porch!) So, I guess my question is, why don’t you have 30 hundred million cats? And the other question is, what in the hell are you going to do with 91 chickens? giggle! 91. Holy schnikeys!

It’s not really a matter of the stigma of having so many cats – I think we all know that Fred and I are crazy cat people whether we have 5 cats or 10 or 100 – it’s more of a matter of whether the new cats will fit in well with the other cats. Also, the 91 chickens are out in the back forty and the 10 cats are (mostly) in the house and cats react poorly to overcrowding. As independent as cats are, they still need attention (some more than others) and there are only four hands between the two of us for petting.

Now, if our house was bigger, I could see adding more cats to the family, but as it is now I think we’ve pretty much reached our limit (right now god’s laughing and sending a family of adorable kittens to live on my porch, right?). Don’t hold me to it, though!

What we’re going to do with 91 chickens is eat the eggs they give us, sell what we don’t eat, and (theoretically) eat chicken regularly.

Did I mention that since we’ve started eating our own chickens, we eat chicken a lot less often than we used to?

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

What’s with people honking to get you to come outside? This happened to me yesterday.

That’s a good question – it never happened to us before we moved to the country!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Be careful! I think you should put up a new sign, saying, “we bear arms” or somesuch. Maybe they were friends of walkin’ dude….. I know, perhaps try to become dog lovers – well dog likers enough to keep one outside in a dog run so that the dog can bite anyone who tries to steal your chickens or harm you!

I actually think that the reason we don’t get more people stopping by is because we have what looks like a dog house on the front porch (the house Fred built for Maxi and Newt to stay in before they started coming inside all the time), and people assume we have a dog.

Fred IS going through a “Let’s get a dog!” phase (he’s also going through a “Let’s get an X-Box!” phase).

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

I would keep a close eye on the chicken yard for a week or so to see if the guys were up to no good.

My desk overlooks the back yard and from here I can see the chicken yard clearly, so if anyone goes out there during the day, I’ll see them. If they come at night, the chickens are locked in the chicken coop (literally – there are locks on both the doors. I look forward to the day we lose the key to the locks.) and if they tried to bust down the door Fred would hear them (his bedroom overlooks the back yard). Hopefully we won’t have a problem with chicken thieves.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

I wonder when they made those little red hats did they think of cats? That’s the first thing I thought of when I saw one.

The hat was actually in the doll section of the craft store, so I think it’s probably intended for dolls – but it certainly works well on cats, doesn’t it?

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Our new baby chicks just arrived, literally less than an hour ago. I got them out of their box, dipped their beaks in water, and they’re all wandering around checking out their new home.

More chicken pics over at Flickr, if you’re interested.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

The kittens are continuing to come out of their room more and more often. I moved the baby gates to the bottom of the stairs, and now when you walk down the hallway, you’re apt to see Claudette or Delmar sitting there. They run back upstairs when they see us, but I think it’s just a matter of time before they’re ready to come into the downstairs and do some exploring.

More pics over at L&H.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Sugarbutt is clearly thrilled. But doesn’t he look fancy?

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Previously
2007: Amazing what a little maintenance will do, ain’t it?
2006: “I CUT THROUGH THE GODDAMN EXTENSION CORD AND THEN I MADE THE CHAIN COME OFF THE CHAINSAW!”
2005: Senator Stanley J. Boogerton.
2004: No entry.
2003: So I’m not reporting that. At all. Never happened!
2002: Riley’s response? “Nuh uh!”
2001: Dr. Phil looked at me judgmentally, and I began to babble.
2000: And I don’t even like cherry Poptarts!
1999: Fred has agreed to let me adopt the kitten!

11-7-08

This is totally me: & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & How good are you at “eyeballing” stuff? (I sucked pretty badly, though I’m pretty good at figuring out where the middle of things are.) (Thanks to Katherine for both those.) … Continue reading “11-7-08”

This is totally me:

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

How good are you at “eyeballing” stuff? (I sucked pretty badly, though I’m pretty good at figuring out where the middle of things are.)

(Thanks to Katherine for both those.)

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Go here and type in commands to see the cute dog obey them (make sure you type in “dance” and “kiss”, it’s pretty funny). (Thanks to Elaine for the link!)

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Love love LOVE that Shep. (Thanks to Fred for the link, and also for sharing my love for Shep.)

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Printer won’t work? This might be why… (Thanks to several people for the link!)

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Real Housewives of Atlanta; skip to the next section if you’re not interested!

So, Kim cannot sing. AT ALL. The voice coach put it as nicely as possible without actually saying the words “Kim? You could not carry a tune if Big Papa bought you a gold-plate $15,000 bucket to put it in.” And Kim’s reaction? THE VOICE COACH IS NIT-PICKING. Good god. And did you see Dallas Austin’s face when Kim was singing? I know he was thinking “Big Papa, YOU OWE ME.” My god, her voice was horrible. And I WANTED to be proven wrong, but girlfriend cannot sing. CANNOT. She can be all “I sing, because I’m a singer!” (or whatever the hell she said) all she wants, but she needs to confine that voice to the shower and not attempt to inflict it upon the world. There’s only so damn much magic they can do in the studio! Also, voice coach is SO RIGHT. Kim sings through her nose and it’s horrific.

Did DeShawn really say that she and whatshisface have been married ten years? I had no idea – I thought they were newlyweds! And I can’t believe he gave her some expensive-ass watch for her birthday and she was all “Well, I can’t wear this tonight, I’m wearing silver!” Are ya KIDDING me? RUDE. How long does it take to change your jewelry? DeShawn and her husband (his name is Eric, I just went and looked) are so stiff and awkward around each other. I suspect it’s having the cameras right there – being on camera seems to make him VERY uncomfortable. And how come we never ever ever see their kids?

I actually kind of felt sorry for NeNe, because I’m sure she never expected the “song” to blow up in her face like that. Also, is it just me, or does she appear to be drinking wine 24 hours a day? She was PLASTERED in that limo, and I think everyone but DeShawn wished she’d just shut up. Anyone think Lisa DIDN’T tell Kim about the whole thing? Very disapproving, wasn’t she?

I don’t know that Sheree has got a whole lot of room to talk about NeNe talking about Kim behind her back, given that Sheree talked a WHOLE lot of smack about NeNe not so long ago.

Man, I need to start taking notes when I watch this show. I know there was more I wanted to mention, but I can’t think of anything else! What’d I miss, y’all?

Oh! The guacamole! Really, Kim? You’re (cough) 29 years old and you don’t know what guacamole is? And then she was horrified that they mixed it up in a big stone, like it was unsanitary. Gosh, it’s too bad restaurants don’t have any way to sanitize their big guacamole-making rocks or anything, DUMBASS.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

My, Miz Poo is a bit…portly….or is that just the angle of the first photo?

No, it’s not the angle. I’m not kidding when I say she’s a portly Poo. The vet tech said Miz Poo isn’t actually obese, but she’s a big chunk of a cat. She weighs just under 11 pounds, if I recall correctly. That’s about what Sugarbutt weighs, but he’s pretty muscular, and she’s a shorter cat than he is, so she’s got the spread going on.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Happy anniversary. Your second picture up there reminded me of this one.

I LOVE that series of school ID pictures.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

I think you should add a new cat for every anniversary.

I’d be afraid that such a move would lead to their being no more anniversaries!

(Don’t you love how I act like it’s all my fault that we have ten cats? But it isn’t ME who lobbied for the adoption of the last three we kept!)

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Just to defend calico cats – I have a 19 yr old calico who has been sick twice in her life, had one dental, and otherwise has only been to the vet for shots. She’s getting very old, but as far as I can tell that’s the only thing that’s wrong with her even now.

and

You know, I love and adore Miz Poo because I’ve been reading about her for years and years, but I don’t think you can blame the vet bills on her being a tri-colour cat. I have a calico (a true calico with bright patches of colour – not a torti), and I think over the course of her 20 years of life she’s cost me about $2000 in vet bills, total (including being spayed, a couple of intestinal things, vaccinations – which she’s only gotten a couple of times in her life, etc)

Fred says it’s not that Miz Poo’s a tri-color that’s the issue, it’s that she’s just a defective cat!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

I really love my Electrolux EL1000A2 stick vac! It’s sleek, works VERY well, is pretty (which is important to me since it sits out while charging), and hasn’t let me down yet!

That IS a very pretty little stick vac.

You know, if I truly loved all y’all, I’d go out and buy these vacuums you’re recommending and try them out and report back on which is the best.

(Except Fred would kill me.)

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Happy Anniversary… I saw this article today and thought of your double-egg incident! Seems these things are international news now!!

It’s funny what makes the news, isn’t it? (Also, those Japanese are COPYCATS!)

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Please let us know what you think about “Dewey“. It sounds like a good read.

It was a VERY good read – I cried like a baby at the end! The descriptions of Dewey made me laugh out loud several times, it was definitely a good book and certainly worth the read. Four stars!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Do you watch Celebrity Rehab? A most delicious trainwreck!

I watched the first season, but I haven’t seen any of this season. I need to set up to tape them, because I was hooked on the first season (also, I think Dr. Drew is cuuuuuuuute.).

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

We didn’t have the ladybug trouble until about 4 years ago. When they first swarmed and made us hostages in our own home I thought they were the good ladybugs and hated to kill them. Those suckers are a different kind of bug and they bite the sh*t out of you. Our neighbor down the road said the Forestry Agency said that the bugs had been brought in to kill one pest and had ended up taking over. Our neighbor forgot the name of the bug but said that most indoor outdoor sprays would kill them.

and

Are you sure they are ladybugs and not Mexican bean beetles? Mexican bean beetles are considered a pest because they eat plants.

I believe they’re actually Asian Lady Beetles, because the ones I’ve looked closely at have the right markings.

Several people mentioned that since ladybugs eat aphids, they never kills ladybugs. Which is a nice sentiment, I suppose, but I’m not kidding when I say that I vacuumed up over 1,000 of them over the course of last weekend. They come in around the windows and spread through the house. If they came in and headed for the attic to hibernate, it’d be one thing, but they get in EVERYTHING, including beds, food, and the kittens’ water bowl. I’m not having it.

Luckily, the better part of the influx seems to be over, though we occasionally get one flying across the room or hanging out near the ceiling. A handful of them, I can handle. A thousand? Not so much.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Don’t some places SELL ladybugs, as garden helpers (like commenter J said, they eat a certain type of pest)? Maybe you could collect them and make a side business out of it! (Oh, I just checked on ebay, and 1500 live ladybugs only goes for $12.99.) Would the chickens like them? How about ladybug and jalapeno jam?

I actually read that you can vacuum them up, freeze them, and then put them in your garden the next Spring, and they’ll live through the experience. I’ll have to consider doing that next year, but I’ll have to resist using the hand vacuum to catch wasps, because those things I do NOT want around.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

They’re supposed to be repelled by the smell of lemons. Maybe if you sprayed your window and door frames with the diluted juice?

I’m actually planning to give this a try next year. If it doesn’t work, at least it’ll smell nice when we walk by the windows, right? And if it DOES work, I won’t have to spend a weekend scrubbing ~~ladybug~~ asian lady beetle goo (they leave goo behind, did you know that?) off every window and window frame in the house.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Did I miss something? When did Kara move in for good?

Several of you have asked this. The announcement was here, and the longer entry about it was here.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

I have a random-ass question for Friday. What color are the Anderson cats’ toe pads? I know you lurve kitty toes as much as I do…

I would take a picture of all their toes for you, but my helper’s already left for work, so descriptions will have to do.

Black toes: Tommy, Maxi, Kara.

Gray toes: Mister Boogers.

Pink toes: Spanky, Newt, Sugarbutt, Joe Bob.

Black and pink: Miz Poo.

Undetermined: Stinkerbelle (I can’t get a good look at her toes, but will report in the future.)

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Loved those polls! The chicken hat, without a doubt, was overly persuasive and I just had to vote for Mr. Cullen. Who was his running mate?

No running mates this time around – but keep an eye out in mid-2012 for a much fancier campaign.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Did you happen to catch Ellen’s Halloween show? I finally watched it last night and the clips of her scaring people made me laugh and laugh.

I haven’t seen it yet, but after I watch Grey’s Anatomy here in a little while, I’m going to go over to YouTube and catch up on Ellen!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

CAT “comedy!!!” (Say in Jesse Joyce’s voice.) Thanks for talking about KATG on your site. I always assumed it was a local radio station from your area. When Hubby got me a Ipod last Xmas, I thought I would look for KATG on itunes. What a great way to laugh away my doldrums.

I LOVE Jesse Joyce, especially when he gets nit-picky. He’s such a bitch about some things, he cracks me up.

Also, I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again – I LOVE Keith and the Girl. They always crack me up.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

You could be a new superhero: Super Scoop!

I meant to get Fred to take a picture of me in a badass gangsta position, but completely forgot. Next time!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Mister Boogers looks giant in that picture where he’s in front of you.

It’s the angle. He’s a pretty average-size cat, though his het does make him look bigger.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

If you’re looking for additional uses for other things, we use the bucket on my dad’s loader for all sorts of things. I climb in it and my dad raises it up so I can clean out the gutters at their house. He’s also boosted me waaaaay up to fix the roof on the owl house in the highest tree on the property. However, I will not go near the bucket when my brother is driving the tractor. I have a feeling he’d send the bucket as high as it would go and then wander off (on purpose) for a day or two.

There’s a tree in the back yard that has a web of those worms on it (I can’t think of what they’re called, but y’all know what I mean? A big web forms and then worms come out of it and eat the hell out of your tree?) and I’ve told Fred that he needs to bring the tractor into the back yard and lift me up so I can cut that branch down and burn it.

I suspect if I get myself lifted up in the bucket of the tractor in the future, there will be pictures taken.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

And when you told Fred that you wanted him to take a bunch of pictures with you doing things with scoop hands, he didn’t think you were crazy?!

Nah, he usually goes along with whatever I need him to take pictures of, though sometimes he grumbles about being pulled away from what he’s doing. This time he informed me that I have too much time on my (SCOOP) hands and perhaps I need a hobby.

Um. I HAVE a hobby, and it’s called bitchypoo.com! DUH.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

I love how you look completely confounded and frustrated by the picking of carrots, just like the infomercials.

“You flip, and they flop!” *Woman looking frustrated and overwhelmed by the flipping of pancakes*

“Love pasta, but hate draining the hot water?” How do you separate pasta from water?

Fred said “Now, scowl!” and I did, and then he laughed and snapped the picture. I can scowl with the best of ’em!

I have to ask, y’all, what’s the big deal with pasta draining? Why are there so many tools to drain pasta? Is it really that big of an issue, to dump the pasta into a colander? That’s what I usually do, but am I doing it wrong? Do I really need a tool especially made for draining pasta?

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Just think of how fast you could swim with those on! lol

I bet I’d totally make it to the Olympics with those things (though somehow I suspect the Olympics are anti SCOOP HANDS). Hmmm. Maybe I should take on the English Channel with SCOOP HANDS!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

There is a neat site that displays the front pages of tons of newspapers. The link takes you there, but it’ll be for today’s date. You can switch to November 5th to see the post-election pages.

How neat is that! Thanks for the link!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

I was reading past entries (sometimes those “previously” snippets pull me in), so now I must know. The spud had a brown hamster and a gray hamster 8 years ago that were “getting jiggy with it.” Did you end up with hamster babies or were they both male, like the pet store guy said they were???

Oh no, they were NOT both male like that fucking pet store guy said they were. One of them was female, and we ended up with a litter (?) of hamsters, which I wrote about here. I wrote here about persuading Fred to let the spud keep two of the baby hamsters (with the idea of keeping a female in the cage with the mother and a male in the cage with the father). Then, when the baby hamsters were about a month old, we took all of them back to the pet store at the spud’s request. And the mother hamster was pregnant again already.

Apparently I didn’t take a single picture of the baby hamsters. Good GOD things have changed – these days, it’d be all hamster pictures all the time until y’all begged for mercy!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

where did you get that bird bath/watering thing? I love it and *must* have one for my backyard!

At the Country Store Catalog site, here to be exact. I have two of those bird baths, one hanging on the front porch and one hanging in the side yard, and I LOVE them. They’re not the most gorgeous bird baths/ waterers around, but they’re easy to clean and they hold a lot of water and the birds really seem to like them. The squirrels too, for that matter.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

I think you should shorten Maxi “Outside Mama”‘s name to Maxi Omama.

Hmm. Maxi Omama And3rson. Kind of has a ring to it, no?

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

I know you read the books, but have you seen this?

Oh man – how neat would it be to have Stanley J. Boogerton – or Crooked Acres! – in a Charlaine Harris novel? The bidding’s already up to $870, which is way too pricey for my blood, but if anyone wants to bid on Mister Boogers’ behalf, go for it!

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

The kittens are continuing to do well. They had the run of the entire upstairs yesterday, and when I went up to hang out with them in the evening, Kara followed me up because she just loves to hang out in my bedroom. She ran into my bedroom and apparently Marion was in there, on the bed, and Kara sniffed at her and Marion hissed and flew out of my room and into the kitten room.

Delmar and Lem were snoozing on their cat tree, but I didn’t see Claudette anywhere, so I went looking for her. When I walked into my bedroom, I saw her scoot out from under my bed, into the closet, where she hid behind some boxes. I picked her up and she allowed that for a few minutes, then fought for me to put her down. When I did, she flew into the kitten room.

I went into the kitten room and all the kittens glared at me from atop the cat tree, but as soon as I sat down, they all came over for love and petting. They’re getting friendlier every day – Claudette actually demanded that I pet her yesterday. She purrs so loud. It’s hard to believe that volume of sound is coming from such a little thing!

A few more pics at L&H.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Kara LOVES being outside.

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Previously
2007: I nominate Fred to do all the slaughtering himself.
2006: Questions answered.
2005: This makes me want to wrap my child in bubble wrap and lock her in her room until she’s 35.
2004: No entry.
2003: Meme.
2002: “How fucking much is that goddamn bread? A dollar ninety-fucking-five? Okay, put a couple of the motherfuckers in my cart, would you, fuckwad?”
2001: I briefly considered making a citizen’s arrest.
2000: (ie, “It’s all the fault of that fat bitch you married!”)
1999: I woke this morning at 2:30ish, feeling something wasn’t quite right.