My Basil's back and we're gonna have a party

I thought my basil was dead so I planted lemon balm, which the basil obviously liked cos look: new leaves.

Another thing I love about the US of A

Fireflies have been lighting up my yard for the last couple of weeks. It is extremely peaceful to sit on my front steps and just watch them in silence. I love the tiny zip of yellow light as they glow while flying. I also love to try and guess where they any one is going to show next.

Violet and Sammy snuggle

Aren't they cute sharing a chair like that. There are no chairs in my workplace that do not have cat hair on them.

Gabby the wee beagle who wees.

Gabby is my new best friend. She is a beagle mix who is living in the mens' bathroom. She guards her food and toys and we are teaching her how to share before she will be adoptable. She is also not potty trained. After cleaning up pee spots in my office four times in a day I kicked her out, and put her back in the bathroom. She is getting much better though and I think she will be doing her business outside by the end of the week. She is a very smart dog and responds well to training, also, she has me wrapped around her little paw. She knows just how cute to be to get me to play or give her snuggles. How could you resist that face?

A few randoms from my week

Most importantly, a cookie shop has opened in c'ville. Luckily, it is not on my usual route and only on my go by the Library on my way home route. I was drawn in by the smell and then was served by someone who may have been an elf, diminutive stature, big smile, cutesy high pitched voice. I purchased only four cookies, which was very hard to do. Two raisin, craisin and oatmeal and two walnut, ginger and citrus peel. My goodness. They were so delicious I nearly was unable to save two for the next day.

One morning this week while brushing my teeth I was contemplating the back yard and saw something mighty strange. A squirrel, determined to redecorate his tree. It is the only explanation for his behaviour. First he yanked and pulled and hung on a piece of vine till it came loose of the tree and hung in a long strand down the tree. Then he very carefully twirled it like twine and then taking the long end, he wrapped it around the tree. Once it was satisfactorily around the tree, he began to touch each leaf and put it in a position he approved of. It was so strange to watch.

On an evening when one of the staff members gave me a lift home we saw something truly uplifting. A young man, on a moped, wearing only cargo shorts and a helmet. No shirt and no shoes. Surprisingly, it was not his bare torso that was uplifting, although we did take a moment to enjoy that too. What entertained us so much was how he leaned forward, helmet to the handlebars while going uphill. If he had got off and pushed it would have been faster. Above the raucous sounds of our laughter you could just make out the bltththhttttt of the teeny engine on his valiant moped, and if you concentrated really hard you could almost hear his will power making the bike go fast enough for 8 lane traffic at 5:30 in the afternoon.

Thunderbolts and lightning, very very frightening

I have been so impressed with C'ville's thunderstorms. She really does take this very seriously. No piddly little crack and run storms for her.

The thunder rolls and the house shakes. Lightning actually lights the sky and even through the bedroom curtains and blinds I can see constant flashes like cameras in the stands at a soccer game.

Before the storm there is an eerie light, the lawn is turned a strange green, it's really indescribable so I won't try. First, the birds get all-a-twitter and then they go quiet. In that moment the little flashes of lightning bugs are most prominent in my garden. Then the thunder and lightning starts, taking turns or over-lapping, like a firework symphony while the wind and breezes dash here and there. After that has gone on long enough Henry slinks for cover under the couch or bed (as pictured) and Oleo follows me around the house for reassurance.

Then the real stuff starts, so much rain. It pours and pours. Diving into a swimming pool would seem an ineffectual way of getting wet compared to this. Torrential rain? OH that's what they mean by that!

I think the storm ALMOST makes up for the last four days of being a walking puddle.

How you can tell it's hot and humid

- the cats are practically bald they have moulted so much
- the birds at the feeder are not eating the seed, only drinking the water
- I actually dug out our ice-trays
- Even my Mamma would wish for winter
- Peeing is so hot, you'd rather not
- Thighs stick together when you walk (despite aforementioned fat-melting hopes)
- Cold showers don't actually work
- Salad is better than take-out Chinese food
mmm Can't remember all the other things I thought about as I lay here perspiring gently.

Missing my husband

I know wishes won't wash dishes, but I am trying that route for a little while anyway. This is where I realise that K does actually do some of the housework. Especially my least favourite things, including dishes and... SIGH... mopping the floor.

Water, water everywhere

Summer has exploded upon the valley of c'ville. I thought that growing up in Namibia would prepare me for any heat that the good earth could deliver. Then I experienced DC and found that I was wrong. THEN I thought that DC had prepared me. I got up yesterday at 5am. This should be an hour of chill, of cold feet on the kitchen floor and goosebumps. Yesterday I walked outside into a fog of heat and wet. It was so gross.

In fact gross pretty much describes the experience of these few summer days completely. I feel gross. When I lay on the couch yesterday and the sweat instead of evaporating was just dripping I truly felt like I was melting. It did occur to me hope that if I started melting, maybe the fat would melt first and I could find aircon before I started to lost muscle tissue. This was when I was rescued by a dear friend who offered me her home and her aircon. She has it all over her house, it's wonderful.

When I got home last night I went upstairs to the office and turned on our teenytiny aircon that we have up there. Then I made a little nest directly under it, and the cats and I passed a night of sweatlessness. I am somewhat concerned about anyone who comes to visit for a weekend, they will have to bring their own fans.

I mourn for Basil

My purple Basil has died. It grew an insidious mould and in spite of trimming it just passed quietly in the night. I will replace it with lemon balm. Wish me luck.

Aliens have landed in C'ville and they are hideous

Cisco is a puggle, which is a pug mixed with beagle. I cannot understand how people can think pugs are cute. When people talk about Cisco, they diplomatically say: he has TONS of personality. Which he does. When he first came into my office, I was not enamoured but as I got to know him he has grown on me. He is super smart and very sassy. Also he is soft like a cat. When he gets adopted I will miss his heavy breathing and occasional snorting.

pics

For photos of K's trip so far.
http://picasaweb.google.com/keir.soderberg/SaMoz

My favourite is the melted gold being poured in the dark so that the flames are flying up from it.

husbandless

Most of you will by now know that K is in South Africa. He left last week and will be touring SA and Mozambique for four weeks and then Namibia for another four. Then he comes back stateside and instead of coming home he goes straight to Tennessee for a conference. This makes it NINE WEEKS that I will be husbandless. I am through one week and so far it has been ok.

I go to bed at 9 most nights. I have found that there are a number of things that husbands do that are useful. They can put things away high up. They can clean on top of the fridge. They can make excellent pizza that I can never hope to copy. They are warm in the bed when it is chilly. They can carry out the trash to the curb. This last is particularly important. It took me some time, entertaining the neighbours across from us I am sure, grunting as I first tried to carry and then rolled it along my lawn. The real trick is not letting it touch your clothes and leave nasty, sticky residue behind. The thing that husbands are most useful for are hugs, and that is something that it is hard to not have in your life. Big arms, warm and strong and a chest to hide in.

no more yet

A week has passed and my plants are still alive. Something is nibbling on the marigolds though. They are all taking on a decidedly moth-eaten look. Whatever it is has been sufficiently distracted by the marigolds and left the herbs alone. I have one pot with only Marigolds and the local squirrel has taken to burying things in it. I am curious to see if anything interesting sprouts. Thus far all is well but I am not optimistic and will not be purchasing thyme for some time. (hehe, thyme for time, hehe)

Look how cute our house is

The blackened Thumb: A tale of woe

Pretty much every year since I went to university many eons ago I have planted herbs. A few times I have even gone as far as to plant veggies. Every year I have fought mould, insects, rust, squirrels and even some unidentifiable things and lost to them. The best I have done is one year when we went away and the basil sprung from a seedling to a bush in the month I was gone. As soon as I got back it died. The second best I have done was after a few hundred dollars spent we got two cherry tomatoes and a handful of beans. They were the best tasting beans and tomatoes I have ever had. This year I am starting small. Just four pots, basil, sage and rosemary, each with its companion marigolds. I'll keep you updated on the progress or lack thereof. Maybe if they are still alive in a few weeks I'll add mint and thyme.

Two Dogs

Tippy is the little white chihuahuah type. He is vicious. Anyone who leans over the half door and goes "hoo's a cutsy muppet then?" is bound to lose a portion of their nose and at least one finger. We are working with him though and he responds well to the squirt bottle. At least when it comes to humans. He still has a desire to eat any dog that comes along. Except Fred, who is the other dog in the offices these days. He was returned to us and has been hanging out with us till he goes to a foster home where he will learn puppy appropriate behaviour. Poor boy is a little bipolar. Either terrified and hiding under the desk or manic and running and jumping and twirling around the office! He is too cute though and immediately sits with his little feet together and his big eyes looking at you when you have lunch. He is a truly effortless beggar, and very successful. I do wish we could have dogs, I'd take him home in a flat second as he just wants to play with the cats in the office. Henry would adore him. Is it unethical to want to adopt a dog for your cat?

violet thawing

In spite of two dogs lying under my desk, Violet came and hung out in my office for a day.

Kitty craziness

We have had this melon hanging around for a while and I finally decided we should eat it. It was too late though as it had fermented. Henry just loved it though and I couldn't resist this photo.

Cosy

I moved the furniture around again in our lounge! I just can't help it. It looks so cosy and clean now.

How do you know Sunday was cold and wet?

The rare event of Oleo and Henry snuggling near each other occurs.

the good, the bad and the downright ugly

We have had plenty of gold finches at the feeders. They are such a joy to watch. We have also had many squirrels who have been interested but cannot get past the vaselined pole so have had to content themselves with the seed the birds drop. The Ugly comes in with the European Starlings. They are going through a square of suet every two days. I am convinced they are chasing away the woodpeckers. I spent Sunday Morning driving K and my in-laws nuts by hurtling out the front door to scare away the starlings every two minutes. Of course as soon as I left this morning it was a starling suet free for all, and not a woody in sight. Sigh.

Safari in our yard

They let me off work early today as I have worked events all weekend. K fetched me and soon after we had got home and unpacked the groceries a deer came gallumphing through our yard! She was clearly terrified and couldn't decide what to do. She circled our house and then headed back wherever she came from. It was so cool.

Poor Henry

Oleo has finally (after three years) started lying on my lap while I sit on the couch. The problem this creates is that my lap has been uncontested Henry territory. This evening, while she was keeping my thghs warm, Henry came over and sat on the coffee table and stared at her. It was clear what he wanted. He wanted his Mommy. I could see in his little whiskered face as he processed the following choices. a) stare and try to intimidate Oleo into leaving, hard because her eyes are closed and she is purring. b) share. If you know Henry and Oleo, this is not an option. c) Leap, scratch, bite, hiss or otherwise violently remove her. Thus making Mommy mad and ensuring Oleo's spot for the rest of the night. Thankfully (for me, cos I could tell he was leaning towards c.) K chose that moment to occupy the rocking chair and thus provided an acceptable alternative.

troubles and KitKat

There is a new addition to my daily bus riders. She does not appear to know the usual crowd who entertain me so while I try to read every morning. Instead, she spends the entire ride, (a good 40 mins) telling someone on the other end of her cell phone the latest in her custody battle, car troubles, man troubles, kid troubles and something gross and unrepeatable about her "health". I read a piece today on BBC news where an Austrian Mayor is banning use of cell phones on public transport. I actually let out a cheer when I read this. It could be like the no smoking ban which is travelling around the world successfully, or it could end up like the no-talking-on-your-cell-while-driving law which seems to be scarce and unenforced in spite of repeated cheering on my part. Either way, I'd like the lady-with-many-troubles to ride a different bus, or run out of minutes, or get laryngitis troubles.

In addition to this horror, I bought and ate most of a KitKat today. On the second stick I realised there was what I call the Hershey's aftertaste. It is the same aftertaste you get from splenda or other sweeteners. I ate the third stick just in case, but that just made me check the wrapper. Apparently KitKat is made by Hershey's here. It just isn't right. Why couldn't some other American chocolate company get on board? Oh I know... stop being such a chocolate snob Natasha. SIGH.

Golden Finches!

We hung thistle seed on a new feeder and within a couple of days we had some takers. They really are an amazing coloured bird and you have to look twice to be sure you aren't seeing things. Their colour is the same as the buttercups which have taken over our front yard.

squir'ls

Dern things are eating my bird seed. We have lathered the bird feeder poles with vaseline and are hoping to catch some pretty funny sights of squirrells sliding back down their poles!

Further tales of riding the bus

In a previous post I told you all about some pretty nasty characters who I rode the bus with. I have now been riding the bus to work every morning and every evening for 5 weeks and I am glad to report that the previous characters were out of the ordinary. Firstly, I ride the same buses every day, which means the same bus drivers every day. My morning driver is woman and she always greets with a laugh and when you get off she commands you to have a good day in a trilling voice that echoes around the bus. My second morning driver is also a woman and I don't even have to pull the bell to stop the bus anymore as she now knows I always get off at the same place.

Sharing the morning bus with me is a lady who gets on at the same stop that I do. She always arrives about 30 seconds before the bus does, blowing hard. She makes the same comment to me every morning; "phoo, that hill, I dunno, phoo!". She is buddies with a few of the other daily riders. a large man, who semi-reclines over the same two front seats, and his lady friend who takes up half a seat she is so small. He has a booming laughing voice and she has a high twitter. Then there is "Dr. Pepper man". This guy has told us all repeatedly how all he ever has for breakfast is a Dr. Pepper and usually the soda is right there in his hand as evidence. He rests it on his not insubstantial chest so that the top of the bendy straw sits conveniently on his chin. I am always fascinated by how he doesn't end up with sticky soda on his chin. These four and the bus driver keep up a steady stream of chat and laughter till they have all got off one by one and only the bus driver is left, sitting high and dry in her seat.

The afternoon crowd are far more subdued. I always have the same bus driver but there isn't the daily rider crowd to make the ride interesting, which means I am able to actually get through more of my book.

Namibia in our lounge

These paintings were another excellent xmas present for K, from my Family. We have finally hung them, above our fireplace, and they look wonderful.

Chipping sparrows

House finches are being kicked out

We put new seed in the bird feeder and that has attracted a new kind of lbj. The chipping sparrow is a pretty little lbj and easy to identify by the markings on his head. Now the house sparrows have some serious competition at the feeder.

How one can benefit from careful packing

These two items were the kind that usually get left behind in a cross-contintental move. They are the kind of item that is sadly found in the dustbin, or on the most unwanted shelf in a second hand store. They don't match with anything, not even each other. They are doomed to be abandoned. The first is a wine glass that was K's xmas present and he loves it. The second is a glass cutting board decorated with brussel sprouts and I love it. We are not the type to abandon such beloved items and the great thing is, I know there are other people who will be glad to see that here they are in our kitchen!

What makes my working day worth it

In the middle of a stressful day this week, I went and hung out with these two to destress. I know they look like one and the same dog, but I swear they are two. They were adopted together on Friday, the woman who adopted them is a very lucky gal.

A cat called Shy, with a wonderful face

I have been thinking to myself this week of how perfectly she would fit in with our two. Her colouring is exactly like a combination of Oleo and Henry. Just a half of each! Of course we can't have another cat...

Violet

Violet, if you remember, is the cat who is supposed to live in my office but doesn't really like me. She has been warming up to me recently, coming to get snuggles in the middle of the day when there are no babies or dogs in the office to scare her off. She really is quite a sweetie.

A post from my desk

Hehe, Sammy just made a dog cry. It was a mastiff/pitbull/labrador mix. Poor baby.

A book recommended, but not for the faint of English.

You'll laugh, you'll cry and you'll cringe. You will wonder how you could ever have put an apostrophe in some of the places you did. If you are a psuedo-Englander living in the States, you will wonder how you are ever going to write again.

A good movie

K and watched a few movies this week; American Gangster, The Jane Austen Book Club and Catch and Release. Each was good for our particular mood of the eve but the best was Catch and Release.

The plotline is simple, it's a romantic comedy and it's sweet and a little cheesy. What makes it a wonderful movie is what is going on around the romantic. In fact, it is the comedy part that allows the movie to be more than just another romantic comedy. K and I chuckled our way through it, the humour is smart and quick and quirky. In actual fact, I think silent Bob is why the movie is so great.

So, highly recommended by K and I for a Friday night after a stressful week.

At dawn in the backyard

How I lost my husband to taxes

K has been at his laptop on the dining table all day trying to work through and out of our taxes. This is one of those times where I am eternally grateful that I married the man I did.

After two days he has just completed our federal taxes. Here are some questions that came up related to that. Must we pay taxes on scholarships? Were we domiciled in Namibia? WHERE is our "tax home" and is that the same as our residence? Did I pay into my 401K and do I have an IRA? (The answer to that last is - a militant wing of the Irish government? No, I don't have one of those)

So now that he has completed the federal taxes he only has DC, Virginia and Maryland left! HOW on earth did we manage to live and earn in this many places?

We have learned many things today, including the following from the IRS publication 54: (Hopefully I won't get arrested for reproducing it!)
The term "foreign country" includes the seabed and subsoil of those submarine areas adjacent to the territorial waters of a foreign country and over which the foreign country has exclusive rights under international law to explore and exploit the natural resources.

Just in case you lived on the seabed off the Namibian shore and were wondering where to pay taxes...

Monticello from our house

Henry enjoying spring

Some colour in our Neighbourhood

Reasons we cannot have a dog:

K and I have been telling ourselves these things since I started at my new job. In fact we were telling ourselves from before, now it is just worse because I fall in love with a new dog almost every day.
1. We don't know what continent we are going to settle on, and when. Moving a dog is expensive and traumatic.
2. Oleo would hide under the bed.
3. Neither of us wants to call the landlord and ask.
4. We are gone from home between the hours of 8am and 7pm most days.
5. Dog poop.
6. Getting up even earlier to walk the dog.
7. No fenced-in yard.

Bond

Bond has been my office mate a few days this week. He was a stray for many years and is terrified of humans. He is also quite old, and a big dog, he is a little bigger than a labrador but looks like a hound in terms of colour and shape. He is incredibly shy of humans but adores other dogs. He will lie quietly in my office and keep an eye on me, but shies away when anyone tries to touch him. He has advanced with me as he will now sniff my hand when I offer it to him. Also when I ignored him for long enough while working he actually came to stand next to me and see what the fascination with my screen and keyboard was. I feel that once he has figured out that people are not going to shout at him, chase him or hit him he will be a really sweet companion for someone who is incredibly patient and wants a dog who will adore without being needy. In other news, JJ in on the adoption floor and I expect that by Monday he will be gone because lots of people have been interested. Freddie is still around as we want to be careful about the home he goes to.

Soon after

Wife: "I have discovered one too."
Husband: "what?"
Wife: "Husbands can't pee in the dark."

While brushing teeth at night

Husband: "I have discovered a fundamental difference between husbands and wives"
Wife: "Which is?"
Husband: "Wives have a catalog of household bedding in their heads"
Wife: "And husbands?"
Husband: "Don't"

My office

One photo is the before and one the after - can you figure out which is which?

The men's bathroom has a new occupant

His name is JJ and he is tooooooooo cute. Tiny pitbull/boxer baby. I have been very well socially trained to think that pits are ugly dogs, but JJ would melt anyone's heart and mine is a puddle of chocolate when I look at his little crumpled face. He is in the bathroom mostly cos he is too young to be adopted but he likes human company and to pee on the carpet. (The second is why he isn't under anyone's desk)He even still has puppy breath.... everyone all together now.... aaahhhhhhh!

DC weekend

We went up to DC this weekend and were excited about the cherry blossoms. Of course we underestimated how long it takes to get anywhere in the area and so had about 17 minutes between social appointments to get around the tidal basin. which cannot be done so we had to settle for just looking around sort of, and then taking a cab to the next thing. K still managed to get some excellent photos though!

Sammy the dog tester

So Sammy is not afraid of anything. There has never been a dog that makes him scared. At most he will wonder off as if uninterested. As a result, the animal handlers use him to test whether dogs are cat-friendly or unfriendly. I love to watch the dogs being paraded under his nose while people try and convince him to move and provoke the dogs. Most dogs take one sniff and know this is not a cat to trifle with. Actually, most people do the same.

more puppy

Freddie has graduated! He is now adoptable. This is him under my desk last week, drooling on my knee. There has already been a family who is interested. Now that he has come out of his shell he loves to run around the room like a maniac and then play-bow at you. Tooooo cute!

Whoah!!

So this morning when I was shaking out our rugs on the back steps, I heard a Toktok. When I craned my neck around the back of the house there was the biggest woodpecker I have ever seen. I wasn't even sure if I was seeing what I thought I was seeing. His body was big and he had the hugest fire-engine red mohawk. My first thought was that it was the Ivory billed and I had made a wonderful scientific discovery, but immediately dismissed it. I called K out and he said it was the pilleated. Which did not reduce my wonder at all. SO big! He is the size of a crow. Oh, also, he is a she.

The other photo is of a little downy munching on our suet. It is funny to watch the downy's get to the suet. They land on the crook and then sort of slide down the pole till they hit the suet box, on which they sort of hop into position. We are going to take pity on them on hang a new suet in the tree.

Freddie

Freddie is the rescue dog I told you about, the one in the men's bathroom as you can so clearly see. I had the pleasure of his company today as he has been upgraded from the loo. He is socialised enough to be allowed to hide under someone's desk. Initially that was the ED but I asked for his company and was granted. He is so scared of humans and loud noises that he just needs to be somewhere where he will meet humans but still feel safe. poor baby.

Sammy

So this is Sammy, he is nasty looking. And going to be more nasty looking as all his hair falls out when he eats the other cats' food. He is diabetic and he doesn't know it but he loves to eat. He'll even eat your sandwhich if you leave it unattended. Even though he is mean and slightly gross, I feel affection for him. Maybe it's cos I naturally love all orange cats.

A few observations from my first day

There is a creature for every office. It is a very smart office space as they recently had the entire facility rebuilt and it is very Posh. But it is covered in Cat hair. Sammy lives in the Building directors office. He is a large 18 yr old, ginger bully. He lives to push my office mate around. Her name is Violet and she is a fat little siamese. Alley lives in the Executive Directors office and she is very shy and pretends not to mind when Sammy doodoos in her litterbox. I suspect that you will be hearing a great deal about these three characters. In the men's bathroom is a 10 month old beagle who is being socialised. Which means the bathroom door is open but barred so that he can get used to people going past and talking to him. Talking to him and even scratching ears is encouraged. This makes me glad. In the broom closet are two cats who are also being socialised. They are less cute. Even though they are cats. I know, very surprising, coming from me.

The worst thing about my day was the discovery that there is no kettle. None. People just heat their tea water in the microwave. Heathens. My first job as "development assistant" will be to raise funds for a kettle. freakin' coffee drinkers, the lot of them. There are THREE coffee machines.

The best thing about my day was beginning to navigate my way around the donor database. I always enjoy learning new programs and this one is delightfully complicated. Despite the complexity I am confident that I will get the hang of it quite quickly and will soon be able to pull reports detailing all kinds of details!

Ooh, I will share an office with the other person who will be at my level but has not come on board yet. It has a window that opens and I will actually get sunlight! Yay! An upgrade from my previous corporate office. It's a big office and I have a big swivel chair and all the filing cabinets in the room are mine, MINE!

Another triumph of the day was to walk past all those sweet little kitties in the adoption center and not take one home! Another Yay!

Ok, now I really must go and unwind or I will never sleep, and getting up for unemployment was a lot later than getting up for employment. I have now been awake for 14 hours IN A ROW! Impressive.

The view from my bed.

While talking to R on Sunday I saw three different woodies, a few Carolina Chickadees, two bright Cardinals chasing each other and lots of singing House Finches. I didn't even have to get out from under the covers for all that. What heaven.

Cat Flap resolved

Yay! I no longer have the urge to respond when I hear bells at the back door. K is my kero and the cat flap is once again functional. Even the cats are happier. Henry now gets to play his favourite game: sit-at-the-flap-and-stop-my-sister-from-getting-in. Meanie!

a fish on a bicycle.

K and I both loved the juxtaposition of the Guinness in an old POM glass. It's such a healthy seeming juice, and I know certain people will claim the same of guinness, but that just seems like a stretch. ; >

repeat tragedies

We keep finding ladybirds all over the house. I don't know where they come from but it is like they come inside to die. We find them crawling up the walls and across the ceiling. Each time we find one, we rescue it and put it on our only plant. A Bonsai, which was a housewarming from S&B. It is then only a matter of 12 or so hours before I have to scoop the little carcass up and dispose of it permanently. Our dustbin has become a ladybird graveyard. It just makes me so sad to see each tiny one that didn't make it. Putting them outside doesn't help either. I think they just freeze out there. I am looking forward to real spring when we can let them outside and know they will actually survive.

All Quiet on the Western Front

It has been really quiet here the last few days. I basically do the same thing each day which includes dishes, cooking and sweeping. Oh and reading. Which is really the only thing I have to talk about. I have started re-reading the whole Pern series by Anne McCaffrey. It is just excellent junk reading and I am working my way through it quite quickly.

I am also reading a book called 'The Pink Carnation'. It's loosely based on the timeless 'Scarlet Pimpernel' and has a taint of 'literature' only because the woman writing it is a Harvard student studying the time. Not sure any of it is actually based on the French Revolution but it is also excellent escapism.

What is not escapsim is Margaret Atwood's 'Bluebeard's egg'. Short stories from the heart. I really can't read more than one story a day as she leaves you with a disturbed mind for a while after each story. Really excellent writing though, as much because the content stays with you as because of her prose.

That's it from me. Will save the rest of my books for another day in case the next few days are as still as the last.

The Human Cat Flap

That's me. We haven't rigged up our usual window-box-cat-flap yet as the box is too big or too small or too something that needs to be fixed with wood and a saw. This means that the cats must exit and enter via the back door. It's too cold to just leave the door open a little and this is where I come in. We hung some bells on the outside so the cats can let me know when they want to come in. I let them out, I sit down. Five minutes later, one of them is too cold and rings the bell. I get up and let him/her in. I sit down. five minutes later the other one wants in, I get up... you see the pattern. I do this all morning till I get sick of them and make them come in permanently. WHY you ask, would I do this tedious task? How much have these animals got me wrapped around their little paws. Well... you clean the litterboxes twice a day and see if you don't rather let the little eating/pooing/peeing/crying things outside instead.

Lovely Sunday

We are having one of those excellent Sundays. Lazy and still productive. Perhaps slow is a better word. I called home and had a chat, by which time K had made croisants for breakfast and a big fat cup of tea. Then he fiddled with the blender to see if he could fix it and I played some online scrabble and cleaned up the house a little. Now we are both just sitting at the comps being geeks. All I plan to do for the rest of the day is watch some Roswell and maybe do the grocery shopping. What a wonderful life!

More birds

We think that the bluebird may actually live in our backyard, now that we see him or his mate almost every day. We also could not resist this image of the Turkey Buzzards (Vultures) sitting in a tree waiting for something yummy and dead to come along.

another lucky discovery

Discovered a really deliscious salad dressing last night. 1/3 olive oil, 1/3 balsamic vinegar and 1/3 POM original pomegranate juice and some fresh ground black pepper. It's excellent on a Waldorf salad. Just another reason to have POM in your fridge. Yay.

You won't believe it!

We had ANOTHER power outage! It went out around 9:30 last night and didn't come back on till 6am! It wasn't as cold last night as the last time, thank goodness, but it was still wretched. I just can't believe that in this first world place we could be without electricity twice in a few weeks. On the other hand, it does give us a great excuse for eating all the ice-cream in the freezer.

eina.

Last night we played squash and then fiddled around on the gym machines after. I was on a high from winning a game against K for the first time in... well pretty much since the first game I played with him ever. It was also his first game ever. In order to win last night's game it required K to be daydreaming and me running around the court like a fly in a window. My gym machine of choice is what has fondly been called the gynecological machine. It's the one where you put your knees against it and strengthen your inner thighs or outer. This morning I am paying for my enthusiasm. I can barely walk and if anything falls today it is staying on the floor cos I can't bend. I am going to try and get to the pool when it opens to try and work out the kinks but K may have to carry me there.

Yikes!

There is currently a tornado warning on for C'ville. Which translates to sheets and sheets of torrential rain. K and I did our groceries and when we came out of the store it was starting to pour. By the time we got home, and got out of the car it was like walking into a shower! We actually had to change our clothes when we made it into the house. cray-zy! mmm think I will now go online and research what one is supposed to do in a Tornado or to prepare for one? Hopefully it is make pasta for dinner and watch CSI.