We hang up the Hammock at last

And then we hang it again...

kitties enjoying the "cat" days of summer

Henry would like it if Mommy paid more attention to him and less to her broom

Henry helps mommy cook dinner...

get off the roads

I think most of you know the story...

I am 30 and I can't drive. Not, I don't drive, but I can't. I mean I am sure I could get in and make the thing go if I had to and there were no clutch and K were bleeding from his skull and I couldn't get hold of anyone else or a taxi or an ambulance. Nonethelss...no driver's license anyway.

For many years I have been promising to get one. Starting with after I moved back from the UK and at the tender age of 20 I still had to get my Mom to drive me around. Then at uni, if anything had ever happened to my roomies, they would have been in a taxi, and that is not a pretty thought. The list goes on and it is quite long.

Well maybe the story ends now. For the last few months my bus rides have been things of misery instead of joy because I should be studying for the learner's test. Instead of reading whatever juicy novel was lurking in my handbag, I was supposed to be pounding the road signs into my grey matter. I detest having studying hanging over me while I read. So eventually I gave in and left my murder mystery at home and read a little different material.

Then the day came when K basically forced me to go down and actually take the test. I was convinced I would fail, but then at least I would know what to study for. Well blow me down like a dead tree in hurricane season but I passed the dern thing. Now I have no excuse for not getting behind the wheel of a car and endangering the lives of my husband, innocent bystanders and people who can't (*)**!_)%# use their indicators!

I can send text messages to those of you who would like to know when I will be practising in their general area if you'd like to get off the roads or stand by and jeer.

a little whine and a moan

Yes I know I have been a bad bad blogger. I have not only been inconstant I have been missing for months at a time. And then I posted bad photos. AND NOW I am mostly logging on to complain. Smokers, really, must you?

We passed months of winter bliss in our little house. The windows were shut tight and nothing got in or out. Our warm little haven was perfect. Then summer hit, and as you know it was H.O.T. Every window in the house is open, top and Bottom. We share our little house with someone who lives in our basement. It very quickly became clear that she was a smoker. She smokes before she goes to sleep. She lights up before she showers in the morning. She takes a drag on her way from or to her car. She inhales shallowly while on the phone to her girlfriends in the back yard.

Therein lies the crux of the matter. The back yard. She is not allowed to smoke in the house (thank goodness) and so she stands just outside her door and puffs away. It is so gross. The smoke wafts in through the bathroom window, and is actively spread through the house by the fans in the spare room and in our room. The smell of second hand smoke just makes me feel ill and my lovely clean washing directly under the fan need to be aired.

So WHY don't I just head on down there and say; "hey roomie! Won't you take your bad habit to the bottom of the yard?" SIGH. Because, I am the Queen of Passiva Aggressiva land and K is my King. Instead we just run around the house closing windows and turning fans to point outwards. We are so pathetic, but I must say that I feel better now that I have whinged to you.

thanks.

crayzeeee

Funniest thing today - a squirrel crossing the road and then going up a tree, carrying a whole flower in his mouth. The image is taken with my phone camera so its not great.

my job's rewarding moments

Something I have just remembered.

A friend of mine has a blog in which he just wrote a piece about being bitten by ants. Reading his post brought back a very strong memory for me, so strong that I once again felt the disappointment and longing from that day.

I was in Primary school, which means that I was younger than 13, perhaps as young as 9. We went on a school trip. I don't remember where or what for. I know we were packed into a combi bus and there was no aircon. The bus was very hot and very loud and all the kids were in high spirits. We stopped on the side of the road, and again, I don't know why. I do remember very clearly that there were some clouds in the sky but not enough to soften the glare from the sun. I was one of the last people to get back on the bus and while I was waiting I felt first one, and then a few, and then many tiny, incredibly painful pricks, all over my legs. I panicked, not knowing what it was and flailed about, jumping up and down. It hastened my getting on the bus considerably and it took some time to find all the red ants that had bitten me and were stuck in my socks etc.

Of course the bites are not where the disappointment and longing come from. I think the things in life I coveted most was stationary. I have always been a stationary fiend but stationary is something you get for needs, not wants. Shortly before the school field trip my Mom had bought me a set of sparkly, shiny, multi-coloured pens. I loved those pens. I kept them close to me and I used them judiciously to make them last. These kinds of pens abound now that I am an adult and I have bought many since then, but none have meant as much to me those did. Somehow, those pens made me feel special to my Mom. She is also a stationary fiend and there is no question as to where my adoration of the stuff comes from. Pencils, long and sharp, writing paper with kittens and flowers on it, cool to the ball of your hand and pens that feel weighty, where the ink slides out onto the page so that words come smoothly from your mind.

To return to my story; when I had divested my socks of ants and the bites were calming down, I realised that my pens had fallen out of my pocket. All of them. It was my own fault for overreacting and I was devastated. I recall the feeling SO clearly. Everyone on the bus was still loud, the sun was still hot and I was miserable. I did not want to cry, I was beyond that, I was incomprehensibly disappointed. My lovely pens were gone and there was no way that we were going back for them. I would not even ask. I think the worst part was knowing in the back of my mind that my Mom had enjoyed giving me the pens. I doubt that she would now recall it, and even then they were never mentioned after she gave them to me. I did not say anything about the pens being missing to anyone, it was too petty, and at that age - how would I explain - they were just pens.

Like a poppy seed stuck between two teeth, I have returned to this memory again and again in my life and wondered did someone find the pens? The next people to pull over? Did they dessicate, fade and die? Will I ever find a set with gold stars on them that writes quite like that, and feels as precious?

A-dorable

We had a little baby puppy of four weeks in our office yesterday. She widdled everywhere, but cos of her plump little romping and happy nibbling we forgave her. And ahhh the puppy breath.

a use for my large teapot

To make tons and tons of lovely cooling iced tea for the summer!

My strange job

When I walked into my office on Monday there were two large garbage bags full of these tiny jerseys for dogs. It is unknown who donated them, or what we are going to do with them.

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.