(10/28/12) Washington Post Second Glance

The Washington Post magazine runs a weekly feature called "Second Glance" where readers get to hunt for the 12 changes made between two pictures. Usually, they involve things that are missing or dimension changes to an object. I used to do these all the time when I was a kid. I think Highlights magazine even had a feature like this...

My dad LOVES this column and keeps his fine point Sharpie marker next to his chair all week while he works on the puzzle. From time to time, I will leave him a hint on his puzzle, like I did today -- "Check out the pole above the bicycle seat. XO". Payback for all those years of playing "I Spy with My Little Eye" on roadtrips?

(10/27/12) Pumpkin Patch

Well, with all we had to do lately, I have completely forgotten about our annual pilgrimage to a Pumpkin Patch. I was so caught up in getting this crossed of the to-do list, it didn't occur to me that this is the last Saturday before Halloween. I did remember though, at 6:00 PM when all patches were shut down for the day. 

George suggested I go by myself and I looked at him like he had two heads. This is a together activity that we have always done. I can't just go by myself! So, clever me started brainstorming how to fix this debacle and it occurred to me that stores actually do sell pumpkins. So, off we went to Home Depot on Route 40 to see what was left. We were able to find some pumpkins to chose from. As always, George picked a little one and I picked a big one. Sutty came along. SO behold this year's Pumpkin Patch, complete with moldy hay bales and wilting chrysanthemums!

2012 -- Home Depot

In honor or my forgetfulness, here are some throwback pictures of our Pumpkin Patch-ing from years past.

2011 -- Crumland Farms

 

 

2010 -- Summer's Farm

2005 -- Summer's Farm

(10/13/12) Penny Lane is no More

Meet Ridley.

Despite the vet checking the cat out, nobody noticed the teeny weenie, umm... weenie... until Ridley was mid-procedure to clean out his abscess on his hip/tail.

The appointment at the vet's went very well. We go to O'possum Pike Vet Clinic near TJ High School. We were thrilled that Ridley could see Dr. Yau, who is our regular vet for our girls.

Ridley was amazingly cool with the whole process. He let the vet hold his paws and check his claws, his eyes, his ears, etc. The only thing he objected to was the thermometer up his bum, but who wouldn't object to that? Dr. Yau discovered one tick on Ridley so he gets a three month treatment of meds for that. He also got a shot of antibiotics that lasts for two weeks in his system. His teeth are in great shape with minimal tartar buildup, which surprised me because of his inconsistent diet for the last few months. Dr. Yau told us that Ridley is between five and six years old, much older than we'd initially believed. He did have an abscess that was probably sustained while fighting with another cat. We had to leave him there overnight so he could be ready bright and early for his procedure.

I got a call the next day at work and was told that Ridley was doing well, was awake and that the spot was cleaned out and didn't look too bad. He also had worms, so we dealt with that, although it was no surprise. I was then told that we would have to change his name because of cat was a boy! I wanted George to name this kitty because I had named Maggie and Rose came with her name, so it was his turn. I did reserve veto power in case he wanted to name the poor cat something ridiculous like "Mr. T." or anything that sounded like an American Gladiator castmember. George picked "Ridley" because of the endangered Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle. It is unusual, but not weird, so now the kitty has a name.

He is a completely sweet lunatic. He has slept next to George or on my chest or lap in bed nearly every night. He has not had a single litter box accident, except for one mis-aim, so we got a box with higher sides. He has not "horked" up his food, but he is a gobbler to the extreme so we feed him pieces at a time and make him eat slowly. He climbs the inside of my screen door and gets stuck at the top and screams until you come get him. He loves Sutter and the two of them spoon each other in our bed and Sutter licks him. He is completely food obsessed and wants whatever I am eating, regardless of what it is. He is adjusting well to the girlies and we are only having a hiss-and-spit-fest maybe once every other day, usually around mealtimes. Enjoy the pics of our new boy!

 Sleeping with George

 Our living room -- 3 windows, 3 cats. Coincidence? (From left, Rose, Maggie and Ridley)

 Snuggling with Sutter

 Apparently, cats like to eat cherry yogurt!

He was after the crumbs from my popcorn chips.

He is happily wearing the bag on his head so he can lick the inside clean.

(10/09/12) Underroos

What is wrong with Victoria's Secret?!?! When I got married about three and half years ago, I went to pick up some things for our honeymoon trip.  I weighed about 180 and was the height I am now (5 foot 7) with roughly the same-sized dimensions. I found that (and was told that) they had nothing in my size, particularly that they do not carry any band sizes larger than 36 in the store and no cup sizes larger than D. I do not consider myself fat by any means; I am a solid gal with some jiggly spots and a penchant for food. I could stand to work out more often, but who of us couldn't?
 
I wanted to find a lacy-racy-something to torment my new husband, but everything for sale wasn't even going to cover a thigh. I was gently told that customers needing larger sizes could find them online and through the catalog. I remember feeling ugly and awful -- the week before my wedding. 

Of course, I hit up the website and found what I wanted, but how is this store staying in business? The average American woman wears a size 14, which does fit me, as I wear anything from a 10 to a 14, depending on the cut and designer. A size 6 is considered plus size. The average North American woman also weighs 177.9 pounds (thanks, Wikipedia). So if I fall right in the middle, what gives? If most of us are chunkier, why don't they carry products for our market in their stores?

You'd think I would have learned my lesson, but those "free underroos" cards keep coming in my mailbox, so in I go and trade them in. Take a look at the top picture -- the drawer for size S panties. Observe all the pretty colors and patterns. Then look at the picture underneath -- for size L panties. Note the overwhelming presence of beige.

Do big girls really only want black, beige, gray and white undies? Beige is not HOT. Nothing screams "1950 mommy drawers" louder than some wicked white panties! Yeah, there were some other colors in the drawer, but the number of color choices was significantly reduced. I asked the sales girl and she remarked that they sell a lot of underwear in the L size and that I should check back. [Going to the mall, for me, is akin to slow torture.] So why don't they have a bunch on hand for restock?

Thank you, Vicky See's for condemning my largely average butt to beige undies. But I'll keep checking back in the hopes that one day, a rhinestone-encrusted cheetah-print pair will be left just for me. Until then, I bet Wal-Mart has exactly what I'm looking for -- in bulk.

(10/08/12) Penny Lane is in my ears and in my eyes...

I received the following email from a work colleague:

"This cat was abandoned by our neighbor when his house was foreclosed on :(.  The cat has been hanging around our house for a few months now- she is very friendly and gets along with dogs and kids! My husband is allergic, so we can't let her inside. Now that it is getting cold, we are thinking about taking her to a no kill shelter, but I thought I would ask if anyone wants to give her a home first. I heard she is spayed and is fairly young. Please let me know if you or anyone you know is interested."

So, George and I have tossed around the idea of a dog or a third cat for quite a while now. The dog just isn't going to work. We are not home on a regular schedule and it would not be fair. We live vicariously with Sutty when we are able to borrow him, and that's all we can manage. So, the discussion turned back to the third cat. We have not been actively pursuing this because we have two oddballs already and are very nervous about upsetting the apple cart. Adding the wrong third cat could make everyone unhappy and that is the last thing that we want. So, we figured at the bare minimum, we could catch this cat, crate it in our basement, get it to the vet's for a check up and then see how it goes. If it does not work out, I know a ton of no-kill rescue groups that could help us re-home it.

So I drove all the way to Ranson, WV tonight, intending to catch the cat and drive back to Frederick for a 6:10 PM vet appointment. The cat was M.I.A. and was not interested in being found. We looked for two hours and finally gave up. Driving home, we got a call that the cat was back and had been caught. We turned around and met halfway for the hand off. Kitty rode home mostly quietly while I sang to her and if I asked her a question, she mewed a response. A was impressed that we have a very mellow traveler! She rubbed happily against my fingertips I had slid in the front grate holes.

The cat is currently settled in a metal crate (the size for a Westie) with a litter pan, some old towels, food and water. We draped the outside with old towels so the cat feels secure. The dehumidifier should run all night as constant noise. This will also be good so the other girlies can't hear if she starts to cry. The cat ate right away and settled down easily. I need to call the vet in the morning so we can get an appointment. Until then, we are washing our hands in and out of visiting the cat so we don't transfer germs in either direction.  I am crossing my fingers that it all works out because George already named her -- meet "Penny Lane".

(10/06/12) Busy Saturday

Yard Sales, Gathering more Black Walnuts, a Visit to Grandma and Dinner

Slept in this morning a little, rather than our way-too-early yard sale wake up. Dragged ourselves out of bed, fed the dog and cats and we were off. The Meadows neighborhood in New Market and a neighborhood in the Ballenger Creek area were both having their fall community sales. We also stopped at a Boy Scout Troop sale at the pavilion in Clover Hill Park. Here's how we did:

Necklace $1, Earrings $2

Books for BES (Hardcover Dog $1, paperbacks $0.50)

If You Give a Pig a Pancake Stuffed Animal (Kohl's Cares for Kids) $0.50

Box of Cat 5e cable (so George can cut his own to length) $5.00

 

Western Puzzle $0.50 and Puzzle Keeper (so I can clear my table top) $2.00

 Two new stuffed animals for Sutter (no pellets inside) $0.50 each

Purple Chaps Purse, new with tags $15

We then spent about an hour gathering more black walnuts that had fallen from our two trees in the backyard. We were able to gather more than 40 gallons of walnuts while Sutty played in the yard. George had mowed this week, squishing more than a few under the tires of the tractor. We wanted to get these off the ground a well as donate them, so we went to work! We will probably have one more "big sweep" before fall ends, as there are some still hanging in the trees, but I think this was our biggest haul of the season. 

When we took them up to Gambrill to the drop off station, we were shocked to see that most of the bins were full and there were very few empties left. We were proud to fill up two bins close to full. Here are comparison pictures of what was donated two weeks ago and now today... In the pic on the right, you can see how small the stacks of full crates are over by the blue truck.

We went to visit my Grandma (dad's mom) in the newly opened Citizen's Nursing Home. She will be transferring to Montevue soon. Grandma looked well and I was very impressed with the quality of this new facility. Builders, designers and staff did a fabulous job.

Sutty went with us for the entire day. We always bring him along because then he can't nap all day and we know he will sleep a full night through without trying to get us up to play at four in the morning! He loves fall because we ride with the windows down and the butt warmers on -- as soon as we get out of the car, he jumps to one of our seats and curls up to nap.

We had a very late dinner at the Barbara Fritchie. Each of us had eggs and hash browns. George got bacon for himself and wrapped a piece in a napkin that he stuffed in his pocket. It was for Sutty, who had waited patiently in the car. George shook his head, remarking that he had become his father -- secreting food from restaurants for the dog waiting in the car. Sutty climbed up on my lap, inhaled his bacon, and rode home curled up with the windows down and the heat vents blowing on his fur.