Welcome
to my Website
ABOUT ME
Married 30 years
Three Children
-(all in college)
Six Cats
Two Parakeets
Co-owner Fun 'n Folly
-(On-Line Costume Shop)
Things I Love -
My Family, a given
Cats, of course
Cross Stitch &
-Needlepoint
Tap Dancing
Square Dancing
-Well, all Dancing, really
Nancy Ann Dolls
Mystery Books
Digital Cameras
Musical Theater
Old Buildings
Big Trees
Doing Crafts
Eating in Restaurants
CONTACT ME
catsu22@email.com
PHOTO GALLERIES
Kitty Pictures
San Diego Zoo
San Diego Sea World
Cirque de la Mer
Balboa Park
More coming soon
RECENT POSTS
Archives 2004
Archives 2003
Visit my new
Square Dance Blog
LINKS
Fun 'n Folly Costumes
Fun costumes for
Renaissance Fairs,
50's Sock Hops,
Toga Parties,
Halloween,
Mascots, and more.
In the family -
Raymond's Webpage
Julie's Webpage
Please help decrease the homeless cat population.
Spay or neuter your cats.
Feral Cat Coalition
Friends of Cats
RC Humane Society
San Diego County
* * * * * * * * * *
"There are few things in life more heartwarming than to be welcomed by a cat."
- Tay Hohoff
There are two means of refuge from the miseries of life: music and cats."
- Albert Schweitzer
"You can not look at a sleeping cat and feel tense."
- Jane Pauley
"The smallest feline is a masterpiece."
- Leonardo de Vinci
"I love cats because I enjoy my home, and little by little, they become its visible soul."
- Jean Cocteau
"Beware of people who dislike cats."
- Irish Proverb
"A meow massages the heart."
- Stuart McMillan
"The ideal of calm exists in a sitting cat."
- Jules Reynard
"There is no such thing as 'just a cat'."
- Robert A. Heinlein
"Happy is the home with at least one cat."
- Italian Proverb
"Every cat is special in its own way."
- Sara Jane Clark
"One cat just leads to another."
- Ernest Hemingway
* * * * * * * * * *
|
| June 29, 2003 -- You ought to be in pictures.
|
For years I have been meaning to get my photograghs organized. I have pictures everywhere. Three drawers filled photos and negatives in one room, still more in another room. Piles here, piles there, twenty-two years of photos waiting to be organized. The kids are all graduating and I don't even have their baby books done yet.
I have 24 empty scrapbook photo albums I ordered several years ago, ready to go. Julie helped get me started on the first one when she was home earlier this summer.
Just twenty more years to do. I'm on my way.
And that is just the traditional print photos. Since I started using a digital camera, I also have numerous files of digital pictures to organize, as well. It's so overwhelming.
So that's my summer project. Meanwhile I love taking pictures.
|
| June 26, 2003 -- There's a bird in the bathroom.
|
Ever playful Allie prefers her toys to be live. She gently carries her catch (usually lizards, sometimes mice) upstairs and puts them in the bathtub where she can watch them run around. She doesn't hurt them, sweet kitty that she is. We'll hear scuffling coming from the bathroom and say, "Oh-oh, better see what Allie has in the bathtub."
One time, though, she caught a feisty lizard that fought back. This lizard clamped its little jaws down onto her whiskers and wouldn't let go. Poor Allie was just sitting there with a lizard dangling from her cheek. (I wish I had taken a picture.) I had to hold the cat with one hand and pry the lizard off with the other. It just wouldn't open its mouth. I've never seen anything like it.
I am forever carrying lizards and mice out to the canyon to release them away from our yard.
If I'm not home, Kimberly's solution is to just close the door and wait. Touch a lizard? Eewww.
So when I arrived home the other day I was greeted with, "There's a bird in the bathroom."
In fact, it was a full grown mockingbird, and it was not happy with the situation at all. Catching a lizard running around a tub is one thing. Catching a bird flying around the room is another, especially since I was doing it in the dark so the bird would't burn itself on the light. And, of course, Allie was on the other side of the door meowing that she wanted to help.
I'd heard that covering a bird's head will calm it and I was finally able to get a dishtowel over the bird and carry it outside. It flew away, hopefully far from our house.
|
| June 25, 2003 -- Read every book.
|
"Don't be afraid to go in your library and read every book." - Dwight D. Eisenhower
Reading has always been an important part of my life. It is one of my favorite ways to spend an afternoon. I read historical novels, family sagas, biographies, mysteries, and classics.
The library is definitely the best deal offered in our society. When the kids were young, we would go two or three times a week. We would always have a huge pile of books we were reading. We've sometimes had books out from six different libraries at one time. I used to keep elaborate lists of what was due where and when. I may be the only person who can max out a library card.
In addition to this, I somehow feel a compulsion to own every book I've read, resulting in bookshelves in every room and lining all of our hallways. When I was little I wanted to live in the library. Being surrounded by books is soothing to the soul.
Kimberly is also an avid reader. She always has a book in her hand. She started reading "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" on saturday and finished it on sunday. And, yes, she did stop to eat, but I'm not sure how much she slept. So 24 hours and 870 pages later the reviews are in. It was good, really good. And as for that character who dies, well, Kimberly didn't like that character much anyway. Unlike J.K. Rowlings, she didn't shed a tear. Now, when is that next book coming out?
I've never been much of a fantasy / science fiction fan as I find it hard to relate to them. I prefer something a little more reality based. I just finished reading "Standing in the Rainbow" by Fannie Flagg. I did enjoy it, as I have her other books, "Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe" and "Welcome to the World, Baby Girl." She is a good writer and tells a good story with good character development. Her books make me want to live in a small town. Well actually, I've always wanted to live in a small town, so I guess her books just make me want to live in a small town even more.
|
| June 22, 2003 -- Just purr-fect.
|
"I put down my book, The Meaning of Zen, and see the cat smiling into her fur as she delicately combs it with her rough pink tongue.
Cat, I would lend you this book to study but it appears you have already read it.
She looks up and gives me her full gaze.
Don't be ridiculous, she purrs, I wrote it.
--- From "Miao" by Dilys Laing
Toby often sits and stares off into space. Kimberly says he just can't remember what he was doing. But I tell her, "No, he's meditating." She just laughs. You'd have to know Toby.
According to Pet Gazette, the Humane Society's newsletter, "In a lifetime, the average house cat spends 10,950 hours purring."
|
| June 21, 2003 -- A day for wizards, muggles, and reading.
|
It's here, it's here, it's here, the new Harry Potter book. Kimberly ordered it a week ago with guaranteed delivery for today, the first day of its release, as did many of her friends.
Oh, but the waiting, the waiting, the waiting. Then, when the mail was delivered, there was NO Harry Potter book. ----- What?, Are you sure?! The mailman did have quite a few Harry Potter books to be delivered to other people, but none were for Kimberly. ----- What? Are you sure?!!! What about guaranteed delivery TODAY?
After a bit of research we discovered her book was coming Fed Ex. More waiting. More waiting.
But now it's here and she is happily reading away.
"How many of these books do you think were delivered today?" Kimberly asked as she opened her rather large and heavy book box.
I think probably enough to have mailmen all across the country cursing J.K. Rowlings and guaranteed first-day-of-release delivery. It's a heavy book.
|
| June 19, 2003 -- Disneyland, the happiest place on earth.
|
Raymond and I went to Disneyland yesterday. This was the last day we could go before our passes are blacked out for the summer. Kimberly was in summer school and Lloyd was working, so it was just the two of us this time.
For Raymond, Disneyland basically consists of the Haunted Mansion, Indiana Jones, and Pirates of the Caribean. He can go on these over and over again. Maybe throw in Splash Mountain and Thunder Mountain for variety. If I insist, we see A Small World, but The Tiki Room is out of the question. For some reason I cannot understand, none of the kids like the Enchanted Tiki Room. I admit it's not fast or scary, but what's not to like about singing birds and talking flowers?
We had a nice day and I got eight new smashed pennies.
|
| June 16, 2003 -- Pride of ownership.
|
We went to a get-to-know-your-neighbors block party. I hadn't yet met our new neighbors behind us. Since they moved in they have repainted and reroofed the house, put in new windows, new fences, and new landscaping. Their house is beautiful. Speaking of the former owners from whom they bought the house, she said, "We could tell they didn't have pride of ownership."
Now I know our house is due for a coat of paint and we may be the only ones left to still have the original roof. The garden definitely needs some work, too. Added to that, my cat netting does give our yard a bit of a batting cage look and yesterday I looked up to see that Raymond had repaired the hole in his screen with strips of duct tape.
I'm thinking it's a good thing our trees are so high they pretty much block the view of our yard because the rest of the neighborhood may percieve us as not having pride of ownership.
|
| June 15, 2003 -- By any other name.
|
My husband, Lloyd, had told me that often when introducing himself people would mishear his name as Mike.
"Hi, I'm Lloyd"
Mike?"
"No, Lloyd"
Well now, I thought, that's just crazy. Lloyd and Mike don't sound anything at all alike, even if you mumble or slur your sounds. Then one day I witnessed this phenomenon myself. Lloyd said his name and the other person responded, "Mike?" Since that first time I have since heard it happen several more times. I'm standing right there, hearing the same thing they hear, yet time and time again, "Was that Mike?", they say. "No, Lloyd."
But today, for the first time, it happened to me. I went into the restaurant ahead to get a table.
"I'd like a table for four."
"Your name?"
"Lloyd."
"Mike?"
"No, Lloyd."
It was the most bizarre thing.
One time Lloyd met another Lloyd and asked if he had ever had anyone call him Mike. Well, as you would expect, he looked at him like he was nuts. Of course not.
It is very weird. This man is obviously a Mike trapped in a Lloyd's body.
|
| June 14, 2003 -- Don't fence me in.
|
When we got home last night, I was greeted by Allie and Angel, but not Patches, which is unusual. It was late so I figured she was probably already curled up asleep somewhere. But when she didn't come to snuggle in during the night or to wake me this morning, I knew something wasn't right. I checked the closet, as she sometimes sneaks in and gets trapped there, but still no Patches. Since the kids were still sleeping, I thought she may be in with one of them, but she usually doesn't like to sleep so late.
Then I saw her, sitting OUTSIDE the upstairs window, waiting to be let in.
Well darn, now I have to figure out how the little escape artist got out of what I thought was my secured yard.
|
| June 13, 2003 -- Dancing in the streets.
|
Today when we were stopped at a red light, a man crossing the street walked half way, did a little dance step in the middle, then continued walking across the street. Later in the evening, again while we were stopped at a red light, a lady at the bus stop stood up and started dancing.
Could it have something to do with it being friday the thirteenth?
Or maybe it's just a day for dancing in the streets.
|
| June 11, 2003 -- It's summertime, summertime, sum sum summertime.
|
I love when school gets out for the summer. I love having the kids home. We have a lot of fun. So many times I've heard people say, "I can't wait for school to start. The kids are driving me crazy." I never could understand this. I hate when school starts. I'm always depressed in September.
There's an ad out now for some pre-school/summer-school/keep-the-kids-in-class-every-minute-of-the-day-school that asks, "What are you going to do with the kids home all summer?" Well gee, I don't know, maybe, be a parent. I mean, really, if you don't like spending time with your own kids, well, I just don't understand that.
|
| June 9, 2003 -- There's always room for one more.
|
The kids have pointed out to me that it is national Adopt-a-Cat month. Of course, we just did adopt a cat but aparently that doesn't count since that was last month. We just missed it. Now we need another.
Kimberly says, "Do you think Dad would really mind if we got another cat?"
Well, the obvious answer is, if it's a black cat, he may never notice. He can't tell the two apart as it is. If we can just keep them from being in the same room at the same time, well, it could work.
|
| June 8, 2003 -- Happy Birthday.
|
Happy Birthday, Julie. And happy graduation, too. As you move on to new adventures in life, I know you will do wonderful and amazing things.
Lots of luck. Lots of love.
|
| June 7, 2003 -- A cat is a cat and that is that.
|
We recently recieved the newest kitty addition to our family. Kimberly's friend needed to find a new home for her kitty. We are, of course, the natural choice because everyone knows I take in strays and need-a-home animals. Over the years we have adopted guinea pigs, rats, hamsters, and birds, as well as cats.
This cat is totally black in color and was the meanest, nastiest cat I'd ever seen. She spent the first week hissing and growling at everything near her. You would have thought she was a feral cat plucked out of the canyon rather than a cat raised from kittenhood with a family. I've seen wild cats with better dispositions than this.
I thought it must have been a joke when they named this cat "Angel."
But that was then. Angel has decided she likes it here. It was like some one switched cats in the middle of the night. The little spitfire is gone and a sweet kitty remains. She still doesn't like to be picked up but she likes to be pet, she doesn't scratch or growl anymore, and she gets along with the other cats. It was a most amazing transformation.
|
More Kitty Pics
|
This is my very first blog entry. I'm learning as I go.
| June 6, 2003 -- Safety first.
|
My spring project has been to net in a portion of the yard for the kitties. I have been wanting to do this for some time but couldn't quite figure out how. I found pictures on the internet of others who had done something similar to what I had in mind. Some one in England mentioned using cricket netting. It took me awhile to find something comparable here, as I was looking in garden shops for netting to keep the bugs off of vegetables (I'm not very sports oriented) but, once on the right track I discovered golf netting. It is perfect. It comes in any size desired, is lightweight, UV coated to last in the sun, and easy to stretch out and around any shape needed.
This has lifted a huge stress from me. I no longer have to search for the kitties at dusk or lock them in when I'm gone. They have a kitty door so they can stay out later at night and go out earlier in the morning. I don't have to worry anymore about dangers like coyotes, racoons, speeding cars, or poison covered landscaped yards. I love this golf netting!
And, as an added bonus, if a golf ball happens to fly toward our house - no problem, we're good.
|
We closed in the front patio, down one side of the house all the way to the back fence, and half the back yard around the back patio. I'm still not quite finished along the back fence. The most challenging part is going around the trees.
I got my netting at gourock.com. They are in Washington state and make netting for golf courses and batting cages. Their netting comes in several different sizes and weights and can be cut to any dimensions ordered. They were very nice to deal with and shipped very quickly.
|
|
