Saturday, April 05, 2014

Round Robin Challenge: Dress Up



"I think if human beings had genuine courage, they'd wear their costumes every day of the year, not just on Halloween. Wouldn't life be more interesting that way? And now that I think about it, why the heck don't they? Who made the rule that everybody has to dress like sheep 364 days a year? Think of all the people you'd meet if they were in costume every day. People would be so much easier to talk to... like talking to dogs."

~Douglas Coupland, The Gum Thief

RRC: Dress Up

Dress Up... I loved playing dress up as a child! If it wasn't me putting on the fancy dress, then it was me putting the fancy clothes on my Barbie doll. I had a pretty extensive wardrobe for her! Shoes, coats, blouses, pants... you name it, she had it hanging in her well organized closet! Sometimes, when I think about how all her clothes were always put back in the correct places in her closet, I think that might have been the beginning of the organizational skills I pride myself on today! LOL. In the 80's, when I was working, I always took a couple hours on Sunday afternoons to prepare 5 complete outfits for the coming work week, complete with accessories.

 At the time I thought it was so I could grab just a little extra sleep, but looking back, I think it might have been me being just a little bit obsessive compulsive about being ready for work! LOL. Either way... I did have a little extra time to sleep, and I was never late for work, so it all worked out. And today, I still embrace those skills, but I am not O/C about it! LOL. Well, not much!

Anyway, about the challenge, I decided to embrace my love for Halloween, and my love of costumes, both for me and for the kitties. Elvis was very fond of wearing hats, and costumes, and little tank tops, but Dylan and Hendrix not so much! Hendrix doesn't mind, but Dylan is his own person! If a cat person is reading this, you know exactly what I mean! I just let my kids be who they are. Simple as that! Next Halloween, I might try a costume on Joey, just to see how it goes, we'll see. Like I said, I let them be who they are. I have enough love of the holiday for all of us!

My Dress Up Gallery...

Halloween 2008

Hendrix The Clown



Halloween 2009
Dylan The Hot Dog



Halloween 2013
Carly The Rubber Duck



April 4th 2014
Blair The 2014 Chevrolet Spark
The Sock Monkey



Oh yeah, about the sock monkey photos, yep, that is a sock monkey seat cover. I purchased it for the driver's side of my new car. I bought it last Wednesday, and in keeping with tradition, I some seat covers to keep my car as nice as possible! It helps when the inevitable day comes for trading it in on a new one! I chose the sock monkey seat cover for two reasons. First, I own another Chevy Spark and I love it, all except for the fact that the head rest doesn't quite hit the back of my head the way it does others, so I end up with a strained neck from no support.

The stuffed sock monkey head on this seat cover provides the perfect support for me. NO MORE NECK ACHES! It's not easy being short! LOL. And the second reason... simple... I love stuffed animals. LOL. Yes, even as I toddle off to the tomb, I still love and collect stuffed animals, mostly teddy bears, but the occasional sock monkey is a good too!

Okay, that's my post, now go see what everyone else came up with! Just click the link at the top of the post to be redirected to the Round Robin blog, where you can find the list of participants, and their links, and all the information you need to join in the photo challenge!

Mood: Happy

~Me :)

Friday, April 04, 2014

The End Of The Week...



"I am so tired I can hardly type this worfs."

~Lemony Snicket, The Carnivorous Carnival

Okay, I am just going to say it's been a busy week... A VERY BUSY WEEK!

Here is a brief recap of events...

Monday, was fairly uneventful, but we did have some prep to do in order to take Joey to Dr. Barrett's office on Tuesday for his neutering and other procedures.

 

Tuesday...
 
* I didn't sleep well the night before, so when I got up to take Joey to Dr. B's I felt more like a zombie, than a fully functioning human. We went out to breakfast after the appointment, of which I took maybe 2 bites. I was missing my boy too much to eat. We can home afterward, and turned on CNN to see the latest about the missing plane.
 

It was still missing. Still is as I type this.


After the report on the missing airplane, came the testimony before congress of Mary Barra the new CEO of General Motors. It was not pleasant to sit through, considering we still own a 2007 Saturn ION DEATHTRAP. The one good thing about watching her testimony, and learning new details we hadn't heard before, was the fact that Alan finally heard information he needed to conclude that holding onto the Saturn was no longer an option for us.

The decision was made. Time to visit some car dealerships in the area.

One problem... it was April Fool's Day... and it was a DARK AND STORMY DAY! LOL.


Who buys a car on April Fool's Day? Especially during a storm? But all was well. We learned about some cars we liked, and came home and did some emailing to some dealers, and then called it a day! We resolved to begin anew on Wednesday. No worries.

Wednesday...

We heard back from a Chevy dealership in the East Bay. They had the car we were interested in, at the price we needed it to be, so went and took a look at it. It was a perfect fit, and a few hours later we drove our new Chevy Spark off the lot! 

Her name is Blair.

Everything was good! Yay! All except for the the scrape on the I found on the dashboard, that I hadn't seen before driving it off the lot!

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!

Why can't stuff go smooth?

Thursday...

I took a photo of the scrape, called the salesman who sold me the car, and he asked me to bring it into the dealership for it to be looked at. 

Sigh.

I was NOT super happy with the fact that they tried everything the could to come to some sort of compromise, rather than just making it right. A compromise offer here... a compromise offer there. Some of which were downright insulting. NOT FUN! Finally they I told them, that while I appreciated their "offers" I wanted the dashboard fixed... PERIOD!

So, in about ten days, after the part comes in, they will make it right. We will see how it goes.

That brings us to today, Friday. I am exhausted from missing Joey. GM's willful misconduct that could have gotten my husband killed! Having to deal with the new car situation. My Fibromyalgia is cutting me no breaks. It's cold. And I am kinda in a bad mood from all the emotion, but I am sure after a good night's sleep, I will be back to my old self. I just need to sleep.

A good night's sleep. 

Mood: Quiet

~Me :)
PS No. I did not purchase a lemon yellow car. I will show her off in a few days. She's kinda cute. I love her!



Tuesday, April 01, 2014

Mousies



"In nine lifetimes, you'll never know as much about your cat as your cat knows about you."

~Michel de Montaigne



Today is a big day! My baby, kitten Joey, is 6 months old now and that means it's time for him to take a trip to Dr. B's for the last of his shots and be neutered. Joey was about 2 months old when he came running into our lives, literally, but it doesn't feel like we have been his mom and dad that long! He is so much fun, and he has all these little quirks, like chattering to himself, so you can imagine how much I will miss him over the next three days! And you know I am going to worry about every little thing while he is gone! 

Is he warm enough? Is he lonely? Does he think we kicked him to the curb? Will he be missing us and sad? The truth is, he will probably be going through all those things, and it breaks my heart! But Dr. B. is an amazing doctor, and his nurses are the best, so I know he is in safe, loving hands, and before I know it, we will be picking him up! Thursday afternoon will be here in no time... right?

Thursday. I just have to get to Thursday!

 

"If a cat spoke, it would say things like 'Hey, I don't see the problem here."

~Roy Blunt Jr.

Mood: Anxious But Happy

~Me :)

Monday, March 31, 2014

A Look Back At March 2014...



"Art is what we call... the thing an artist does.

It's not the medium or the oil or the price or whether it hangs on a wall or you eat it. What matters, what makes it art, is the the person who made it overcame the resistance, ignored the voice of doubt and made something worth making. Something risky. Something human.

Art is not in the eye of the beholder... it's in the soul of the artist."

~Seth Godin

And we come to the end of another month! March was certainly interesting, wasn't it? It was in my life, we began the month with a wonderful cruise on the San Francisco Bay, and the weather cooperated and everything! Awesome! There is nothing quite like dating your husband! Those magical times still happen, even after almost 24 years of marriage! 

It's the little moments... the way he looks at me sometimes. That silly man thinks I am beautiful! He seriously needs glasses! LOL. He, on the other hand, is gorgeous, and hasn't aged a day since I met him! :) The rascal! Dating your husband is something I highly recommend!

Anyway, on to April! I will be plenty busy with the camera in April as the month promises to be full of lots of photographic opportunities! Onward...

March 2014 Gallery...

















Like I said... ONWARD! 

 How About Some Music?

 

:)

Mood: Happy

~Me :)

Sunday, March 30, 2014

Hendrix



"Time spent with a cat is never wasted."

~Colette

I love this guy! Hendrix is our little caregiver. He is the alpha male among the cats in our house, and the humans at times, but he is the most loving little soul I have ever known! He came to us, just a few weeks after we lost tux cat Elvis to cancer, and he has filled our hearts and our home with an amazing amount of love and laughter. I don't post enough photos of him, because, frankly, he isn't really photogenic. He hates having his photo taken, and invariably looks the other way when he see me coming with it! I have to be really sly. I got this photo the other day, because he was in a generous mood, otherwise it never would have happened!

He has taken our newest kitty, Joey, under his wing, or rather paw, and they are close friends and brothers now. He plays with him, he tastes Joey's food for him... lol... and he cuddles him. In turn Joey plays with Hendrix, tastes his food for him, and cuddles him right back! They both stay away from Dylan... AKA... Mr. PissyPants... because Dylan is a much more serious cat. He has a sense of humor, but he is serious about when he displays it. He can't spoil us or anything, by being too affectionate! LOL. Between the three cats, and two humans, there is every personality possible in this cottage! LOL. 

And A LOT of love!

We are a family!

Mood: Happy/Silly

~Me :)