Friday!! woo hooo!! Whatcha doin'?

It’s just after 3 am and I’m experiencing another all-nighter but that’s okay because I’ve gotten three loads of laundry washed and dried…a lot of bedding, tablecloths and things from Mom. I see it all as another big step to clearing out my laundry room.  As long as I’m busy, I can ignore the bone pain for quite a while. I have a high pain tolerance and apparently the doctors find me rather intriguing…lol.

  

LilyRose and I shared a raspberry yogurt this evening …no matter where she is in this house (and I have five levels), she ALWAYS hears the lid being removed from the single serving cups and there she is, patiently waiting for her treat. I have an antique canning jar lid, a beautiful green glass one…the kind that you hold down tight with a steel bar, and that is SillyRose’s special dish for her yogurt, because she IS special..(if you recall, she had a broken back as a kitten but has miraculously healed and walks, runs and jumps perfectly normal now.  The Vet still calls her MIRACLE KITTY).  She likes most every flavour of yogurt but she does spit out the fruit bits. Yogurt, fresh or frozen, is the ONLY human-type food that she will eat.

  

Oreo, on the other hand, has NO interest in yogurt.  However, this dynamic lil vacuum will eat all of HIS kibble then pushes LilyRose out of the way and eats HERS too so we try to feed them separately in different rooms.  Oreo is a strange looking little geefer…he is a short-haired white neutered male, eight months old, with a black helmet (leaving both ears white), a black saddle and a black tail.  JB says that Oreo looks like he was made up with spare parts…lol. Oreo lives to do doughnuts on the kitchen floor. He will throw himself with a heavy thud at our feet and roll over until we spin him around and he always comes back for more and more. The trouble is, he does not understand why we cannot “play WHEEEE!” on the carpet!

  Randolph and Rufus were both neutered this week and are fully recovered. So that’s twenty-six feral cats all neutered, vaccinated and micro-chipped! Whew! Some have been fostered or adopted. We are now down to eleven outside cats....they are the ones deemed too shy to be adopted so they can spend the rest of their years with us here. This afternoon, I made sour dough bread but added a lot of cinnamon, raisins, sliced almonds and whole grains …the combination made a tasty but sturdy type of bread. I toasted a slice and added peanut butter for protein and fibre. I’ve been on a red grapefruit kick of late, really enjoying them!   

And so you can see why I do not post much, my mundane life is not too fascinating but I am grateful to have so much “home” time now. It’s so nice to take my mug of tea and sit on my verandah, surveying my kingdom…trees, grass, cats, vineyards, fruit orchards…listening to the birds singing and feeling the breeze in my hair. Once I get this laundryroom in order, then it’s time to do my office  and get that better organized.  THEN I am going to get into my creative arts and play with that .  I can hardly wait! But a bit at a time as my energy fluctuates, lying down when I need to without feeling guilty and I will get it done. *s*

  

I send loving healing energy to all those needing it, prayers for those who prefer, and positive thoughts to all of our OH family!

Nancy B

Good Morning Nancy and OFF,
Nancy, your stories about the cats, and other things that make up your days, are not borning.  Knowing that you are active and enjoying the special aspects of each day brings joy to me, and I am sure others here.  Please post when you feel up to it.  I find your strength and attitude encouraging and it motivates me to move forward when I am not feeling well.

Yesterday, I took Utley for a walk to the pharmacy a few blocks from here.  I had to drop off a prescription.  There is a bench right out in front of it.  I tied his leach to the bench, and ran in and gave them the prescription.  I was in and out in two minutes.  Plus, the bench was in the shade, so he was fine.  He was panting pretty hard when we headed back, so I skipped going down to the river, and brought him home.  He headed straight for the water bowl.  When we got near the apartment, he was tugging at the leash to go to the gate.  Poor baby.  I have to go back this afternoon, so I won't be taking him because of the heat.

Today, I must go to the grocery store and stock up.  I need a few things, like dishwasher detergent, garbage bags, a few staple items and fruit.  I have to dig through my coupons to see what bargains I can find.  I have a pork loin I want to cook in the crock pot with saurkraut.  It's so easy, and so yummy.  I just cut up a few potatoes, throw them in with the roast, pour a bag of saurkraut, not the canned, and let it cook for 8 hours.  The saurkraut has enough liquid and the roast and potatoes taste so yummy.  My finicky son from Pittsburgh, Sean, even liked it, and he is not a big saurkraut fan.

My New York son, Chris, has wanted to take me to a Phillies game for Mothers Day, but our schedules have not made it possible to get together when the Phillies are at home.  So, he is looking into taking me to Baltimore when the Phillies play there.  I love visiting other ballparks when the Phillies are playing, so it should be fun.  I saw them in San Francisco when I lived in California 36 years ago, and I go to New York to see them there at least once a year.  Chris and I go to a few games together each season.  He went to St. Louis when they were there.  Because he lost a bet with his father-in-law, he had to wear a Cardinals T-shirt to the game.  If his father-in-law had lost the bet, he would have had to come to Philly and wear a Phillies T-shirt to the game.  Chris is a good sport.

Sorry to blab so much.  

I think of you all often throughout the day, and check in several times to see what's up with everyone.

Hugs,
Trish

Trish,

Not sure this will work for you, but I got one of those little cloth backpacks, the ones with the strings, you can often find them in Ross' or TJs or Marshalls, or Modells, that you slip your arms through and I have a fold up doggie dish and I carry a bottle of water when I take Roxie for a longer walk, then she can stop and get a drink. . .  just an idea. . .

Have a great day!!!

Laureen

 Laureen,
That is a great idea.  I'll get the bag this weekend, and do that.  The thing that surprised me was it was a very short walk, compared to our river walks.  Thanks for the suggestion.

Hugs,
Trish

Good Morning Nancy, Trish and those of you yet to arrive. . .

Nancy, what lovely pictures of you, your kitties and the joy that they can bring to our lives, if we but offer a little of what we can to share with them, to me the fur members I am blessed to engage with make me feel the hand of a higher being and that love that is truly unconditional. . .  this morning, my dear Roxie girl got an abbreviated petting session and then got all excited thinking I was going to take her for a walk as I am more often doing these days, but unfortunately, I needed to get out the door to the gym and work and so she was a bit disappointed and I think it will be raining before I get home this evening, so hopefully tomorrow we will take a nice long walk to make up for the lack of one today.  She quickly gets used to changes and looks forward to any of them, as thusfar, they've all benefitted her in some manner.  Our home truly is ruled by a 93 lbs. Rottweiler's desire for love!  I wish my life were such that I could foster and care for more of them, but for now, that is just not doable and though I absolutely adore kitties, I am allergic and my daughter more so, which would make having one impossible :(  besides, who ever has just one kitty?  LOL. . .

Your sourdough bread sounds divine.  For St. Patty's day, I made a loaf of Irish Soda bread which I adapted by using Whole Wheat flour and it was an absolute hit, I actually had to throw what was left away (sadly), but I could eat it and eat it and, of course, it had to have a little bit of butter on it. . . oh well, next year. . .  I do love to cook and bake and seem to be able to do both fairly well, at least that is what most people who eat what I cook say (lol).

Your "mundane" life is quite interesting to read, so as Trish says, please feel free to write all about it when you're up to the task. . .

So this has been a week of good news stuff, first off, my daughter, who won The Daisy Award, which is a nursing award, was spotlighted http://daisyfoundation.org/daisy-award/daisy-nurses/Spotlight/AngelaAdeli and then last night the news my son and all of us have been waiting on for the past year arrived. . .  he was named as a partner, which becomes effective on July 1.  I am absolutely the proud Momma, my three children are all successes in their own right, through hard work and determination and I look forward to watching them enjoy their lives through the measure of success they have managed thusfar and hope they truly have years of enjoyment.  I did nothing more than offer them, from my personal experience (or lack thereof), the perspective that their education would open doors for them and help them achieve and live out their dreams and pleaded with them to go forth and get it done while they were young and unencumbered, surprisingly, they listened (well two out of three did) and then I cheered them onward.  My older daughter, while not completing college, has done a remarkable job through determination and hard work and has won two years in a row the managerial award at the company she is at, so what she lacks in formal education, she makes up for in putting her best foot forward.  Thanks for letting me ramble about the joys of being a mother.

It seems we are all longwinded today :)

My day is going to be quick, work, meet with a friend after work, then off to celebrate my son's success having dinner at the place he chooses.

Wishing you all a wonderful day, peace and strength to those facing the more serious of life challenges.

Laureen

Laureen,
You have every reason to be proud.  I am so happy for you and your kids.  I can say that two out of my three kids have worked hard, and become successes in their respective careers.  

My baby boy, in Pittsburgh, has been struggling for years.  He has not completed college, is out of work, and has a start up computer business that is not making enough money to support him.  He had been in rehab for heroin addiction ten years ago.  Now he drinks and smokes marijuana, but claims it's not a problem.  He should know better than to try that line on me.  

My older son, in New York, is a vice president at Nielsen Company, the one that does the TV ratings.  My daughter is a Reading Specialist at a school in Michigan, and an adjunct professor at the local community college on top of that.  Plus, she is the mother of my three adorable grandchildren.

We definitely are talkative today.

Hugs,
Trish

Hello Nancy and all of OFF,

     I love stories about animals. I love animals (well, most of them.) 
     Not much time to talk today. Started a new pet sitting job. I've known Bridget for 7 years and we have a love fest every time we are together. She's a poodle/ terrier mix. Loves to play. Keeps us both active along with our walks. 
     Marj took her laptop with her so I won't have internet for 9 days. If I stop home I'll jump on for a few minutes.
     Hugs to all,    Mag   

Good mornin' ya'll.
Nancy, I too love hearing your stories about your furbabies. We have no pets at the moment, but it is fun to 'listen' to ya'll and imagine the little critters. We will be babysitting our son's dogs the end of this month, so I'll get my 'pet fix'.
Yesterday was gorgeous and busy! Capped off by dinner at a friends house. The group of friends my daughter has are all so wonderful. They truly do love and support her. The guys took apart, moved and put together all of her stuff for her. The wife of one and the mothers of the 2 single guys are all so encouraging in her time of 'need'. She called her attorney yesterday to see how things are progressing. They are NOT! They don't wanna send a settlement proposal to his lawyer, cause it would have to be a VERY low ball amount, since everyone knows it's just the beginning of negotiations. Her attorney is working on the non-disclosure agreements everyone has to sign. All info from a divorce is public record and anyone can find out the details. Her employers don't want all their business details made public. Like how much each of the 3 companies are worth, what percentage our daughter owns, etc. Can't blame them.
Today is late start at school. The granddaughter did not go spend the night at her Dad's last night. She was soooo happy about that. Her brother picked her up from the dance at 10:30 and brought her home, so we didn't have to go get her. Also, at 1:15 today is the first family counselling session. I'm sure it will just be a 'getting to know them' session.
So funny, our granddaughter just called out from her room....should I tell Dad you're up? Our daughter said....sure, he has texted me 5 times already and I haven't responded. This goes on all day, every day. He is still trying to get her to agree to a 'family' vacation for the 4th of July, and for Christmas.
I have done everything my daughter had lined up for me to do. And I have filled the freezers of her friends. I have made dolly bathing suits. I am halfway through the second of our granddaughter's required summer reading books. I like to read them in case the kids want to discuss the plot, etc. I am working on my baby afghan I brought for the down times.
Can't believe I will be leaving in 2 days. I miss my hubby, but this is the first time I have been here that my daughter is actually relaxed and happy.
Everyone have a fantabulous day!!

Evening OFF family...its now just after 6 pm and I need to go to the store for a few things and no energy to get up and go....I hurt so bad after all that planting yesterday!!! WOW!!! Today it rained most of the day so the rest did not get done. Guess that will be what I am doing tomorrow on my day off. ;-) That I can handle. The woman that I have been trying to get moved in for weeks now finally has her electric in her name and now just needs to pay her rent for may and now june and she can have the key! She calls me today...she has the money. She will see me tomorrow. Ummmm NO! I am NOT working tomorrow!!!!! She says to me...but I want to move in this weekend. Well come today BEFORE 4 pm and you can move in this weekend!!! She says to me...why can't you let me have the key tomorrow? You live right there! I said because I do NOT work on weekends UNLESS it is an EMERGENCY!!!!!!!!!! Your moving in is NOT an emergency. Sorry. She is staying about 10 blocks away from this complex and the rain held off long enough for her to walk here to get the rent paid and get her key and walk back to the place she is staying! NO I am NOT going to work tomorrow just so she can have her way!! NOT going to happen!!!!!!! Sorry!!!!!!!!! Call me mean if you want to....but I am NOT going to get this started with her or any other tenant!!! Nope no way!!!!!!!

Sat in my office all day and collected rents, had a move out also. Great! Just great! No 30 day notice at all...just up and moved out turned in her key and said she moved to the "country" when do I get my deposit back? Umm you broke your lease...rent needs to be paid for this month or it will go to collections...she says use the deposit and walks out!! OMG!!!!!!! Now this was a very good tenant that I moved in a few months ago!!! Now this happens!! Since she moved in here though she has been stuck taking care of her step mother that has dementia problems....her family never helped at all since she moved in here...so I really do not blame her for moving out like this!! BUT a lease is a lease a binding contract. Sighs. Right now I feel like I need a vacation really bad!!!!!!!!!!!!! Soon...keep telling myself this....SOON!!!!!!!!!!! Soon as I get my BONUS!!! Been here now what 6 full months today started my 7 month...still no sign of my bonus....gets me down.

Well better wake Rick up so we can get to the store so I can get what I need before I really can't get up and move!!! LOL Sorry for the rant...just one of those days!!

Thoughts and Prayers for all that need them!!

HUGS

 

 

 

 Hi all,
I am here in Colorado for a week now. My car is now being fixed. Thankyou Geico!!!!! They are fixing my car. The adjustor came out today to inspect my car. I picked up a rental car till Tuesday or Wednesday. But the clincher is I have to pay my deductable 500.00 a lot better than 1050.70....
otherwise life is good!!!!! Carla