June, I saw your posts in the Soda Shoppe and I'm glad you made it here OK.

Marilyn, I have given Kendrick wet meaty foods and at first he sticks up his nose at them.  He doesn't seem to like salmon, which is funny to me because I'm not fond of it either and it's supposed to be such a delicacy.  I have not been giving him treats and he doesn't seem to mind.  He knows when I open a particular door or drawer, especially the drawer where we keep the catnip.  He's "johnny-on-the-spot" when I open the front door because he wants to go out on the stoop (but not when it's raining!).  He likes to get in the linen closet and he knows when I open that door.  He is funny in a way. 

It's been a raw day here today.  I don't mind the cooler weather too much and I'm glad we had the rain.  I'd like sunshine again soon.  I'll have to look at my rain gauge to see how much rain we had because it has rained a lot.

Mary Ann

Hi Everyone.  It is predicted that we will have a cooler day, only in the lower 70's, and a possibility of some rain showers and it is overcast this morning.  My main activity for today will be seeing the Podiatrist for a followup on my toenail removal.  I am hopeful he will release me so I won't have to go back on this matter. 

The schedule for this week is light and I am thankful as have no energy.  I did start taking my Renexa medication for my heart again this morning as had the worst angina attack yesterday afternoon I can remember having in a long time.  I will contact my doctor's office this morning to advise that I have started taking it again.  She had simply asked me to suspend it for awhile to see if it would help me have more energy and less shortness of breath.  If anything things were worse without it. 

I just tried to make a cake circle to put the lemon pound cake that Pat is making today for the bazaar.  However, my efforts weren't successful as we didn't have a piece of cardboard big enough without a crease in it.  So I will have to make a stop at Walmart this afternoon to buy some (just what I want to do!)  We had some but Pat gave them away when we moved.

Patricia, it sounds like the little boy had a great Birthday Party and got just what he wanted.  Now he has to decide which, among many, of the trucks to play with. You certainly have a lot of interesting information on cats.  I never did any research when we had our cat.

Mary Ann, you are sure having some cooler weather.  Glad you got to go back to the Cholesterol Pit yesterday for your lunch with Dot.  It is that time of the year for pumpkin pie.  That is Scott's favorite pie and a must for Thanksgiving dinner.  It sounds like a good decision to pass on the California trip.

Marilyne, I have always liked grilled cheese sandwiches and that is something we haven't had in a long time.  However, I will leave off the avocado or bacon and just enjoy it plain.  I don't drink milk but I love ice cream and would certainly not like having to give it up.  However, we haven't been buying ice cream to have here at home because someone keeps eating it until it is gone.  I wonder who that could be!

Larry, the pumpkin pie we had yesterday was not the usual pumpkin pie - it was a cream pie and could have been butterscotch from the looks.  However, tasting it proved it was pumpkin.  Dot said she picked it because it looked interesting.  And it was.  Tasty, too.

It is decidedly cooler these days, but I think we will get up into the 70s or high 60s by the end of the week.  It is about 45 degrees now at 10:30 am. 

Tom is going to Holland today to provide moral support for a friend who is in a custody fight for her 13-year old son.  It is kind of a lost cause because the son would rather be with his father who does not discipline and is not a good role model. 

Mary Ann

Mary Ann, my mother made a delicious pumpkin chiffon pie. It was light and fluffy, and had to be refrigerated. I don't know what was in it, but I remember that she made it in the electric mixer.  Now that I'm remembering it, I'll Google the recipe, and will likely find it, or something close.

Tom is certainly a kind and supportive friend. Seems that he has lots of friends, and is always going out of his way to help others. So nice of him to go to Holland, and support the mother in the custody battle. I agree with you, that she will likely not get full custody, if the boy wants to live with his father. The judge usually takes the child's preference, even when it might not be the best in the long run.

Larry, I look at grilled cheese sandwiches, as a "comfort food".  They always make me feel good,  whether plain, or with something added. I recall that just a couple of years ago, a small cookbook came out, that was nothing but various recipes for grilled cheese sandwiches.  I always meant to buy one, and I bet I could still find one on eBay or Amazon?  I'm glad you're going back on the Renexa, again.  There are lots of meds that cause loss of energy, as one of the the side effects, so it could be something else you're taking?

Marilyn, our pie was a light orange color which is why I thought it might be butterscotch, but considering the season, why not pumpkin!  It was delicious.  I think I used to make chiffon pies - or was it chiffon cakes???  I think it was cakes and I'll bet I still have the recipe book.  I would think a person could take any cream pie recipe and put in some canned pumpkin and get the same result of the pie we had.  I do think they make their own pies. 

Tom has a hard time saying 'no' to his friends and while it is a good trait, there are only 24 hours in a day and he runs out of time and energy.  I am happy when he spends an evening at home although I don't see him much when he is home.  Tonight, for instance, Annie is coming over and she is going to change my bed for me (arthritis makes it difficult) and then they're going to a movie.  Annie is another one who has trouble budgeting her time because she works seven days a week for her boss/boyfriend and he does give her every other Sunday off.  It is his business and he's well off.  Every so often for a break, they fly to a distant resort/place (Jamaica, Cancun etc). 

Me?  I know how to relax!  I'm on the computer a lot, but it seems more and more there is less to compute, so I go in with the cat and pet him.  He likes my company.  I figure at my age, I can do what I want.

I do appreciate the fact that Annie is in touch often with her dad.  Her mother lives north of Traverse City MI and is available by phone, but Annie does come here to see her dad.  And in the process, I get to see her.  She has her faults (don't we all?) but she's a sweetheart.

Marilyn, my comfort sandwich is a peanut butter and mayo sandwich with lettuce.  Today for lunch I have a choice of cottage cheese and tomato or cottage cheese and pineapple.  A couple of nights ago I was going to have the cottage cheese and pineapple and broke the tab off the pineapple can.  The top was too deep for my can opener, but I looked at the bottom and I think that will open with the can opener.  I have a "manual" can opener but don't ask me where it is.

Enough rambling.

Mary Ann

Good morning from the Interior, same conditions as yesterday, no snow expected but twenty degrees cooler. Farrah is sleeping after running and leaping through the house excising all of those hidden mini-demons.  MaryAnn, I am not advocating everyone follow my lead. I am simply writing in reply about what I do.

Larry, it is similar to others' interest in golf. While I am interested in cats, their behavior and genetics, as well as genetics overall, I have no knowledge or interest in golf. Nor do I need to have. However, I do enjoy the golf byplay among folks here. I don't expect others to know or want to know about cats other than some here have cats.

Yes, he was one happy little boy yesterday. His dad is looking into building some shelves in his room as many of those trucks are large. Robert also talked about building his son a mini garage or truck dealership. He, his son, is very lucky his dad is into woodworking. They completely rebuilt their home after purchasing it so Robert is experienced in a variety of crafts.

I am totally out of sorts today as the barometric pressure and my sinuses are battling again. I may simply chuck it all and go back to bed. I hope everyone's day is going well for them!

Nice birthday present from out of the blue. A mom and four kittens took up housekeeping for a week or two between the garage and the next door neighbor's garage. I was fretting over those critters for days, as five seemed just too many to try to catch.

Well, I don't have to fret anymore. Mom broke camp and carted off three of her kittens, leaving one very wary kitty. By some miracle, I was able to catch that one this morning. After a trip to the vet he was pronounced in very good shape with only signs of fleas (no surprise there). But, he is only five weeks old, 1lb 2oz,  and too young for shots, de-fleaing, and de-worming. Not too happy about that. He did get a bath with Dawn dishcleaner at the vet's recommendation.  He is now residing on my back enclosed porch for the next three weeks until I can take him in again. I've named him Shan after the character Shan yos'Gaylan in Liaden Universe series by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller. Tomorrow I am going to the store to get flea stuff for Lucy and Oscar as a precaution. Up until now, they have not needed any. That is a wonder in itself.

My neighbor came home from hip replacement surgery Thurs afternoon. By Friday morning he was delirious and was getting barely any oxygen. It turned out to be pneumonia. It is amazing how fast that can develop and become dangerous. Scary. He was good enough that they released him today. 

Hi Everyone.
We started off this morning with a cool 46 degrees and are to only get to the low 70's later this afternoon.  I guess Fall is finally coming to South Carolina.  My calendar is clear for today so plan on a slow and restful day.  The foot doctor said my toes are coming along fine but that it takes several weeks before they are totally healed.  When I went to Walmart they were sold out of the round Wilton cake cardboard plates but they had square ones.  So I called Pat and she said that would be OK.  However, when I got home and she saw them she realized they really wouldn't work for the fresh lemon pound cake she had made in a bundt pan so I went to our local Walmart and found what she wanted.  The cake is all ready to take to the Church bazaar bake sale tomorrow.  Jennifer is planning on coming out to help her grandmother get the items she has to contribute to the bazaar to the Church in the morning and I will not have to do that.

Mary Ann, I don't think I have ever seen a pumpkin pie like you describe.  If it looks like butterscotch that is what I want it to taste like.   My grandmother used to make many butterscotch pies that she made everything from scratch and they were so good.  Nice of Tom to be there to provide support for his friend in the custody fight. It is nice that Annie can come over and lend a hand on occasion and that she enjoys going to the movies with her dad. 

Marilyn, it sort of staggers my imagination to think of an entire cookbook for grilled cheese sandwiches.  You may be right about the medications and lose of energy.  However, I think it is just that my heart continues to weaken over time.  I will take weariness to the severe angina pain any day.  My new primary care doctor told me the other day that we can be experiencing angina without pain and that was news to me. Today's medications do a pretty good job of keeping the pain at bay.

Patricia, we have or had a coffee table big book about cats that shows all the different breeds and has a lot of information about them in it.  Stacey was the cat person in our family.  Interesting idea for the little boys father to make shelves for the trucks as it sounds like he is well on his way to having quite a collection.  Sorry to read the barometric pressure is causing you more sinus problems.  Hope today finds you feeling better.

MarsGal, congratulations on your new kitten.  It sounds like it has already won your heart. Was yesterday your birthday?  If so let me send a big HAPPY BIRTHDAY greeting and if it wasn't then I will just be early for when it happens. 

Larry, I don't want to mislead you, but that pie was a pale orange/tan color that could be taken for either flavor - pumpkin or butterscotch.  Dot and I decided because of the season that it had to be pumpkin and it was and it was delicious.  The consistency was no different than any other cream pie.

Things don't always turn out as you wish - Annie didn't show up last night; I haven't mentioned it to Tom because I only saw him for about five minutes this morning.  They also did not get to the movie!  Tom and I plan to go out to lunch and I want to go to a particular place where I can buy a gift card for my neighbor who took such good care of my garden this year.  Actually, she may have taken too good care of it in places because I am sure at least one plant I liked disappeared with the weeds.  There is nothing I can do about it and I do appreciate her getting rid of the weeds as they were taking over places they shouldn't have.  Since Tom will inherit this place and I know he will not be interested in gardening, I'm going to wait until Spring to see if something shows up and I will not replace it.

It's 11:15 and I am not dressed yet.  Best I get on my way.

Lots of whitecaps on Lake Michigan this morning and the sun is shining.

Mary Ann

Larry, today is my birthday. I am now officially 70 as of 8:20am this morning.

Marsgal.  What a nice timely Birthday present.  Have a Happy day.

Happy Birthday MarsGal!
Looks like you and Patricia, are our two resident Baby Boomers?   I can't think of any others here who were born after WW2, although there probably are others.  I hope you have a nice day today, and that you're enjoying the new addition to your feline family.  That's so nice of you to take in the little one who was left behind. 

Mary Ann- Your pie sounds different from the one I remember back in the day.  I looked up the pumpkin chiffon pie, and I can see why it has fallen out of favor. Fluffy beaten egg whites, folded into the cooked pumpkin mixture, is now considered to be dangerous because of the possibility of getting salmonella. (raw egg whites!) . The recipes I found all cautioned against giving the pie to children. Funny, how things like that didn't make us sick, back then.  I lost a lot of weight when I had scarlett fever, as a child, and I recall my mother making me a drink that consisted of milk, sugar and a couple of raw eggs.  She dumped it all in a bowl and used the rotary hand beater to mix it all up. Served in a tall glass with nutmeg on top.  That and milk-toast, and junket pudding, was supposed to help me gain weight.

Good afternoon, 43 when I got up this AM,  Plenty of sun.
Well I do not think I will die of a heart attack for  being frighten. I could not believe what I was seeing, as there was a dead mouse in the toilet bowl I do not know if Taffy put it there or what, she came in the bathroom with me and was looking all around, then looked in the bowl. There was a noise somewhere in the house and she jumped about two feet.

Carol, I have not seen a quail in years, they use to walk through the yard, I enjoyed watching them.

Shirley, I have very poor circulation in my feet and legs.  the foot doctor told me to wear wool socks in winter.

MarsGal, first Happy Birthday.  I think that was so wonderful of you to adopt that kitten.

Marilyne, when i was growing up my mother made me and orange eggnog for breakfast of course with a raw egg.  I have made 93.  I use to love lemon flavored junket.  Sometime Mama over cooked it and it would not set.

Larry, I grill my cheese sandwich with a slice of tomato

MaryAnn, I am sorry that Annie did not show up.  Young people do not stop and think sometimes.

Good morning from a snow-dusted Interior. We have our first sticking snow, and the barometric pressure has dropped further. My sinuses are still rebelling.

Farrah has been jumpy today for some reason but has finally given in and eaten her wet food. MarsGal, when I fostered some kittens years ago, I was told kittens had to be eight weeks and two pounds before neutering or vaccinated. It also wasn't a good idea to have them around other cats or kittens because their immune systems weren't properly set up. Of course, back then ferals weren't the known issue they are now, but your's is still going with what he inherited from Mama rather than his own.

Happy 70th Birthday! 

I also drank a lot of eggnogs and raw eggs in one form or another, but I was in and out of the hospital with residual effects from having had Spinal Meningitis soon after birth and not from raw eggs. My younger sister was the daredevil in the family and broke more bones and sometimes the same one twice. She also had horrible earaches that would leave her screaming, but she finally seemed to grow out of those. My older sister saved any bone breaks until after she left home and was in a couple of car crashes inadvertently.

I don't think things were safer back then. We simply didn't know where effects came from and didn't know enough about where to attribute any causes. A good example was in 1952 when my infant cousin died suddenly of SDS. My aunt and uncle were both taken in and extensively questioned before the investigation was closed for lack of evidence.

Hi Gloria, I don't think I've seen a mouse in years. Up until the early-sixties, there were river rats the size of Dachshunds around by the waters, but I haven't seen those for a long time either.

I just looked at Grand Haven and the waves are up over the pier.  At least it looks like they are.  And, there were some people at the end of the pier closest to the shoreline.   It just looks sooooooooooo COLD !!!

Gloria,  I can imagine how shocked you were to see the mouse in the toilet.  I would think the cat had dropped it in there.  Don't think it would have survived a trip up through the pipes. LOL

My grandson was telling me that his apartment had been invaded with mice.  His wife was so scared, she took the baby and went to her mother's.   This was in Connecticut.  I talked to him and he said the exterminators came and plugged up some holes in the cabinets, and he hasn't seen any for a few days.  They can be quite bothersome.  His wife was afraid they would get to the baby as her crib was kind of low to the floor.  I think she has come back home, now. 

Joy

Mar's Gal, I wish you a VERY HAPPY 70TH. BIRTHDAY. You are in the age range of my two sons, so I welcome you to the family.  I am so thrilled about your new kitty. What a lucky little bundle he/she is. Bless you for making kitty a new member of your family.

MarsGal, many happy returns.  I was 70 once. 

When Annie got Kendrick, he was too young to be neutered, but I also think he was five months old (cute little kitten); maybe it was the vet's office was busy around that time.  I know he was kept overnight.

I probably won't eat for an hour, but I'll finish my turkey salad then.  It seems the restaurant servings are always too large for my appetite and I bring half of my meal home. 

There are still a lot of whitecaps on Lake Michigan.  When it is windy, the waves do hit the pier and go over the pier.  I think in calm weather, the pier is about two feet above the lake (been a long time since I've been on the pier).  Lots of people sit on the edge of the pier to fish. 

Mary Ann

Thanks, everyone.

Shan is spending his quarantine time on my unheated, uninsulated, but enclosed back porch until he gets his de-flead, de-wormed and has his shots. After he gets the go ahead and is in the house, I plan on giving the porch a good vacuum and a spray down with flea killer before allowing the cats back in there. In the meantime, as a precaution, I am ordering flea drops for Lucy and Oscar in case those little nasties hop a ride on me back into the house. They have never needed flea treatment and have never worn collars, so the drops seem best.

Shan got some kitty replacement milk yesterday. I dipped my finger in it and smeared his nose with it. He got the idea right away and sat between my legs while drinking his fill from the bowl. Of course I had to catch the little bugger first (there are plenty of little spaces for him to hide in on the porch. Once I catch him he settles down pretty good, but I do get some exercise trying to catch him. He got is first comb through with the flea comb too. I found only one of the little nasties so far.

Today I have my annual eye exam. I've been wearing the same glasses for at least four years because I haven't needed a prescription change. Now, however, it is time to get new. The lens coatings are badly scratched. I am thinking about spending big bucks and getting a pair of those new digital LC-HD (?) lens.

MarsGal,  I, too, want to add my Belated Birthday greetings to you.   Like Mary Ann, I was 70  once, also.   But, as I always say,  Age is just a number.  You know there are people who are "old" at 60 and many others are still young at "90".  It sounds like you are a "young 70".  Hope you had a special day.

I have had my current glasses about 5 or 6 years and when I was at the eye doctor in Aug. he said my vision has stayed the same since I was there a year ago.  I thought I might have needed a change, but he said everything was good.  My glasses are also scratched a little bit, and sometimes that bothers me.  Most of the times, I don't notice it, but there are times when it is quite obvious.  I don't have to go back until next Aug. so we will see how things are at that time.

Mary Ann, the lake sure has been looking so cold.  And, yes, I have noticed a couple people surfing in those big waves.  It is a shame that the trees have gotten so big that they block the beach. 

Mary Ann,  your talking about pumpkin pie has me really hungry for some.  That is one of my favorite pies, along with another favorite..... chocolate pie.  A toss-up which I like the best.  Of course, pumpkin pie is usually a fall and winter treat, where I can make a chocolate pie anytime.   My family always looks for a chocolate pie for the holidays. 

It is rather chilly this morning, but looks like it will be a nice sunny day.  Hopefully, the weekend is supposed to be a little warmer.  However, I think our spell of "summertime temperatures" is gone for a long time.

Hope every friend will have a wonderful day.

Joy

Hi Everyone.  It is really a beautiful day here in South Carolina.  It is about 56 degrees and headed only into the low or mid 70's and will be sunny.  It is the perfect day for the ladies to hold their Church bazaar and luncheon.  Jennifer will be here within the hour to help Pat get things into the car and then go with her to deliver the items for the bazaar and to see all that they have.  The affair ends after the Wednesday night dinner so I will get to see a lot of what they had to offer.  Of course they don't ever have anything that attracts men other than the food items but they will likely be gone by the time of our Wednesday night dinner. 

Speaking of food, Pat made the best Jambalaya dish yesterday.  Some of it was fixed in the crock pot all afternoon.  Then she poured off the juice and fixed the rice in the sauce and added the cooked shrimp to the mixture.  She did say the recipe called for a lot of different ingredients so it is not likely we will have this very often as she usually tries to stay with recipes with 5 ingredients or less. Fortunately there is another good meal of it remaining in the refrigerator, which I expect we will enjoy tomorrow night.  Going to the dinner tonight is the only thing on my schedule for today.  I do have to get a birthday card and check in the mail as our oldest great grandchild will be 15 on Friday.

Mary Ann, I do like pumpkin pie as well as butterscotch.  When I went to Walmart the other day I started to buy one of those two pieces box of Mrs. Edwards pie but compared the price with a whole pie and the whole pie was much cheaper.  So now we have several slices of chocolate chiffon pie in the freezer.  We did get started on it last evening and it is really good. Too bad that Annie wasn't able to make it over as had been expected.  Nice of you to treat your kind neighbor with a gift card. 

MarsGal, glad I could be first to wish you Happy Birthday.   I was too young to remember the war going on as was born in 1941.  Years ago we weren't afraid of the raw eggs since we had our own chickens so knew what the hens had eaten. 

Junee, nice to see your name on a posting.   

deAngel, it sounds like Taffy was presenting you a nice gift and even fixed it so you didn't have to bend down to pick it up.

Patricia, do you think that snow will now stay on the ground for the winter?  It sounds like you have won the battle with Farrah in terms of her food.  We lost our grandson at seven months with SIDS and our son was taken to the police station and questioned. The autopsy proved that it was SIDS. It was a terrible experience for him and for us.  This was over 30 years ago and I can still recall the terror and pain in his voice when he called us at around 2:30 in the morning.  We lived in Maryland and he was in Atlanta.  We immediately packed up the car and were on the road by 5 am and drove straight through to get to him. 

Joy, that would be an most unpleasant experience for your grandson and his wife to deal with the mice.  I hope that the problem has been taken care of now.  Mice don't need a very big space to get through. 

Good morning from the Interior.

About my aunt and uncle and their son's death, it was horrible, my uncle was in the Army, and I only know what I remember being told. It was such a long time before SIDS was understood as much as it is today. I know that recently a woman was released from a life sentence after facts came out that she hadn't poisoned her son by overdosing him with salt. That the toddler had a metabolic disorder and the police and court immediately built this entire case against her out of thin air. She spent several years in prison before her case was taken up by a University class.

Larry, I really can't say about the snow anymore. It melted most of it yesterday, but we received a fresh coating of fluff overnight. Typically, the second snowfall stuck but that changed after 2005. We were so dry that a running joke was that in the winter you didn't need a towel after a shower, just a quick twirl. We also rarely had wind unless it was a big summer thunderstorm. And most of our storms were localized squalls that were over in 20 minutes. Now we have wind, and now we have humidity.

In the years past, our snow average was right around seventy-two inches, appearing around Halloween and finally leaving in early to mid-April. Since those towering pine and spruce beetle fueled fires in the first part of this century, we don't always have snow, and it is never more than a couple of feet remaining here on the ground. And those forty to seventy below temperatures that often appeared around Halloween and stayed in two-week spurts through March? Again something not seen in years. A rare day or two of minus thirty is enough to frighten the military and newcomers and lead to substantial school absences.

Farrah was skittish all day yesterday and today she wants my attention, there never seems to be a middle ground. She shows me affection at night by coming up behind me on the couch and leaning against me and falling asleep on the back of the couch. This is new as of August so she is still processing. I admit to feeling jealous when I'm visiting and seeing a cat or a dog climb into someone's lap fully expecting good things.

Patricia, I'd love it if Kendrick would get on my lap but his is not a lap cat, nor is he cuddly.  He does like and want my attention so a couple times a day I will go in the living area to be near him.  I try to coax him on a chair pad that I have on the davenport for him and sometimes he will jump up onto it.  As long as I pet him or massage his neck, he's happy, but if I quit, he either jumps onto his tower or onto the floor.  Wherever I am otherwise, he may walk near me and rub against my legs and I grab his tail which he seems to like.  He does have a mind of his own.

Lotsa whitecaps on Lake Michigan again today.

Mary Ann

We had a scare last night, when we got fire warnings of a wildfire in the Santa Cruz mountains, about seven or eight miles from us.  There are some small mountain communities scattered throughout the area, and some were evacuated.  Fortunately, the fog rolled in overnight, which raised the humidity, and there was no wind whatsoever.  The fire was brought under control this morning, and no structures damaged.  The thick forest and dry underbrush, are a potential disaster waiting to happen, so constant surveillance going on there.  You will all hear the shouts of relief and happiness, when it finally rains!

Mary Ann - Winnie was also not a lap cat.  He liked to sit next to me and get petted and talked to, but never wanted to climb onto my lap.  I think that maybe you have to have a cat from the time it's a small kitten, to have it be a lap cat??  Neither you or Patricia or I, had our cats when they were small kittens. 

MarsGal - Speaking of kittens!  I'm so interested in your new little Shan.  I hope his fleas will be gone soon so he can get acquainted with your other cats. Please keep us posted on his progress.

Marilyn, Kendrick also is a big cat, weighing 15 pounds and I can't pick him up.  When Annie first got him at five month, he was small and I could pick him up.  Annie can pick him up, but he's uncomfortable and squirms.  I take it that when he rubs my shins, he is showing his wanting to be near me.  He's a "good boy"!

Mary Ann

Good morning all.

First, thanks Angel for the website links. Shan was getting regular canned cat food for two days until I could get to the store for kitten food. He is too young for dry food, but he is eating the canned just fine. Now he is getting 3/4 of a 3 oz can a day which is about right his weight. When he puts on a few more ounces, he will get a can a day. I also picked up some of that kitten milk replacement for him. He gets just a little of that and a bowl of water.

Shan likes to hide behind boxes and in corners which is consistent with his mom keeping him and his siblings in hiding. Once I get a hold of him though, he is pretty good. Yesterday when I let him loose, he stayed with me until I made what he considered a quick move and off he went. I will be so happy when he is allowed in the he house proper because the enclosed porch is unheated, and it is getting cold at night now. The vet, though, thinks he will be okay out there. Oh, and he used his litter box for the first time yesterday. Too bad I can't get a pix of him, but my laptop faces the keyboard and it will be a bit too much trying to get a pix of the wriggly little thing. Still, I might try later.

No change in my eyes since last year, but I still want to get new glasses. I haven't had new glasses in four or five years. The ones I have now were never quite right, and now the coating is all scratched up. I am thinking of getting a pair of Crizal brand lenses or equivalent. My sister has a pair which she just loves. She also went for expensive wire frames that have a lifetime guarantee.

Larry, i have never gotten around to making or eating Jambalaya though I've checked out recipes for it over the years.

Mary Ann, I used to make a combo pumpkin/mincemeat pie using a whole wheat crust. Although I like mincemeat, it has always been a bit too rich for me. The combo works well.

Marilyne, I am glad the fire is under control. Have they put it out entirely yet? 

Hi Everyone.  It is another cool morning but we will be going into the high seventies late this afternoon.  I am going to pick up my friend for coffee and if I feel up to it will go back downtown to the Church for the Wisdom class.  I have missed doing either for the last two weeks.  That is all that is on the schedule for today.

Patricia, that was a terrible situation of the mother improperly put in prison. I wonder how many other cases like this have occurred over the years.  Have you gotten your TV to work?  I can remember going to work in Anchorage when it was very cold.  We had a head bolt heater on the car or it probably wouldn't have started as we had no garage. It sounds like your winters are much more moderate than in years past. 

Mary Ann, our cat used to like to jump up on the bed as I took an afternoon rest and he would allow me to pet him for just a certain amount of time and then he sort of nipped at me to let me know he had had enough. 

Marilyne, so happy to read that you didn't have to evacuate.  I hope you have some rain soon. 

MarGals, apparently all cats like to hide and to get into boxes or other tight places.  I suppose that gives them a feeling of safety.  It sounds like time for you to treat yourself to new glasses.  I am not familiar with Crizal brand lenses. I have had Jambalaya several times in restaurants and what I had couldn't hold a candle to this recipe that Pat made.  I expect it to be even better this evening as it has a tomato base. 

MarsGal, I think I had not heard of a combo mincemeat/pumpkin pie.  I think the whole wheat crust with the filling would make it quite rich.  I like both pumpkin and mincemeat pies but I'm not sure about together.

Shan will be fun for you when you can let him in the house where you are.  Kittens are so cute although they do grow up. 

Tom is out for breakfast and I know he'll bring mine back - cranberry muffin and Mc D's decaf.  Yesterday it was a pumpkin muffin but 'tis the season.

Larry, it was funny this morning - I had just woke up about 5 am and then I felt a fur paw on my cheek.  Usually I know when the cat is on the bed, but I didn't this morning.  Fortunately, I knew who and what was touching my cheek, otherwise, I might have screamed.  He stayed with me for about a half hour, left, came back later for 10 minutes.  I'm up for good now so he won't be trying to get me to pet him.

Still some whitecaps on Lake Michigan but not as many as yesterday.

Mary Ann

MarsGal - Sounds like Shan is adjusting, and will soon be domesticated!  I hope your other cats accept him okay?  I was having a hard time trying to imagine a combo of mince and pumpkin, but when I thought about it, I realized that they are similar.  Mince is mainly raisins and apples and pumpkin is sweetened, so they should all blend together in a good way..

Mary Ann -  Winnie was a heavy cat also, but I don't know what he weighed?  I only know that when he was younger, I couldn't lift him without great effort!  Then as he aged, he became lighter and lighter, and was easy for me to pick him up and carry him around.  It wasn't until the final six months, that he became very bony and frail.  He could still jump up on the bed though, which is quite high.  It's one of those extremely thick mattresses, and on top of the box spring it's about 2&1/2 feet from the floor.  I don't have to bend over hardly at all when I make the bed, but it's impossible for me to get the fitted sheet on over that thick mattress.  AJ has to help me with it. 

Marilyn, tomorrow Tom and I are going mattress shopping for me.  We bought him an adjustable bed earlier this year, but I am not going to get one of those.  I have a foam mattress and have liked it all of these years and I will try to replace that.  I would like to get a mattress the size of the one I have but we'll see what is available.  We'll start out where we bought Tom's mattress, a place that is a couple miles from here.

My mattress is very old and I'm not going to tell how old, but I got to doing the arithmetic and it is time to replace it.  I will say that with few exceptions, I'm the only one who has slept on the mattress.

We have had a lovely day today and the present temperature is 65 +\-, not bad.

Mary Ann

Good evening, beautiful sunny day.  I am very tired.  The Town of Riverhead gave and over 90's party for all there seniors, at the center We had a lovely 4 course.  Live DJ, who played our music. I was honored to have the Town Supervisor waled me up to my set, in the front.

MaryAnn, I don't think I told you, but i nearly had a heart attack, when I go up to go to bathroom I found a dead mouse in the toilet bowl. I think Taffy put it there,  Then she scared me more she got on the bed and lifted the pillow up off the bed, then she went sniffing under the covers.  she acted very upset; she is definitely my first lap cat in years, and she was about 2 when I got her.  My Tiger cat which had for 18 years weighted 20lbs and was a lap cat I got him as akitten