Will I Need A New Career?

Well, the last 3 weeks have been something else, let me tell ya!  I won't bore you with all the details, just the highlights!

• Dakota got sick in a hurry, so fortunately it was Sunday night when it really hit him, and we were able to get him to the doctor and on antibiotics by Monday, so we got him fixed up quickly!
• Glorious Gal had pneumonia, so we took her in while our little guy was recovering from strep throat.
• A dear family member and very important person in my life landed herself in the hospital while visiting Glorious Gal in the hospital-not sure if she wants me to say much, so I haven't mentioned her name :) 
• After everyone around me fell apart, it was my turn to get sick!  A week later, I'm still murmuring and complaining, carrying on and whining, in hopes of getting better!  It's a real good thing I'm hardly ever sick---women always say men are babies!  Well, I must admit that when Dan is sick, he's usually really sick, and in bed most of the time.  As for me, I need the sympathy of the world!!!   My whole demeaner says, "Pity me!  Pity me!!!"  Even tho my own strep test was negative(getting my culture results Monday), I still need lots of sympathy!!! 

So here you have it!  My life in a nutshell!

I've cancelled all of my jobs except one for the last 3 weeks, and my customers are just wonderful!  They've been patient with me while we've been dealing with all of this stuff!  But you know, if they get fed up, or I stay sick another 6 months and they can't wait on me any longer and find a new cleaning girl, I've realized I have other skills that could land me another job or two!

I could:

• become a wildlife officer!!!  Yes, believe me or not, I am 99.9% sure I saw a MINK  run thru my yard this past week!  I'm a city girl and will always be, even tho I live in the country, but I'm getting pretty good at figuring out what creatures are in my yard!  I was very proud of myself when I saw a huge bird in the side yard, and researched online pics of hawks until I figured out what it was--a red shoulder hawk.  My hubby is a falconer, so our family has become more familiar with birds.  He's had 2 red tail hawks in the past----wanna see?  

 

A few years ago when Amber did a double take out the bay window, we determined the huge black figure in the tree across the street and in the woods a little ways was a bear.  It entertained us for about 45 minutes while it stayed up there eating apples.  I've also identified other creatures in the yard-turkey, deer, mice, salamanders, snakes, woodchucks, and the occasional rare chocolate lab(more on him in a later post), so I'm a pretty good guesser!  So maybe I'll call my local game commission's office to see if they might need help, if I'm out of a job!

I could also:

• Be the next great American chef!  Just give me a $2 million dollar book contract, and I'll be on my way!  Just call me the Leftover Queen!  I has steak and a green pepper that needed cooked up, so I made spaghetti, poured Zesty Italian salad dressing over it, and added cooked steak and cooked peppers to the top of it.  Restaurant quality, let me tell you!  Thank you, thank you!  It's just a gift!  :)
• Be the newest and greatest weed-killer on the planet!!!  I know this to be true because I am the MASTER at killing every plant that ever comes in my house!  Which means, so sorry, Glorious Gal--the beautiful tulip plant you gave me is almost completely dead.  :(  Another gift of some sort(see how multi-talented I am?  Why am I not in higher demand?  It must be because I'm so modest and humble!)  "Need something to take care of that pesky weed that's popping up all over your yard?  No problem!!!  Just dig them up and send them to Josanne--soon the little ghosts of crabgrass will be visiting your yard saying, "Lift your roots and RUN!!!  RUN for your lives!!!"
  

And last but not least, I could be:

• A doctor!  As amazing as this may sound, I actually determined all on my own that I am SICK!  Yes, I just looked at all the symptoms, put two and two together(when I wasn't busy whimpering and whining), and came up with the diagnosis.  And just as amazing as that, I also determined that Dakota was sick.  I know--I amaze myself too!  And see, I already have a great bedside manner-lots of hugs and love to my patients, and pity too!  I'm already cut out for the job if there is ever a shortage!

But really, I just want to stay with the customers I have.  I've grown to love them, and they are special to me.

It's a good thing there doesn't appear to be a shortage in the above mentioned fields--I wouldn't trade my customers!  And I'm not cut out for any of those jobs anyway, no matter HOW bad they WANT me!!!  I'm terrified of bears, I'm so allergic to pollen that I can't stand in the driveway for an hour without being a stuffed up mess unless I'm well medicated, and I'm also terrified of needles!!!!

So send me sympathy, and pray for my recovery so I can get back to work!  And please visit my blogs again.  They'll be more active when the creativity juices overpower the "I'm sick(cough, cough, cough)!!!  Achoo, SNIFFFFFFF......" stuff going on in my head!

Want to Meet Dan(hubby), and See What I Put Up With?

I've already introduced my hubby Dan, with his big debut in my Sweet Revenge story-it should give you a feel for what kind of man I'm married too.  :)  Daniel is a great guy, and honestly, one of the greatest people I know.  He's just very.....youthful!  Yes, that's the word!  He loves to entertain people, and if our walls could talk, they'd let you know that he even likes to entertain himself!  Yep, he's Pavaratti in the shower!  

Anyway, I thought this was hysterical, and wanted to share it with everyone.  This is an instant message conversation between Dan and our niece, Lauren.  Notice what Uncle Dan says about Aunt Josanne 2/3 of the way down the page, and what Niece Lauren responds!!! And also, her dad is my brother...keep that in mind. :)   Don't mind the IM punctuation!

It really is a good thing our walls can't talk.  I hope you all enjoy this as much as I did!

 hi aunt josanne

hello

is this josanne

nope... I'm the cat

the cat?

randomly typing as I walk on the keyboard

this is lauren

oh

this is Snowball

MEOWWWW

msnroighjargagapoj

is this amber?

AAACKKKKK!!!!!!!! HAIRBALL

haha

who is this?

jOSANNE

this is josanne?

NOT

oh my gosh

oh okay

What?

what

This is your GOOFY uncle!

uncle dan

muke

NO.... Uncle Snowball

muke yourself

oh UNCLE SNOW BALL

muke muke

yeah yeah I hear ya

muke you

Double muke right back at ya!

CHOCOLATE MUKE YOUR-SELF 

What exactly does Muke mean anyway?

i DON'T KNOW?

hahaha cool word anyways!

mutant alien muke!

slimy muke

fuzzy muke

wart hog muke

ugly muke!

neo nazi skin head muke

alien muke head

nasty muke skin

hahahaha 

greasy pimply muke

greasy slimeball muke face~

you greasy grimy muke head

haha

Isn't aunt josanne so boring? 

yeah sometimes

what if she's in here with me?

well I dont know. Well 

I would be embarresed

Your face should turn red-she's here 

she really isn't boring 

way to backpedal

what?

lola skum muke

my mom said she was probably sitting with you

Yep

that's okay dad gets boring too

AMEN!!!!!!!

UMM is he sitting there?

who?

your dad

no he is sleeping on the couch

oh

Hey... I'm gonna turn in for the night

Enjoyed yaking at you cross-eyed hemorging muke blob

A Final Chocolate Bouquet To Make

Be sure to click on the picture for a close-up view--you can see the details much better in the larger picture!

Valentine's Day is just around the corner, and this will be my final bouquet!  You can see my others by scrolling down on this blog, or by visiting my Delightful Domestications blog for one other idea.

Easy to make, but it takes a bit of time-maybe an hour or two.

You need a glass vase

basket fill confetti

wire flower stems(clean, new)

wire cutters 

a floral foam block 

an assortment of Valentine's candy-Reese's, Hershey's Kisses, plus I have pink and chocolate fudge and chocolate filled hearts in pink and red foil.

Put some confetti in the bottom of your vase.

Cut your foam block to fit inside your vase.  Push it into the confetti so it's kind of firm near the bottom.

Add more confetti around the foam block--I added mixed colored confetti to mine.  Then I did another layer of red, and another layer of mixed.

Take your wire floral stems, and poke them down into the vase until you feel it go thru the foam.  Sometimes you have to work a little to get it thru the confetti paper, but you'll be able to feel the difference.

Add your candies to about the top half of the wires by poking the candies thru the middles.  Your wires may need cut shorter, depending on the size of your vase.  It's nice to add different heights of wire too.

The candies with soft middles are easiest.  I use a spare cut wire to poke the kisses first, then I add them to the wire stems where they already have the holes.

Mix the candies on some of the wires, do all hearts on some, or whatever you wish!

Fill the vase full of candies!  I added gold ribbons to the top of my vase-you can add a ribbon or two if you like it!

And last but not least, enjoy!

  

   

  

The Best Smelling Laundry EVER!!!

Well, my Blon roots have appeared once again!  

I made one of my weekly trips to the laundromat yesterday, and I only needed to dry our clothes.  I saw someone at the other end of the laundromat that I thought I knew, but couldn't see quite good enough to tell. I kept glancing that way while I put my clothes in the dryers and got my first load started.

I got the one load going, and my husband's friend Jeff came down my way-so yes, I did know him.  While I was talking to him, I looked around for my dryer sheets, and was a bit stumped-I was sure I brought them.  I went and looked in the car-not there.  Looked in my empty baskets-not there either.  I started to call my daughter to see if I left them on the counter at home, but then hung up because I spotted them!  They were spinning in my first dryer-the whole box!

 

Noooo.......of course in the first 3 minutes they couldn't just stay in the box until I found them.  I pulled out an empty box that had been at least half full!  So I stood there and sifted the clothes for all of the dryer sheets, folded them and stuck them back in the box.

I'll be able to re-use the sheets, but they sure made that one load smell great!  Can you imagine if I had left them in for the whole time?  Since the sheets are anti-static, I  think each piece of clothing might act like when you try to force two magnets together and can't.  Maybe I would have been the star of the local laundromat show for my levitating load of laundry!

Next time I'll just pay attention to what I'm doing!  Sorry Jeff(hubby's friend)!  The laundry is demanding my full attention--I think I proved I can't multi-task too well!  :) 

  

Make a Rose and Chocolate Hearts Topiary!

This is a topiary with roses and chocolate hearts that you can make with just a little creativity.  It almost looks wedding-ish or Christmas-y, but the hearts are for Valentine's Day.  I apologize my pictures are not a little lighter and clearer.  Click on the pictures to see a closer up of each picture.

What you will need:

A foam topiary(mine is laying down in the picture so you can see the whole thing.

A vase or basket

A small amount of Spanish moss

Two leafy garlands-I have a large leaf garland, and a garland with smaller leaves

Twelve or so roses

A gold swag or gold leaves

Gold ribbon

Heart shaped, cream filled chocolate candies, wrapped in red($1 a bag at Walmart)--you'll probably  need 3 or 4 bags-they're small

Corsage pins

Wire cutters

Scissors

    

Most of the items I used were very inexpensive, so this arrangement won't cost too much to make.  Just pick a foam topiary up from the craft store, and pick a vase or basket that the topiary base fits nicely in.  

Add spanish moss to fill in any emply space in the base if you need to, and just a little on top of the foam base to cover it.

Circle the gold leaves at the base of the arrangement(on top of foam base)-spread them out nicely.  Some fabric florals have wires in them so that you can bend them the way you desire.

Next, swirl your large leaf garland around the base, and then around and up the rest of the topiary.  Bend the wires in the garland so that they go around like you want them to.  Use a corsage pin if you need a little help to hold the garland in place-stick the pin in the foam.

Take your cream filled chocolate hearts, and drive a corsage pin thru the middle of them, and then place neatly over exposed sections of the topiary foam.  I added two hearts to the gold leaves also.

Next, add your roses around the garland wherever they look best(you gotta just let your creativity take over!).

Use the second garland and gold ribbon to fill in empty spots.  I remove the individual leaves from the garland, which are clustered together in 2's and 3's, and then attached to the vine with a plastic circle.  I remove the cluster, and insert the corsage pin thru the plastic ring.  Then I add wherever needs filled.  You can sometimes add 2 leaf rings to a pin for a fuller effect.

A beautiful centerpiece or corner arrangement!  With enough little chocolates that it can be called a Valentine's arrangement!  

Be creative and add or subtract your own ideas!  Enjoy!

There's a fine line.....

Okay, I lied.

There are MANY fine lines.......when I smile.

 

I've looked over the past 10 or 15 years, and there are a few certain incidents that I remember....

I remember in my 20's, I was trying to show Dan how I could still do a cartwheel.  So we went out into the yard, and made sure no one was looking, and I attempted to show him...I'm sure you are all familiar with the sudden pain that shoots through your body in one place or another, like a giant charlie horse.  I had the pain, but mine wasn't a horse, it had something more to do with a ham, I think.

I also tried to show my dear hubby how I could lay on my stomach, push my upper body up and fold my knees, so that my head and feet touched-that perfect triangle.  Well, my "I'm a dude" dude(see my Sweet Revenge story if you don't know what I'm talking about!) informed me that I looked like a perfect U, or an upright rectangle with the top line cut off.  

Just two weeks ago, a friend looked up at my hair and announced to my utter shock, "You're getting gray!!!"  Really?!!  Where?!!  I can just pretend that when I part my hair certain ways, it doesn't look like I've taken up frosting, in "Silvery Moon" by Clairol.  And I got to thinking, with friends like this, who needs.....oh, never mind.  :)

Am I complaining?  No!  Not at all!  

All I am actually trying to say is, in 2 days I will be 39, and I just ain't no spring chicken anymore!  Gray hair and wrinkles~I've earned them all!!!  I even got my wisdom teeth in my 20's(except they took them away, and just left me with beauty)!!!  And I made sure I let my friend know that I was proof that you can be gray and beautiful!  I mean, Dan's had gray since he was 18, and I still look at him and think, "He sure is handsome!"  Now we're just distinguished together!!!  Oh, and I let my friend know I was that, too!  :)

For my birthday, if we don't get hit with another blizzard, Dan and I, and Dan's brother Tim and his new bride, Niki, are going to a Japanese restaurant in Erie called Hibachi.  I hear it's quite an experience, and they cook at your table!  They also throw shrimp at you to catch, but you know, with me getting older and all, I think I'll ask them to set it on my plate, since the reflexes don't work so well anymore.  

I don't mind my age, I'm just a little scared, that's all.  I mean, what if everyone expects me to grow up?  

Actually, that's not really going to be a problem for me.  Now when Dan hits 40, that's gonna be a problem for him!  ;P

I guess it just really hits home when people call me "Ma'am".  As long as no one buys me a red hat and purple accessories for a few more years, I'll let that one slip......    :)

Just Wondering....

If one billion people in the world lost 10 pounds each, would the world be a lighter place?  :)

Make a Chocolate Bouquet

Please check my Delightful Domestications blog for another chocolate bouquet that I made with Reese's mini cups and Kisses!

Click on picture for a close up of the bouquet!

Valentine's Day is coming up, so what better time to decorate with a chocolate bouquet!!!  This is the time of year when candies are wrapped in reds, pinks, silvers, etc, so you can work with some of the colors you can't find just any time of year.

This was very simple.  In the first picture, notice the whole setting.  I have my porcelain vase with my hair flowers in it, my diamond shaped candle holder and candle, my square glass dish, my doily, and my vase of flowers.  

All I did was take a bouquet of flowers that I already had on my dresser, and pulled some of the flowers off of the wire stems(some of the stems are also plastic-those are mostly the flowers I left on).  I then took Hershey Kisses and placed them on the stems.  You may need to take a thin wire(clean-I used new floral metal wires, found in the floral department of Walmart) to make the whole before adding it to the stem.  

The close up picture shows you the red and silver Hershey Kisses I added.

If you would like more of the red and silver to make your setting more decorated, notice the changes in the last picture.  I added more Kisses to the bouquet, using metal flower wires.  I also removed the candle from the candle holder and replaced it with Kisses, and also added them to my square glass dish, and spilled them across the doily.  

A simple little display!  Make a display for your bedroom, or on your coffee table in your livingroom, or a centerpiece for your kitchen or diningroom table!

A Very Special Tribute

Today is a day or remembrance for all of us who knew Nicholas Masiker, a gifted young man that was taken in a car accident 2 years ago.  He was my children's classmate, my church's very talented musician and jokester, brother to Laura and Mary-Kay,  and our very dear friends' Larry and Brenda's son.  

Please take the time to look at my 6 blogs, as each one will have something different that we would like to offer for Nicholas' remembrance.  And as you read each blog, please say a prayer for this dear family, Larry and Brenda, and their two daughters, Laura and Mary-Kay.

Because my Chocolate Bouquet blog is my light-hearted blog, I wanted to share a story that Laura told at Nicholas' funeral.  The below story was written by Laura-enjoy. :)

It was in the early parts of the year 1997, my brother was 8 and I was 9. We were home schooled children, living in the country, and we had no television or computers. But, we had imagination and each other. We fought like cats and dogs to the point that we were either going to kill each other or Mom was going to kill us and we also played together as best of friends because up to this point in our lives we really only had each other as playmates.   It was in February that our dad’s uncle passed away who had been a member of the Navy for several years. To my brother this was cool--here we are going to a military funeral! I don’t remember much about the funeral, but I do remember that a soldier folded a flag and presented it to a family member, they spoke words of his military career, did a 21-gun salute, and honored him before the mourners. Right before they closed the casket, all soldiers present reverently approached the casket and solemnly declared, “Farewell, my departed comrade.” In all reality this was a very sad and solemn occasion but to an 8 and 9 year old it was just a fascinating experience.   It wasn’t too long after that my brother and I were home playing inside on a blustery day, when one of us had a splendid idea. Since we both loved to pretend, we decided we were going to play military funeral. Nicholas insisted on being the soldier so, unfortunately, I was the deceased, laid out on my bed in the finest fashion in solemnity and sadness. As I laid there stock still (only peeking a little) my brother carries his toy rifle around the room, marching with a sad look on his face. He folded the flag and presents it to a teddy bear. He slowly approaches my “casket” and looks down at me as his little body salutes. He stood there looking at me with sorrow as he sadly blurts, “Farewell, my departed cobweb.”   That was the end of our playtime…my mom and I succumbed to laughter as she tried to explain to Nicholas that he heard wrong. We laughed about it for several years.   Ten years later I stood at my brother’s casket and reverently looked at him in sorrow. He was 18 and I was 19, just beginning our lives as adults. We were good friends by this time and had a lot of fun times together. As I stood there focusing on every detail of his still form, memories rolled back in my mind taking me to a place when we were little and full of imagination. I didn’t do it in form, but I mentally saluted Nick and said to him in tears and indescribable sorrow mixed together, “Farewell, my departed cobweb.”   Unknowingly, my brother had declared silly words as a child that later on he became known by. I spoke at his funeral and relived that story to the laughing crowd, but I wonder how many people, as they traveled by his casket saying good-bye for the last time, said to him, “Farewell, my departed cobweb.”   It has been 2 years now! Time sure does fly by. I wonder who Nick would be if he were still alive and I wonder where he would be. But sometimes when the sorrow is the worst and I miss him so much I go to his graveside and talk. Sometimes I just sit and remember. Other times I weep. But every once in a while his deep voice comes echoing back from somewhere in the heavens and I hear the things he used to say, sing, and play and ever so faintly I can hear, “Farewell, my departed cobweb!”

CHANGE In the White House

Yesterday was a huge day for America!  The day our new president, Mr. Barack Obama was inaugurated into the White House.  Part of one of his campaign slogans was change.  We have a president that is facing many challenges that need his attention, and he has some new ideas that, if implimented, will change some of what we see and know in the United States of America today.

But I think many of us are overlooking who is really going to bring change to the White House!  And indeed, will also change the way other countries have seen the USA for years.

What am I talking about?  I'm talking about those two cute little girls that come along with the presidential package for the next 4-8 years!

I happen to have a 10 year old myself, and even tho mine is a boy, I've had two girls that have been ages 7 and 10 before, so I am talking from an experienced point of view-except, of course, I haven't had ambassadors and world leaders to my home(other than my royal kitty, Jazz!).

Envision with me:

Can you see President Obama in a very important meeting with a room full of world leaders, and Malia and Sasha sneak off to that end of the White House, standing in the hallway, elbowing each other and giggling, one daring the other to "do it!".  While Mr. President is facing the men, with his back to the door, suddenly all heads look past him.  He turns just in time to see two little heads poking out from one side, tongues stuck out and thumbs in ears while waving fingers at the men who are keeping their daddy company.

Of course, this could solve a lot of problems!  World peace?  Absolutely!  Now bring Michelle and  those little girls in here and let's have cookies and milk!  This is WAY more fun than war!

Or let's imagine that Queen Elizabeth is here, and upon entering the White House, her shoe sticks to the floor.  The First Lady says, "Oh dear, I'm so sorry.....gummy bears!", as she reaches down to  scrape the remainder off the floor.  

What would the Queen do?  Do you think she would take a deep breath, clutch her purse a little tighter, and walk down the hall to the livingroom, as if nothing happened?  Or, do you think she might chuckle and say, "Oh don't worry about it!  William and Harry used to do the same thing!  Let me tell you about the time Margaret Thatcher came over and the boys put a whoopie cushion in her seat!....."

Will they slide down the banisters?  When they think no one is looking, will they jump on the beds?  

I hope the media is kind to these little girls, and allows them to be just that-little girls.  I also hope that the President and First Lady will share a few eye-rolling moments with us, so we can enjoy their children too.  :)

 

My Moment Of Fame As A Super Hero!

Looking back on my teenage years, there was a moment in time when I actually looked like a superhero!  No, it wasn't a halloween costume-it was my quick actions when I was with my friend Amy, and her friend Cathy.

Yes, for one moment in time, you could actually say I was Superman!!!

Faster than a speeding bullet.
More powerful than a locomotive.
Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound.

Look! Up in the sky!
It's a bird. It's a plane. It's Superman! 

Only, we all know that Superman is make-believe.  On the other hand, my superhero moment was not make-believe, and Amy and Cathy were there as witnesses.  This is what happened....

Amy, Cathy and I were on our way to the park to use the exercise trail that went thru the woods, instructing us to walk, run, and stop and do exercises along the way.  We were walking and talking, nearing the woods.  

As we began our walk down the rocky dirt hill in the woods, I was ready to start working out!  So I said, "Come on, you guys, let's run!"

Somehow, immediately after I said that and took my first running steps, I managed to trip over a rock.

No, I did not fall-YET.  My super powers kicked in at that very moment, and my arms shot out in front of me, holding my body like a hovercraft one foot above ground.  My legs ran me at full speed down the hill, while my arms directed me.  So I'm quite sure I looked like Superman(with the serious look on his face)-with the Roadrunner's legs(beep! beep!).

While I was still in full action mode, time for Amy and Cathy stood still, as they watched to see what their superhero would do.

Intently studying the path I sped down, my concerned friend Amy broke my concentration when she blurted out, "Are you okay?"  And as I answered, "No.", it was that moment that I landed at the bottom of the hill "flat on my face".

Now I've mentioned that Amy is my great, concerned friend.  So I'm sure you can guess what she did next.  

No, she did not laugh.

She HOWLED!!!  She ROARED!!!  Guffaws echoed throughout the woods.  I think she even doubled over at the waist, but I was too busy picking rocks out of my hands and wiping dirt off of my clothes to see her.

I don't really remember what Cathy did.  I think I can guess tho.

So there you have it!  My moment as a superhero.

Faster than a speeding bullet.  Yeah, I was definately going faster!
More powerful than a locomotive.  We were getting ready to work on that at the time of the event.
Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound.  Uh, no, not hardly.  More like, Able to trip on a 2" tall rock.

Look!  Yeah, everybody!  Watch this!!!

Up in the sky!  Or, down near the ground! It's a bird.  Roadrunner, maybe? 

It's a plane.  Or at least a hovercraft of some sort.

It's Superman!  It's Goober Josanne!  or  A stupid plan!

Now I know that when Amy reads this, tears will most likely be streaming down her face as she relives this incredible moment in history.

I'm sure you wish you had been there too.

The Shopping Cart Story

Doesn't it feel good to do a good deed for another person?

I'm sure you are all familiar with how the sidewalks are built at most stores, with the ramp that allows shopping carts and wheelchairs easy access from the parking lot to the store's sidewalk.

A few years ago, I was heading into the grocery store, and saw an elderly man with a cart, next to the ramp to go up to the sidewalk.  I thought I would offer to take his cart so that he didn't have to push it back up the ramp, saving him the extra energy he would have to put into taking the shopping cart back to the store.  It's always been nice when others have done this for me-its my turn once again to return the favor to another.  I said something along the lines of, "Sir, can I take that for you?"  And he said, "Sure."  So I took the cart, and having done my "good deed of the day", my footsteps felt a little lighter as I entered the store to grab a few groceries.

I didn't need much, so I quickly made it up the first aisle to the back of the store, and down the next aisle, heading back to the front section of the store.  

The entrance of the store caught my eye.  The man I helped with the shopping cart was standing in the doorway, looking around!  To my great embarrassment, I then realized that I had not helped this man at all--I had taken his cart!!!  Oh boy.....

I was relaying this story to a friend, and she asked if I had apologized to him.  Of course not!!!  I was trying to blend in with the tomatoes---why would I make myself known again???  Hadn't I done enough already?

Well, I got all the items I needed, and headed for the checkout.  He was there, with his new shopping cart, checking out too.  So needless to say, I thought I'd just, you know, hang out with the frozen veggies for a few minutes.  

Have you ever noticed what an interesting section of the store the frozen veggie section is?  :)

 

Ever Wonder What a Cat Thinks?

First of all, I'd like to thank everyone who entered my free give-aways!  I will be drawing the names of the winners today.

This blog is not all about cats, but a reader, Jackie, mentioned how my Jazz and her baby looked so much alike from the picture I posted in my last entry, so I wanted to share a photo of all 3 of the kittens--they ALL looked like her!  They were so much fun!

And since I am already writing about kittens, I had a thougth come to me several days ago, and then a photo my daughter came across on the internet was PERFECT for the thought, so I'm sharing it with you. :)

Have you ever wondered what our pets think when out of nowhere, we just scoop them up to hold and love on them?  If you have kids, (and actually, even some of us adults!)  our pets are sometimes sleeping when we pick them up!  How rude! lol  But especially if you have little ones, and the cat is nearly bigger than they are, you know your furry friend gets swung around a little bit, or shaken up and down with each concentrated step of a 3 year old carrying him/her!  

So here I am, holding all 3 kitties, and I just imagine households all over where furry babies are picked up and carried around.  

Now, can you imagine when the kittens find new homes, or start going outside and visiting with neighbor cats, and they talk to each other?  The below picture is what I imagine the conversation would have sounded like, when they talked about the times we picked all 3 of them up together and carried them around--but is most fitting for when a toddler picks 3 kittens up and attempts to carry them around...... 

  

 

The Onesie Kitty

  Here is a picture of my baby with one of her 3 babies.  All 3 looked like her, and aww...I miss those fun little furballs!  I've never been so attached to a litter of kittens as I was to these 3.  

We had a bit of a hard time finding homes for these little ones, and let me give you a tip!  There are "no-kill" shelters that will take your babies for a small fee, and you also may want to try your local vet's office.  We found a home for our little boy kitty, but couldn't find homes for our beautiful little girls.  I would have LOVED to keep them, but problems arose and we couldn't.  I learned that our local vet's office would also take the kittens for a small fee of $20 per kitten, and find homes for them.  I sadly said goodbye, but we visited them several times before they found a new home-together. :)  I was also tickled that the vet's office let those little girls run the place!  The first time we visited, they had to track them down-watching the girl go into one room while the kitty ran past her out of the room was quite comical!

Anyway!

We had Jazz spayed once the kittens grew up a little and didn't need to depend on her solely for their food.  When I brought her home from the vet, they told me that she would let the kittens know if she didn't want them to nurse.

Well, guess what?  Jazz was too good of a mommy-she was allowing them to nurse less than 3 days later.  

One morning just a few days later, I walked past my baby, and saw that she was bleeding-her incision had come open.  I rushed her to the vet's office, where they performed emergency surgery on her, because of the infection possibly spreading due to the opening.  My poor baby!  I was able to pick her up a couple days later.  

Since my vet doctor was not available the day I called with my emergency, I took her across town.  This new doctor for her said no more nursing kitties-ever.  

My new job was quite a challenge!  The babies would NOT leave Jazz alone, and she would not stop them!  

Now, I know I can't have brains and beauty both, but for one small moment in time, I had a genious thougth come to me!!!  :P

I've heard of many types of onesies-organic onesies, personalized onesies, adult onesies, and toddler onesies.  But have you ever heard of a CAT onesie?  I hadn't either, but I invented it!  My own, custom made cat onesie!  I purchased a pack of baby onesies at the store, and brougth them home to figure out how to protect my baby---closing her in one room while the kitties ran around for a while, and then closing them off together in a room while she had some freedom was quite a job, and it got old very quickly!  But her life really was at stake, so I did have to keep them apart, until I found the solution!

My baby wasn't thrilled with her new garment, and in fact, she would barely walk with it on.  She mostly sat around.  I felt bad, but had to do what I had to do.  And she really did look cute!  So I've decided to share this picture with you!  Please excuse her for not looking her "pampered princess" best, but remember, she just had two surgeries. :)

Cutting a hole for her tail, and pinning the garment to fit her shape, here you have....a cat onesie!

 

WHEN is MY baby going to say this to ME???

If you are a follower of my blog, you already know, or will know shortly, that I adore my kitty.  My Jazz is my baby!  

So anyway, I just want to know...

As much as I love and adore her, and spoil her daily, WHEN is she going to say this to ME???

Sweet Revenge!!!

I cannot help it...I am forced to do this to my beloved hubby, Daniel!  Let me tell you why...

We made plans to celebrate Christmas a few days early with our children-it was going to be a wonderful and fun day!  Dan would be heading to Playthings Etc. with Dakota-one of the coolest toy stores in the world!  The girls and I were going to the Grove City Outlets-a place my oldest daughter had wanted to go for a long time.  We would meet back home later that evening.  Elissa volunteers at the school, so she was with Amber and Dakota, enjoying the last day of school before Christmas vacation.  A nice little party sent them on their way to enjoying many days of vacation!

Unfortunately, the weather was rather severe, with sleet coming down, and the red warning level at weather.com let us know that it might not be a good idea to go. We hated to change plans, but thought we may have to, since the roads could be treacherous.  We still decided to get ready, in case the weather turned favorably.

I got in the shower, and was minding my own business, and I CANNOT believe what happened!!!    My wonderful husband of many years DROPPED TWO HANDFULS OF SLEET ON ME OVER THE TOP OF THE SHOWER DOORS!!!!!  I screamed!!!  I was in shock!!!

How could he do this to me???  The man I would NEVER think of doing something so cruel to, did this to me!!!  I thought he vowed to love, honor and cherish me!!!  

Maybe he did this because when I remind him that he said "I do", he always claims, "I didn't say "I do", I said "I'm a dude!""

I had to plot my revenge!  I considered putting ice cubes in his side of the bed, but reconsidered when I remembered that we have an electric heating pad under our sheet.  How would that sound..."Honest, officer!!!  It was just a joke!!!"

So what could I do?  What could I do?.....

Then I decided.  This is what I'm going to do.  I'm going to show the entire world one my husband's redneck moments.  Let me share the story in a nutshell...

After working several hours on our riding lawnmower that was broken, Dan was tired and exhausted from his efforts because they did not work.  Even tho he is a very mellow man, he became a bit agitated.  The lawnmower was still broke, and he wished the kids would have chipped in and mowed with the push mower.  This may appear as a joke, but I assure you, it is NOT!  I looked out the window to see my husband and daughter.  My daughter was riding the four-wheeler in the yard, with Dan sitting on the front rack, pushing our PUSH-MOWER!!!  Needless to say, I had to run and get the camera!  I had no intentions of using this for revenge, but it is all too sweet, and I must!

 

This, my friends, is what we call a REDNECK RIDING LAWNMOWER!!!