Just Cats

We've had Zee for a month now. Her and Gracie are great together. Gracie has taken to the role of babysitter very well. Zee tries her best to imitate Gracie's behavior. This brings some funny results as Zee is still too small to do some things.

For example, Gracie has a water fountain to drink from but prefers to drink the water in the fish tank, the bathroom sink and from a cup of water every time she hears the faucet turn on.

Zee tries the same... fish tank, she's too short so she tries to catch the fish through the glass instead. The bathroom sink... she just found out how to jump on the toilet to get to the sink today and she "hunts" the water rather than drink it. She splashes water everywhere. Then there's the cup of water... she puts her paw in it to splash which in turn makes Gracie want another cup to drink from... she doesn't want Zee's cooties.

Watching Zee crouch down and wiggle her buttocks in preparation to leap onto something cracks me up. She is constantly sneaking up on Gracie just to get a chase going. She has taken Gracie down in a full blown tackle many times. She's more muscle than Gracie was at this age.

Sleeping with Zee is different from Gracie. Zee likes changing positions at 3am, from the foot of the bed, to the head of ME! She likes to feel my heartbeat and breathing I guess, because there's no dissuading her to sleep elsewhere. Gracie would be happy just being next to me or in the crook of my arm. Maybe that's why Zee gets shut out of C's room at bed time. C needs her sleep.

That's enough cat stories from the cat lady (as C calls me) I'm glad we have 2 now. Gracie is even happier( at least it seems that she is to me)

Sick

I really hate being sick especially during the summer. Even more so when I'm sick on a day where the weather is perfect! I've been in bed since Friday evening after posting.

I'm better now and just received a phone call from the guy C worked for this summer. He hasn't found a replacement for C yet and wants me to watch his kids again until he finds one. He keeps asking me to give him names of people I know who could help him out. I told him about Jessie but until she gets her NECCO class schedule, she won't know if she can even help him out.

Of course, if T were here, it would be a perfect job for her! Watching two kids (ages 7 and 10) for three or four hours a day and full-time during school vacations at $10/hour. He pays for expenses like gas money to pick his kids up from private school, movie tickets and a "nanny" membership at Cedardale.

I have a few hours before bed where I can get caught up on my weekend chores so... Good Night to All.

Hellcat Swamp Marsh Trail

Well, now that we located another car seat that can stay in my car, I have been able to venture out into the world with these little kids once in a while.

We went to Parker River Wildlife Reserve on Plum Island today. The kids have been to the beach with their parents, but never had been to the Reserve. While there is access to the beach at some of the parking lots, today's 70 degree weather meant we had to stay out of the water. That's why I like Lot #4, the Hellcat Trail. No beach access means no chance of getting wet and they can get all the exercise they need and learn stuff too!

We saw lots of birds, plants and people. The highlight of the trek was watching a turtle follow a trail through the marsh and going under the bridge we were standing on. All the kids liked that experience. Yeah, we went with C and her 2 kids (her last day was today).

Well, I'm tired. Allergies kicking in and TS Danny is hitting NE tomorrow so I need to check my battery supply, just in case. Night.

My Day

I brought the kids to Action Cove playground in West Newbury today. On the way I showed them places from my childhood such as the schools, our house and where T and C spent some time like the library.

We also stopped at the Food Mart to get some drinks. It was here that I bumped into Ellen Ritgers. She was an acquaintance of our family and was the seamstress that made my wedding dress so many years ago. I ran into her many times while a clerk at Bldg 19, but since moving to NH 10 years ago, we'd lost touch. It was fun to catch up and the kids were terrific in allowing me some time to chat. Being busy with their drinks helped them be patient I guess.

Today we made nature shirts. We took items from nature like fern fronds and daisies. We placed them "collage" style on a solid colored T-shirt (with brown paper inside to keep the front design on the front and the back on the back). I sprayed a bleach solution on the shirts and after the sun dried them, we laundered them. They came out pretty cool. I took a picture but my phone camera wasn't focusing too well.

T... if you're out there... Septembers loan payment went out yesterday. Any news on the job searches?

Upcoming...

Back in May, I promised B that I would go with him on an overnight canoe trip during Labor Day weekend. He wanted the whole week on a river, but in my current shape, I feel I can only do 2 nights. C heard us making plans and remarked that she had never gone on such a trip but reminded us that we had brought T on a river trip WAAAAY back when T was 5 or so. ( C was 2 and had the chicken pox!!) We invited C to come with us and since her beloved Jimmy will be in college by Labor Day, she accepted.

I don't believe I have even sat in a canoe since that trip on the Saco River so many years ago. I used to be good at paddling and controlling where the canoe should go. I'm not as confident in my abilities anymore. I'll be steering the craft, C will be in the FRONT. ( I don't know if it's called port or stern or aft or whatever! It's the front.) B will be in his kayak. It should be a funny sight. I'm glad no one I know will be there to witness this trip.

C starts SST on Monday and Epping High starts on September 8th. She's a senior! I've asked B to keep on her to help her apply to colleges and set up some visitation tours. He has a few vacation/paid sick days where I don't.

Besides, I did that stuff with one kid already, now it's his turn!

I bought a new game today. It's called "Chuck-It Chicken" by Ravensburger (a NH puzzle/game company) and it was fun for the 2 boys (5 and 7). I couldn't catch a break with any of my rolls of the die. They beat me time and time again, no cheating.

It cost about $17 at Toys R Us. We found it to be fun and a "quick to play" game. Small game pieces though, watch the young ones who like to stick tiny things in places they shouldn't.

Above is a picture of the dried, finished splatter paint from yesterdays project.

Splattering in the Rain!

Here is the youngest of 5 kids doing this fun, yet messy, art project in the rain. We used washable paints, fly swatters, a long sheet of brown paper and eventually our feet to create a beautiful masterpiece. This is the last full week of summer so C and I are trying to fill it full of fun activities for the kids we watch. This one was very fun for them.

I Love to Laugh!

T's sense of humor makes me laugh. Yes, she can and does make me mad at times too, but she and I share a similar taste in what's funny. Since she married and moved to VA, my laughs have been fewer and far between. Oh, B and C do try their best and can get a chuckle from me once in a while, but it's not the same.

Today in church, a young man of 12, whose family just moved here from England, was given the assignment of a 5-7 minute talk on Reverence. In his opening remarks, he was introducing himself and letting us know what he liked to do. "Reading and... (long pause...) thinking!" I cracked up. He continued that his mother was a good cook and listed off several of his favorite dishes then announced, "Basically, my mom is just the best cook in the whole world!" Too funny!

When he finally got around to taking about his assigned topic, he told us, the adults, that we should already know about reverence because after all, we're always telling the children that they need to be reverent. We tell them to please "Be Quiet" or use a faster, more subtle phrase, "Shut Up!"

I lost it at this point and really started laughing. A good belly laugh, along with the rest of the congregation. He is F U N N Y!

I miss laughing.

T, give me something funny to laugh about soon.

Busy Social Life... busier than usual, that is.

We had quite a busy Saturday! We crammed an entire days worth of chores into 2 hours. We attended the wedding reception of Rick and Julia Ingham. We've been friends with the Ingham family for well over 25 years. (Rick was T's first boyfriend. Though, technically, they never were an" item" because she was not allowed to date until she turned 16 and that didn't happen until her Paris trip in 2004). They're still friends. Both are now married to their own eternal spouse.

The event was nice. It was late getting started though. The caterers were told to be there by 10am but didn't arrive until 11:15am, with cold food that needed time in the ovens. The couple chose not to have cheesy wedding music during the reception. I felt the music was not Rick's choice. No Weird Al music, more Musak-y! We stayed until the Mom and Groom dance (Forever Young by Rod Stewart) and Sue DID NOT cry! I think she was cried out by then. Then off to Jessie Price's graduation party.

Jessie, (my niece who is 6 months older than C) completed her requirements for HS graduation and will be attending NECCO in a few weeks. Her family situation was pretty rough during the 2nd half of her senior year and she found it hard to stay focused and complete all her AP courses. But she stuck it out in summer school and has graduated! Congrats Jessie!

Her party was outside. Very muggy! We left after an hour thanks to a violent thunderstorm that did nothing to ease the humidity.

Now at home and thinking of supper prep. Thank goodness I made a casserole with the kids yesterday as a cooking project. I just have to reheat it. Taco Stuffed Pasta Shells with Green Salad. Yummy and easy!

Oh, the Joy (anguish) of being a Red Sox fan...

I had high hopes for our team vs. the Yankees this evening. They were dashed before the 2nd inning. It's now the 7th inning and I'm just going to go to bed because it's 16-7, Yankees. That's just too sad.

On a happier note, C's boyfriend, Jimmy, had a try-out with the Kansas City Royals baseball club yesterday. He's not expecting to make the team, but as he begins his college baseball career in 2 weeks at Worcester, his name will be on at least 1 scouting report over the next 4 years due to the try-out.

More Summer Fun!

They are enjoying their homemade frozen puddin' pops on a hot summer day! Then they went straight to water. Today we enjoyed the kiddie pool and later, we joined the neighbors on their slip 'n' slide. The end of summer is coming soon. Connor will start 1st grade on Sept 1st.

The Old is New Again

First, THANKS!! to the Griggs for letting us join them at Cedardale today. The kids swam and swam and swam in real pools.

Twice, Connor jumped off the diving board into 12 feet of water. Yes, he had a bubble strapped to his back, but he did it! He calls the diving board a trampoline.

Kaya only came out of the water to eat or pee (thank goodness). She didn't want to leave. Colin was so brave. He let me show him how to float on his back and really enjoyed being IN the water for the first time this year.

On the way home I stopped by Dance Works just to see if anyone I knew was there. Kaya will be taking "Angelina Ballerina" (that's what Kaya calls it) dance classes this year and since that was where T and C took their lessons as little girls, I persuaded Krista to send her daughter there too.

Well, Miss Paula was there! She taught both of my girls the basics of tap and ballet between the ages of 3 and 10. Once I said my name, she remembered who I was and the names of my daughters! She couldn't believe that T is married! Her own daughter, Julie is now an instructor there.

I have to make sure that Kaya gets signed up in her class! Miss Paula took her on a little tour. She let her spin a few swirls in the studio while watching herself in the mirror. We saw the one way mirror where parents can view the class w/o interfering. Then she even took us into a competitive ballet class to see real ballerinas! Kaya was in 7th heaven, talked the whole time!

Best part? when Miss Paula asked her what her name was, without missing a beat she said, "Prinpess".

Summer Bubbles

This was our water activity today. Recipe for fun: One quarter cup dish soap, lots of cold water and 3 kids. Put into a large pool and play vigorously. Sit back and enjoy.

I'm NOT Complaining...

but... BOY, IT'S BEEN SOOO HOT, HAZY and HUMID these past 3 days! Maybe... if our summer in NE had been more of a summer, these past few days and the ones to come wouldn't seem unbearable. The hot weather does mean the kids are enjoying the water features of summer!

SLIP and SLIDE! What a fun way to waste gallons of water! Kaya had to have a giant running start only to stop at the top of the slide and gingerly walk halfway down before dropping to her knees to slide the rest of the way.

SPRINKLERS!! Three different kinds too. All very fun until the water gets in an eye! At least with this fun toy, most of the lawn gets watered at the same time.

KIDDIE POOL! Ours is a good size, has a built in slide and is made by Little Tykes out of thick molded plastic. We rescued it from curbside disposal last year and gave it a rubber plug. It works great! We have a bug skimmer to protect those with "phobias" and we get 2 days out of the water which saves on the consumption.

SQUIRT GUNS. By far these are MY LEAST favorite of water fun toys. As grown ups, we understand the concept of "Survival of the Fittest or the Quickest". Not so with these kids. Each water gun session ends in tears, bumps, hurt feelings and overall grouchy kids! The whining and yelling and tattling can really wear on my nerves.

I got my air fixed in my car so the ride home was very cool.

Kudos to the guy who invented air conditioning!

G and Z

As I was playing with the kitties today, one of them got me pretty good with its claws. Time for a kitty manicure!

With the little bit of coin cash I had stashed away, I packed up Gracie and Zee into their crates and headed off to the new, closer and more convenient Fremont location of Angel Paws. We got there in no time at all. It's a nicer place than the old building. The groomer was pregnant and not willing to chance being bitten (btw, my cats have never broken skin with their teeth, only their claws), so Gracie had to wear The Cone of Shame... just in case.

Zee was perfectly cute and well behaved as she had her claws done for the first time. Then we headed home 5 minutes later. Yes, trimming the claws of 2 cats takes only FIVE minutes when done by someone other than us! Zee meowed all the way home, not a peep from Gracie.

I let them out of their crates and reached into Gracie's crate to pull out her favorite pillow and YUCK! Unknown to me, she had gotten carsick and ... well, you get the picture! Gross! I haven't used so much soap on my hands in a while!

With shorter claws, Zee doesn't look like Velcro when jumping onto her tree. Now she looks like she's trying not to drown. Either way, it's still fun to watch her and Gracie play and climb.

What Are Little Girls Made Of?

Being a female myself and raising 2 girls one could conclude that I understand girls and their feelings. But in reality, I don't.

T and C loved their Disney movies. They would watch them as often as we would allow and then some. They had the little toys that went along with them and would often play while watching the movie. The Little Mermaid was the first video I ever bought and today I watched it with Kaya during her quiet time.

She had her Ariel dolls in hand while she hung on every word and scene. She was adamant that prinpesses could not get sad even if their Daddy yells at them. She cried, no, SOBBED, when Ursula changed Ariel into a human with legs! "She a mermaid! Mermaids no has legs!" She started to shudder along with her sobbing when she realized Ariel had lost her bootafull singing voice to the witch ockapus!

She stopped the sobbing when the "new" human Ariel got cleaned up in a bubble bath and had on a pink gown. All was fine with her world again. Up until the wedding scene, that is.

Instead of being happy that the witch had been defeated and Ariel got her voice back so she and Eric could live happily ever after, she began the uncontrollable sobbing and shuddering again while trying to tell the movie that Ariel could only be a prinpess if she was wearing that PINK dress, not a wedding gown!

Girls! Thanks T and C for not being so melodramatic with your movies. Go Disney!

The Sound of Rain

I arose at 5 this morning to the sound of rain on my window. A sound that has been heard a lot this summer. It used to be such a comforting sound. But no longer does rain bring me joy.

Now it means that I will be inside all day with 3 very active, small attention span children who do not know the meaning of indoor voices. I really like these kids, but I like them better when they're playing and yelling outside.

Also, hearing rain today after being with them for 16 hours (4 hours were sleeping hours) yesterday (mom and dad went to Sox game after work) means I may be grouchy today. They don't like me when I'm grouchy. I don't like me when I'm grouchy. But with my air conditioning needing fixing, I could use the extra money, so I stayed for them.

Well, off I go. Have a good day!

Really?

Well, I stopped at my auto repair garage to see if I could get a jump start on the air conditioning repair by at least finding out what was wrong and getting an estimate.

It turned out that my system needs an actuator (I think that's what he called it) and a recharge, which wasn't too bad price wise. Then they told me the labor to fix this thing involved removing the entire dashboard and would be an all day project! Labor will be more than the parts! Well, I need cold air (my hot flashes cannot take the hot humid air) so I agreed to the estimate.

I know! I could've (maybe should've) shopped around for cheaper prices, but this place has been good to our cars for the past 10 years and I don't have the time nor energy to compare.

T... maybe Michael can go into car repair. With no one buying new cars and needing their older ones repaired, he could make a lot! Maybe you could repair cars?

GO SOX! They're on a 1 game winning streak!

Just Another Venting Session

First day back from vacation and it went smooth. The kids missed their own belongings after sharing a house for a long weekend with their cousins in Maine, so they played, A LOT. It was like they had never seen their toys before! Tomorrow will be a different story. Though I hope not.

It was 90 degrees outside (1st time it hit that mark since early May) and it was very humid. They didn't want to go outside. Because I would've been sooo uncomfortable myself, I didn't push them. Besides, they really were being so well behaved indoors.

I got paid today and was happy that there would be a little extra $ after expenses! Since October of last year, we've been paying T's student loans while she looks for employment so there hasn't been very many of my paychecks where there was extra $$. (There, I vented a bit, and now I ask T... How did the job search go this month?)

I was excited! I need a haircut, new shoes and now it looked like I could finally get them.

Then I started the drive home. I turned on the air conditioner and was greeted with a blast of hot air. Surely this was due to my car being parked for 8 hours in the hot sun? Nope. It's gone, shot, kablooey, kicked the bucket, DEAD. I know need cool air more that I need shorter hair or better shoes.

Now I need to find the time it takes to drop off the car and wait for the estimate (hoping it needs only a shot of Freon and not a new compressor)! Then there's the wait for the parts and the repair, then back to pick it up. Saturday is the next available day for that and it's gonna be hot all week!

Bright side? Maybe I'll sweat off a few pounds.

Today I was invited by the family I sit for to go with them to Ireland next July for 1-2 weeks. Very tempting, all expenses paid, but I have a feeling it would be a working trip for me, so would I really enjoy it? However, I'm thinking about it. I'll need a passport.

Bridal Shower

Tonight, I attended the bridal shower for Rick Ingham's fiance, Julia. What a perfect match she is for Sue, her future mother in-law!

I know it sounds strange. I just met Julia tonight and I haven't seen Rick since October, but the close chemistry between my friend, Sue and her future daughter in-law was very obvious. They will be good friends.

Many best wishes for their wedding in 2 weeks.

Check

1. Clean office... check
2. Clean up extra room... check
3. Clean out hallway closet... check
4. Vacuum basement stairs... check
5. Go out to lunch with C... check and check
6. Clean out cat water fountain... check
7. Prime my Mothers Day gift well-cover... check
8. Weed anything...
9. Trim lawn edges...
10. Keep up laundry and dishes... check and check

Well, my vacation wasn't as fulfilling as it once was, but I got a few things crossed off my "To Do" list, watched some mindless TV (I didn't have any summer romance novels to read), napped and played with the cats. Back to work on Monday! Have a great weekend!

Da Plane! Da Plane!

     When I was younger there was a show on TV called Fantasy Island. It was a magical island where your dreams came true while on vacation. The main character was Mr. Roarke and his right hand man, Tattoo, who yelled, "Da plane, da plane" on every episode, announcing the arrival of the guests.

     Why do I bring this up? Because I believe that a "tattoo" should be used as a silly name on a TV show and NOT as "ART" on a persons skin.

     I recently saw some kids, not much older than my girls, (though they may have been the same age), with new tattoos. Too many tattoos! But in my opinion, even 1 is too many.  

     To me, it's like hearing a NE or a deep South accent, no matter how educated or well read that person is, if I hear them talk in those accents, my first thought is, "What a dummy." Same with tattoos. You might think you're expressing your individuality, but all I see is stupidity.

     I have a few siblings with tattoos and I know of a few friends with them. Most of them wish they had never had one. They went through a phase and now they can't change it. It is permanent (or expensive and painful to remove) and very unattractive, no matter how well done the artwork. 

     Angelina Jolie's face is beautiful, but I can't get past all those tattoos of hers whenever she gets dolled up! 

     Why mark up your skin? Even if you can stand the pain of the ink needles being driven into your skin and avoid possible infections and diseases, the vibrant colors of a new tattoo wear off over time and you end up with a yucky bluish picture. And then there's the aging process, I find old peoples tattoos very unattractive. Wrinkly and blue. 

     There are cultures where tattoos are an important rite of passage. I understand those types of tattoos. Tattoos are not a part of the culture I am in or raised my daughters in. We have been counseled not to mark up our bodies with extra piercings and tattoos.

     Both of my girls are adults and make many of their choices with little discussion with me, but I pray that my girls remember that some of their life choices will be permanent and there for the world to see and judge, so their choices had best be made wisely!

     When I saw those kids, my thought was, "Thank goodness I have the kids I have. They would never do that to their bodies. Even if others pressure them to do so. They would never!"

     Am I correct in my thinking, T and C ? please?

Lethargic

     Our Gracie and Zee had their vet appointments today. We have very healthy kitties, not overweight and very playful. Zee (2.3 lbs) got her distemper shot and de-wormer dose while Gracie (10 lbs) got her distemper and rabies booster. Zee will get her rabies shot at the end of the month when she's old enough.

     We were told that they may be LETHARGIC for 24 hours as a side effect from the shots. 

     You know those "word-a-day" calendars? Well, maybe I should get C one of those. After hearing the word, lethargic, she asked me what it meant. Now she has been using it in every sentence! She loves the way it rolls off the tongue. I need to find her a new word.

     Lethargic.

Vacations

     I find it odd how my vacations have changed over the years.

     I like doing my "to do" list on my vacations rather than go camping or swimming. Why is that do you think? 

    

     I hated the working vacations I spent as a child with my 14 siblings, weeding the garden, cleaning the barn/cellar or being given orders to complete what seemed to be hundreds of other tasks that were not fun and one was punished if they were not completed. I cherish the few good memories I have of the camping trips to the lake and Palmyra, NY, but it was mostly work vacations. 

     I loved bringing my girls to the mall, the amusement parks, the water parks, pools, lakes, beaches, BBQs, the movies, out to lunch/dinner and camping whenever our job schedules allowed. I hope they have good, fond memories of their summer vacations.

     Nowadays, I don't have kids around to plan to do those fun things with and so I'm back to working vacations. 

     But I like them this time around. 

     Strange.  Bring on the Weeds!

     

New Things

     As I age, I'm trying to expand my horizons. One way I do this is whenever I go to a restaurant, I try to order new dishes that I never have eaten before.

 

     I've learned that I enjoy Pasta e Fagioli soup and Bruschetta. I like Panini sandwiches even with a hot tomato slice inside. Chicken Marsala is OK too, I just pick out the mushrooms.

     Tonight, I discovered I DO NOT like Frutti di Mare! The description on the menu said: assorted seafood on a bed of pasta with a tomato sauce. Well, I LOVE seafood! Fish, shrimp, scallops and clams (fried or steamed) are all so yummy!

     This dish was not what I expected at all! Oh, it had scallops, shrimp and mussels, ( by the way, they are NOT very much like clams), all of which was overcooked and rubbery, but it had something else too!

     It had tiny little LEGS! Yep, OCTOPUS legs! Now, I've had fried calamari rings (not a fan), but I'd never seen un-battered tentacle-ly legs as food before!  Wiggly little alien creature looking things! And they were on MY plate! AHHHHH!

     I will continue to try new things, but it will be hard to get the vision of those things out of my head every time I order a new dish! It was just gross! Even the cats didn't like them!