About a week or two ago, I was outside in the backyard working on our landscaping.  The kids were out with me.  Before too long I heard this rustling noise, and then "mmmROW, mmmROOOOWWW".

 

Out from the woods came the skinniest, most pitiful looking cat I have ever seen.  It was literally skin and bones.  You could tell it was afraid of us, but hunger won out and I guess it could sense that I am a big fat softy.

 

I KNOW BETTER than to feed strays.  I tell people all the time NOT to feed strays.  I do not at all like the idea of "outside" cats, they could get hit by a car, killed by another animal, or instincts could kick in and they could hurt a person or another animal.

 

But this little orange tabby looked up at me with the saddest, HUNGRIEST green eyes and pleaded with me "mmmROW?  mmmROW?" 

 

At this point I would like to say that I stopped and considered my next course of action, but I didn't.  After sternly warning the kids not to go near it, I immediately went in and got it a bowl of food.  My mom always tells me that she couldn't let this animal or that child go hungry or go without and I always get on her about it.  You can't save the world, I tell her.  Let the parents or owners take responsibility.  It always frustrated me that she would just immediately provide.

 

I suppose I'll eat my words while that cat eats its dinner.

 

It hasn't left our backyard since.  I feed it twice a day.  It sleeps on our patio, it has three favorite spots and it moves as the sun does, so it stays in the shade.  Once winter rolls around I'm sure it will change to the sunny places.  I've even started thinking about how I can get it a little "doggie house" so that it has some protection during the winter.

 

I'll feed it, but I won't bring it in the house.  I don't know its history.  I am almost certain that it hasn't had any shots.  It could have fleas or ear mites, and it does have claws.  I think it is a girl and I would bet that she hasn't been spayed.  She is not feral, but she is wary.  It is not a kitten, but I can tell it is still young.  It seems to desire human contact (but that may just be it's stomach talking).  It is a little orange tabby with white rings around its tail and beautiful green eyes, very cute.  It would not have a problem finding a nice loving home.

 

This is the part where I show my true, SELFISH colors.  I really should find this dear animal a home.  I've not made any attempts to, telling myself that I am just too busy right now and that I will do it after I get home from an upcoming trip.  But I don't think I will.  I love that cat already. I want to keep the cat.  I love seeing it sitting outside on the patio each day, I go and check on it multiple times throughout each day.  It brings me happiness.  But I am not willing to bring it in the house.  I have two boy cats already, and a bunch of other excuses.  So it would have to stay outside.  In this oppressive heat, in the cold of winter.  During the rain (if we ever get any!).  That is no life for a cat.

 

I brought it up to Shawn that maybe we could go ahead and get the backyard fenced in ASAP, so that I don't have to worry about the kitty getting run over or killed by another animal.  He laughed and said, Do you really think a fence is going to keep that cat IN?  I guess I don't, I don't know.  I worry about it for the week or so I am going to be gone.  Will Shawn feed it?  Will it think I have abandonned it and never come back?

 

It's silly how much this cat means to me after only a week or two of knowing it.  I'm getting choked up just writing this.

 

I guess what I am saying is:

 

Hi everyone!  I'm still alive, just don't know what to write these days.

 

We are still trying to get settled in.  Boxes everywhere.  Toys everywhere.  Dress up clothes everywhere.  It's a little overwhelming.

 

I can't think of a single thing of interest to report at this moment.

 

Oh, I do want to say that I LOVE MY NEW CLOTHES WASHER AND DRYER.  We got the Whirlpool Cabrio with the see thru top as the washer and my clothes have never been cleaner.  It is amazing.  Without pretreating, it is removing old stains on clothes...  it is unbelievable.  It is also very gentle, all of Colleen's fancy dresses are coming through the wash in perfect shape.  The dryer matches, it is also a Whirlpool Cabrio.

 

The see thru doors are mesmerising.  If I don't walk away fast enough I will catch myself staring into them, long after the cycle has started, hypnotised by the clothes whirring by and the NASCAR-Sounding revving of the washer motor.

 

Shawn wanted the see thru models because they were "cool looking".  I'm glad we sprung for the upgrade as well.  I had no idea how much fun it was to watch your laundry getting clean.  Yes I'm serious, but it's ok - I've embraced my dorky side.

 

Hope you all are well.  Hugs to everyone.  Big SPECIAL hugs to anyone who wants to come unpack boxes.  LOL

 

 

I am up in the "loft", sorting the huge pile of bedding that I dumped there a few days after we moved into the new house (a couple of weeks ago). 

 

The kids are wild, jumping on all of the piles, ignoring my requests for them to stop.

 

Exasperated, I yell at them to STOP IT NOW and they both pause and look at me.

 

Wesley says, "Why clean, Mom?  People coming?"

 

Probably this is an insight to my homemaking skills.

My last entry was about Wesley's Disney Cars and how much he loves to play with them.  He loves to kiss them and chew on them too.  He has chipped the paint off of most of them in several places.  Imagine my concern when I read that Sarge is part of the huge Mattel toy recall because of lead-based paint.  Part of one of Colleen's Barbies is also being recalled... the Barbie and Tanner play set pooper scooper has a magnet that can be very harmful if it becomes detatched.

 

I've limited my political rants lately, I'd rather my blog be a friendly communication tool meant to keep my friends and family, and of course, my blogging buddies up do date on the mundane day-to-day goings on of my life.  :)

 

I just can't keep my trap shut on this one.  From now on, I am going to check the country of origin on everything that I buy and I am NOT going to buy Chinese made products.

 

I was suspectful of Clinton's policies with them and Bush has focused (at least publically) on other countries during his terms.  I am distrustfull of China's leadership and their true feelings toward our country.  I vehemently disagree with their policies on censorship and family planning and I have serious concerns about their male-centric attitudes.

 

Shawn has observed that they are experiencing an industrial revolution, not unlike America did a 100 years ago.  And we have our laws and oversight committees and watch groups in response to all of the terrible things that were done in the name of capitalism back then.  That may be the case, but it is deplorable that a country with their resources doesn't have their act together yet, especially with other "modern" nations to model their policies on.

 

I have thought about the companies that commissioned the toys to be made (we have had quite a few subjected to recalls - Thomas the Tank Engine toys (about 7), Barbie, Disney Cars) and I don't think I have lost faith in the company behind the brand, but I have lost faith in any product made in China.  And until I am convinced otherwise, I am going to do my best not to buy a thing exported from that country.

 

This means very limited trips to Target.  Almost everything Target sells is "Made in China".  Walmart is not much better.  Heck, it is hard to avoid in any retail store!

 

Oh well, it is not like my kids need anymore toys... I had forgotten just how many they had while they were all in storage.  It is crazy around here with the toys.  I'll be paring down as I see what they play with and what they've outgrown or gotten bored with.

 

 

Scene: Tonight the four of us were sitting at the dinner table preparing to eat the always delicious Totinos frozen pizza and Wesley, of course, had several of his Disney Cars character cars with him, lined up on the table. 

 

Background: I have tried to ban them from the table during meals, but it does me no good - Wes will just refuse to eat and bug until he can get up and get his precious cars. 

 

Cute Memory: Wesley gently pushed Louigi towards Coco and she pushed it back to him, also nice and slow.  Shawn and I got in the action with Sarge and Fillmore.  We tried the little "Pitstop" dude, but he didn't roll so well over the tile table top because he is quite small and only has 3 wheels.  We did this for most of the dinner, each of us pushing nice and gentle so that the cars wouldn't go off the table.  Coco had to correct me once for pushing a car too hard, imagine that!  :)

 

Now, I don't want every dinner to turn into a Grand Prix, but it was nice to "break character" (from mean old mom that always says no) and just go with it and have fun.  

Hi everyone!  I can't believe it has been a week since I have blogged.  Wild.

 

The stow-a-way is unpacked except for 3 big pieces of furniture.  I feel a big sense of accomplishment from that.

 

Let's see, what else has been going on?  Well, mysteriously, 5 of the 7 recessed lights in our kitchen stopped working last Friday.  The builder got the electrician out here on Wednesday and it turns out they use something called a "quick connect", instead of wrapping the electrical wire around a screw and tightening it, they stick the exposed wire into a little socket.  The wires worked themselves loose and *poof* no lights.  The electrician had it fixed in a jiffy and now I know what to do if it ever happens again.  It shouldn't be a big problem, this was a one off kind of issue.

 

We also had our 10 day home inspection meeting with the builder yesterday morning.  We had a few things for them to repair, but nothing big.  First, when we flush our powder room toilet, the kitchen sink gurgles.  We are also missing grout in a few areas in the master bathroom (noticed when I was sealing the grout.  We also have a mud bog going on at the side of our house by the front water spigot.  They're not sure what, if anything, they can do about that.  We need some paint for our front door (we have to buy it ourselves, we just need to know what color to get) and we would like them to teach us how to repair the bamboo floors when they get dents in them (this happens OFTEN - Do NOT, I REPEAT, DO NOT get bamboo floors if you have kids, pets, or plan to actually walk on and live in the rooms that will be installed in).  Here we thought getting hardwood floors was going to be a smart move in regards to durability with the kids.  We were so wrong!  Oh well, they are still pretty, as long as you don't inspect them too closely.

 

Today we had our favorite pest control folks come out and treat.  Our biggest concern is the HUGE spider population.  They are everywhere.  Little ones, I'm not sure what kind.  You can't step out in the yard without several scurrying from your every footstep.  We also have abnormally large grass hoppers and it turns out my kids are terrified of grass hoppers.  *sigh*  We got both the outside and the inside treated, so hopefully our insect friends will not be back to terrorize us. 

 

I have officially ran out of kitchen cabinet space, with only one set of dishes left.  Pretty impressive that they held 5 complete sets of dishes, all of my tupperware, storage containers, pots and pans, small cooking appliances, dozens and dozens of cake pans and related items, all of our shot glasses (we have one from everywhere we've ever been), wine glasses, 3 silverware sets, sippy cups, etc.  My set of Noritake BlueBell dishes and a big silver punchbowl and cups set from my mom got left out.  I am hoping to be able to get a china cabinet someday (hopefully within a year or so) and then I will be able to display those items in it.  That would be great.  I love my BlueBell dishes.  It would make me happy to be able to see them artfully arranged and on display each time we sit down to eat.

 

OK I am so totally procrastinating.  I need to finish breaking down the boxes that are in a huge pile in the living room and I need to keep up on the laundry.  I am washing everything that we had in storage and it is taking forever.  I thought that I had gotten rid of practically everything, but that is so NOT the case.  We must have really had a ton of CRAP in our old house.  I already have 3 boxes full of stuff that is piled up at the front door waiting to be taken to the Goodwill this weekend.

 

Wesley's leg is still healing. it is looking better but you can still see where the infection was.  My mom asked for a picture and I surprised myself... I didn't take a single one.  I even know where the camera is now, but I never did get around to taking a picture of it.

 

OK I had really better get to work.  I love surprising Shawn when he gets home with how much I got done that day, but yesterday I didn't do diddly squat and if I don't get my rear in gear today is going to be the same story.  I can't complain though, it is not really a chore to unpack my things and find homes for them, it is fun, like playing house when I was a little kid.

 

Ta Ta for now, and I leave you with one of my favorite pictures of Colleen from her 4 year sitting.  Check out the album in my photos section if you are so inclinded, she is the cutest thing, ev-AR!  LOL

We are still unpacking.  The Stow-A-Way is about 1/2 unpacked.  The garage is full of all sorts of junk now.  I predict lots more trips to the goodwill, even though I thought I had already gotten rid of everything we didn't want.  Turns out we have a WHOLE LOT OF CRAP.

 

We had a little scare with Wesley early this week.  My mom swept up a bunch of spider webs from the apartment balcony and that evening it looked like Wesley had a big bug bite on the back of his right calf.  The next night (Monday night) we ended up taking him to the emergency room because it had grown considerably in size, gotten bruised, swollen, hard, red, and hot.  We were sure he got bit by a spider.  Turns out he has MRSA (antibiotic resistant staph infection).  The emergency room doctor didn't spend very much time examining it and didn't run any tests, so I was not 100% sure that they were correct in their diagnosis.  I took him to our regular doctor's office the next day and they confirmed it by visual identification and took a sample to culture (results are not back yet).  We went ahead and started him on a combo antibiotic called bactrum (sp?) and it is already doing much better.  We learned that many people think that a case of MRSA on the skin is a spider bite.  We were sure of it because of how many had been stirred up during my Mom's sweeping.  All's well that end's well, it has responded well to the antibiotics and already looks much better.

 

OK well I had better get back to unloading the Stow-A-Way.  Shawn's Uncle Larry, Aunt Donna, and Cousin Michael are going to stop by tomorrow on their way home from a vacation in South Carolina.  The house will surely still look like we are moving in, but the more I can get done before they come, the better I will feel.  Plus, I am SO READY to have that Stow-A-Way out of our driveway!  :)

 

Talk to everyone later!

 

HUGS, Jen