Welcome!

I've finally decided that I am a writer - all the other things I do just pay the bills. Someone eloquent once said that if you do what you love, the money will follow. Well, let's just see about that.

RIP Aggie

RIP Aggie
Aggie was my fifteen-year-old cairn terrier - or maybe I should say I was her 55-year-old person! She was my faithful companion, spoiled rotten and I am still trying to figure out what to do without her.

Peter the Cat...

Peter the Cat...
This is Peter the gingersnap tabby! He's seven years old and has just been promoted to Peter the Very, Very Good. He is working his way up to Peter the Great...

Bee - the Cat Who Came From Somewhere Else...

Bee - the Cat Who Came From Somewhere Else...
Bee is Peter's buddy. He's eight years old and has made himself right at home. I guess cats really do come in pairs or sets of three!

And Jasper makes three!

And Jasper makes three!
Jasper is our new guy - the Cat From Another Place. He's four years old and we think he likes it here - so far, so good!

Buzz about...

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Isn't it amazing...

how one little part is integral in making a vehicle run?  Ray and I had a small near-meltdown this morning when he suddenly died at the post office - in the drive-through mailbox lane.  I deposited my envelopes and as I pulled forward, he went slower... slower... slower and then refused to move at all.  When I tried to restart Ray's engine, all I heard was click, click, click.  After a momentary wave of panic - and flash of deja vu to my dead twelve-year-old Expedition a couple of years ago, I took a deep breath and calmed down.  This is not the worst thing that has ever happened to me, I thought.  Not by a long shot.
Fortunately, I have AAA and I called them for assistance.  After a fashion, that is.  My cell phone, which I rarely use, was not cooperating and the AAA lady hung up on me three times because she couldn't hear me.  I finally got through and then the idiots people who had begun to congregate behind me started honking and yelling obscenities at me and poor, dead Ray.  I mean, honestly, do you really think anyone would actually choose to block traffic at the exit of a one-lane postal drop off?  A nice man did try to help me before the tow truck arrived, but he determined that it was probably the alternator and that I did indeed need a professional's help.  I also called Ariela, bless her heart, who came and picked me up and we followed the tow truck to her husband's friend's garage.  Jose said he'd check it out and to come back in an hour.  We retired to the nearby Burger King for a chat and a mango smoothie - so the morning wasn't a total loss.  After picking up Baby at the preschool, we check backed with the garage; it was indeed a worn-out alternator.  And praise be to heaven, the battery was fine!
Payroll and piles of old files awaited me at the Tortilleria - my new weekly venture away from my cozy home office - so Ariela dropped me off.  The mechanic said that Ray would be ready by three, so it gave me a few hours to get some work done and find a ride to pick up my little SUV.  After sweltering for four hours in a small, poorly ventilated room with several tortilla ovens and conveyors operating around the corner, I finally threw in the towel and called Richard to hitch a ride to pick up good, old, trusty Ray the Isuzu Rodeo.  A few minutes later, I saw his mini-van outside and off we went.  By the time I got home, I was hot, worn out and $200 poorer, but Ray was running like a champ.  His alternator worked fine for ten years - or at least for the last two he's been with me, so it was just time for a new one.  Years ago, I would have freaked out at the sort of day I had today - but I've learned to be thankful for small things.  Today I was grateful for AAA, for my friends who were willing to give of their time and gas, and for being able to afford an emergency car repair.  Life is good.


Monday, May 21, 2012

Checking items off the list...

really makes me happy!  Aggie wasn't sure what was going on this past Saturday, but after her morning crunch, she stayed out of the way while my friend, Richard, helped me with some long-awaited home improvement projects.
Our walls are a boring, lifeless taupe - painted with not-so-great flat paint.  I can live with it since I've added color to the place with all of my stuff, but the living room wall was calling out for something more.
So now we have a lovely green accent wall.  Richard is taking a phone break between coats, talking with his Army son, Todd, who has just returned safely from Afghanistan - a real answer to many prayers.
While the first coat dried thoroughly, Richard took on another project of adding a second shelf to my laundry closet.  This is the before photo - the shelf I ordered was too long and he took it to Home Depot to be cut to size while he was out to run a couple of personal errands.
Richard mounted the second shelf underneath the existing shelf - it was so snug we ended up not needing the center bracket.  I have been so looking forward to corralling the laundry area mess!
As soon as the second coat of paint was dry, I helped Richard rehang my artwork and I vacuumed behind the furniture - it's only been nearly two years!  Then he moved the furniture right back where it was - doesn't the new color look great?
I spent some time yesterday tidying up the laundry closet and filling the baskets on my new shelf.  What's in them?  Clothes!  When I got rid of the bedroom nightstands with drawers, I lost my everyday, around-the-house clothes drawers - so this was the perfect solution.  Wash, dry, fold, store - and wear!  I'm happy to say the laundry is completely caught up - for once - and I even washed my tennis shoes.  Now all I need to do is rummage around the house for an empty basket for my socks...
Of course, Aggie is completely exhausted from all of the commotion and has been lazing about on the sofa all day yesterday and today.  We should all be so lucky.
Peter still doesn't know what all the fuss is about, having slept through all the excitement under the bed.  All he needs to know is that when Mom is happy, everybody is happy!