My Hand As A Blogger

Tuesday, November 6, 2007

They'll Study Anything

In the average 26 mile marathon, breasts actually travel 4 extra miles for a total of 30 miles. Someone actually did this study. Not sure how but, it was one of the news reports on my favorite local radio station this morning. Someone actually studied the movement of breasts in motion while their owner is running a 26 mile marathon. The results showed that, while our ladies are moving to and fro, they actually travel a total of 30 miles. So, our ladies are getting a better workout then we are, without actually exerting any effort! Must be nice!

The Bert Show's "Big Thank You"

They...or rather, we...did it! A couple weeks ago, I made a post about my favorite radio station's "Big Thank You" for troops stationed all over the world. I told you all that there are 375,000 men and women deployed all over the world and my local radio station asked that we all write a letter and they would send them out to the troops so that each man and woman would have a letter to read on Thanksgiving day. Task accomplished...and then some! I don't know if any of my readers wrote any letters but, the "Big Thank You" was a success and they received more than the 375,000 letters needed to get one into a hand of each and every service personnel deployed throughout the world! I wrote one! I will admit that I procrastinated until about 2 days before the first deadline. They actually had to extend it by one week because by the first deadline they were about 300,000 letters from their goal.

Anyway, after procrastinating for what seemed like forever, I finally sat down and started writing. I have very strong opinions about our current political condition. But, I set aside my personal opinions and wrote in the spirit of the task. It was amazing how the words just flowed.

It warms my heart to know that someone I don't know will be uplifted on Thanksgiving by my letter!

Monday, November 5, 2007

Why I Keep Them Around

This is how my cats earn their keep. This is one of those multi-legged things I mentioned earlier. Only, I didn't find this alive...Thank God! Yes! It is a Scorpion. But, it is smaller than those which we are used to seeing on TV and in books. In my state, they aren't likely to kill a person unless said person has an allergy to stings or bug bites. But, that doesn't mean that if you are unlucky enough to step on one in the middle of the night, you won't be in some severe pain. They are just as vicious as their bigger, deadlier desert dwelling relatives.

My girls are great hunters. I have found about 4 or 5 (if memory serves) dead scorpions in my house over the years. This one makes 2 in just under 2 weeks. I am guessing that the cooler weather, in combination with the severe drought, has them seeking heat and moisture inside my humble abode.

No matter how mad at my girls I am about their unwillingness to use the Litter Kwitter...and their relentless rivers of pee and piles of poo that I have to clean up...I do appreciate them for the skilled huntresses that they are and the security that their skill brings me if I have to get up in the middle of the night and traipse around my house barefoot.

I used my hairpin as a reference point to give you an idea about just how small the scorpions in my state really are. Not big at all! Which is comforting...a little!

Mother Nature Paints With Pink

This is another tree outside of my other boss' office. Sorry for the reflection of the blinds on the window to the right but, it is better to take the picture of this tree inside than outside. The natural light outside changes the beauty of this tree on camera...for some weird reason.

To Give Up...

...or to keep trying. That is the question. I did not have a great weekend in Litter Kwitter history. My girls are not taking kindly to the second stage of the Litter Kwitter learning process. I know that at least 2 of my cats are very smart girls. They learn quickly. I know that a lot of people do not believe that cats are smart. Trust me, they are. They learn commands like dogs. They just tend to be a bit more stubborn and independent than dogs. So, while it may seem like a cat is stupid because it isn't acting on your commands like a dog would, it is really the cat deciding not to perform on command. I have one cat that plays fetch and 2 of them know that when I say the words "Look Sydney! Look!" that means that their is something tiny with legs that I want them to help me get rid of. Cats can be trained. Mine, are just that extra special kind of stubborn that cats have a reputation for being.

So, now I am trying to decide if I should just wave my white flag and give up the hope of ever having a litter free house. Or, do I give it the full time? I just really had too many messes to clean up this weekend. Fortunately the messes were not on carpet but, that doesn't mean that they may not be in the future.

Ugh! I am just so frustrated! Neither me or my hubby really has time to sit in a bathroom with the door shut for a couple hours per cat to get them to use the Litter Kwitter. And, I am 100% against locking them in the bathroom either one at a time for a couple hours at a time, or all together for a couple hours. I am pretty sure that 2 of my cats would kill one another if they were locked in a small room, or even a bigger room, together.

So, I am trying the 2nd stage at a slightly slower pace than the first stage. I know that the 2nd stage has been used. Someone even made it in the toilet with wiz Thursday night or Friday morning. And, there was some tinkle in the litter Friday but, the rest of the weekend was spent cleaning up wiz and crap on the floor where the litter box used to be. And, when I found 2 steaming piles of crap and a river of piss on the floor Saturday evening, I had had enough. I cleaned it up and put the litter box back and the LK has not been a thought in their minds since.

I am just so defeated right now. Really not at all optimistic. But, I am not entirely giving up. Yet...

Why Does She Hate Feet?

How many does this make? Or, a better question might be, how many has she run over in how many weeks? If memory serves, it seems like she has run over 3 in somewhere inside of 2 weeks.

So, what the heck am I talking about now? Chill! "It's Britney Bitches!" She allegedly ran over an LA County Sheriff Deputy's foot Friday. It is being investigated as a possible hit and run! Way to go! For the love of God, will someone finally take this last opportunity to toss her ass in jail! Please! She is a hazard to everyone in her presence!

To top it all off, given that the Brit Twit has about 4 days out of each week where she doesn't have to be saddled with her kids, you would think that she could take one of those 4 days to go shopping for light fixtures. She should probably spend each and ever precious second that she has been given with her kids doing kid friendly stuff...like bonding and loving them. But, that is really not her priority. She took the kids, along with her court appointed monitor, to look for light fixtures. Well, actually, she took them to the store and then left them in the car with the monitor while she shopped for light fixtures.

Can it be? Am I actually speechless? I truly don't know what to say about this behavior. I can't even work in a good snarky jab at this twit! Nothing I could ever say could quite express how disgusted with her I am! I tend never to use the term, waste of sperm because I think it is one of the most horrible things that you can say about a fellow human being. But, she if falling dangerously close to that territory.

Friday, November 2, 2007

You Said a Mouthful There!

This week's Kid Nation was a blast to watch! Sophia decided to see how far some of the Pioneers would go to get .50 cents. She made a disgusting concoction from old and rotting food which she used to cover money that she put in the bottom of the bucket. Then she told some of the Pioneers that there was money in there and they were welcome to it if they were willing to dig for it with their bare hands.

Several of the Pioneers dug in and Sophia's comment was priceless: "People never fail to entertain me! They do the darnedest things!"

Greg both lost sight and regained it again. He got his $20,000 Gold Star from the counsel just 2 weeks ago (which was really only a few days in real time in Bonanza City) and he was already making an Ass out of himself and being really cruel to Nathan. But, he showed his ever evolving character by later apologizing to Nathan and nominating Nathan to receive this week's Gold Star. I can't get a grip on that kid. I just hope that he continues to show improvement with less slip ups in character.

Jared cracked me up! He made necklaces out of wood and used a magnifying glass to burn words and sayings into them, then sold them for 2 buffalo nickels each. He managed to sell $2 worth and was able to go on a spending spree. He bought new threads and walked around Bonanza City all pimped out. He was strutting his stuff! So cute!

Devad didn't fool anyone! She took unprepared food which is free to everyone in Bonanza City. The Pioneers don't have to pay for their meals. Only toys, clothes, soda and candy. So, Devad was taking unprepared food, preparing it and selling it at her "Snack Shack" and she had the nerve to toot her own horn about how hard she works preparing snacks for people to buy. She was saying that she does a lot of work and is willing to do anything that she is asked to do. Greg heard her saying this and asked her to go get a bucket of water for the dishes and she was too busy making potatoes for her Snack Shack. So, let's recap. She just said that she would do anything people asked her to do...but not what people asked her to do unless it involves her Snack Shack? She truly believed that she deserved the Gold Star and, thank God, the Counsel Members could see right through what she was doing.

They also saw through Pharoah's attempt to work hard to get the Gold Star. They are good at noticing when people are working to get something as opposed to those Pioneers who have been working since day one. So, they awarded the Gold Star to Nathan! They appreciated his efforts since day one in Bonanza City and I was glad to see that they pay so much attention! They have done a good job of handing out the Gold Star to the most deserving Pioneers!

Ms Cranky Pants...

I just can't seem to bring myself out of this mood I am in today. Cranky, crabby, blue...UGH! I think it is because of my ladies and their refusal to use the Litter Kwitter. Well, that...and I realized that I left the house today without my cottage cheese and salad for lunch. I won't be able to eat much today until I get home and, that will be later than usual because I have a hair appointment after work. I had a Chiropractic appointment during my lunch hour today so, that cancelled out any time to take care of my food issue. Not that it would have mattered because I didn't realize that I forgot it until I was back to work. And, some woman kept the Doctor talking so long that I sat and waited for him for 20 minutes. She ate up 20 minutes of my lunch hour today. Thanks anonymous gabber! Way to be!

UGH! I just can't seem to look at any bright sides today! The fact that it should be a happy day for me because it is Friday is not enough! The cheery way that my Coffee Crew wrote my name on my cup of pick-me-up this AM only cracked a smile for about 60 seconds. The fact that I might be getting the boots of my dreams (assuming they aren't too big) and that means that I have a nice Christmas present for my mom as the ones that I got are too small for me but would be perfect for her is not enough to bring me out of my doldrums of pissiness. And, to help you understand why that should make me crazy with giddiness is because I have been stalking these boots for somewhere around 3 weeks or longer. I have flat feet so, I can't wear any heals higher than a kitten heel. These boots are the perfect heel height. The ones I ordered today will be a size bigger than I usually wear but, given how snug the size that I got this week fit, I think they might be perfect or close enough that I can just stuff them a little and they will be perfect. And, what makes them a perfect gift for my Mom is that she has been looking for a kitten heel boot too.

But, alas...I am still not tickled!

The fact that I can't get home for lunch and will be later than usual tonight means that I can't check the Litter Kwitter to see if anyone used it. That makes me anxious:(

And, to top it all off...I am menstrual and have a wedding to go to this weekend! I am bloated and puffy and I can't keep my dang hands out of the left-over Halloween candy. Three Musketeers are my weakness.

FRICK!

Is It On Fire?

This is the beautiful tree that always gets my attention each year, outside my bosses office. It isn't even as beautiful as it usually gets due to the drought but, it is still really pretty!

Pretty good shot for a camera phone, right? A tad blurry but, what more can you ask for from a camera phone?

Down In The Dumps

No pun intended. I switched to the second stage of the Litter Kwitter last night after I got home from work. So far, no one has used it and, I caught my oldest using the floor downstairs where the litter box used to be. She peed. I would rather her go there then on the carpet but, I am still bummed that they are not taking to the Amber stage of the Litter Kwitter. I really want this to work out. I am still optimistic. I am just having a low day.

But, I did get pictures of my curious youngest yesterday after I switched stages. This is apparently very normal. She actually drank from the toilet. Which is also supposed to be normal. And, it isn't unhealthy as the toilet was flushed so, it was just a big bowl of fresh, cold water.

Enjoy the pics and think good thoughts for me and my ladies!

Thursday, November 1, 2007

I've Taken The Good...

Now I must also take the bad.

Thus far, training my cats on the Litter Kwitter has been pretty painless. I am a day away from moving to the next stage and I really can't wait. I am even debating whether I want to try to make the change tonight once I get home from work.

But, as with all learning experiences, there is a grace period of mistakes and set backs. Throughout this process someone has used the floor next to the toilet to wiz on occasion. She hadn't for a few days so, I was feeling a bit confident. One of the suggestions by the inventor of the Litter Kwitter, is to taper off the litter little by little so that the cats get used to not needing it. The reason cats cover their business is, not because they are trying to cover what they did. It isn't necessarily a clean thing. It is to cover where they have been from potential predators or enemies. It is something ingrained into their DNA. A truly, old as time, learned behavior. So, to take them from such a learned behavior into a world with nothing to cover their smells is scary. Anyway, it almost slipped my mind that I was supposed to be tapering off on their litter until a little over a day ago. It helps that they have been using the LK a lot because, each time I clean a mess, there is less litter. But, that obviously didn't please someone as I noticed less use later in the day yesterday. Then, I got up this AM and found that someone made a heck of a "Pissy" mess on my bathroom floor next to the toilet. So, I cleaned it up, added a little bit of litter and went to work. As usual, I went home for lunch and found decent use in the LK and could smell poo. I saw that there was a poo like mark on the LK seat but, no poo in the LK. I think someone accidentally missed and, I am not sure when it happened. On the floor on the other side of the toilet were 2 pieces of poo. They still had some moisture (no, I didn't touch it but could tell by how it felt when I picked it up with the scooper) but, it was somewhat dry and hard so, it may have been overnight. But, I could swear that I peeked over at that side of the toilet while cleaning up this am and I didn't smell any poo. So, I will never know. But, at least I know that the poo is in the right room and, the more I think about it, I am pretty sure that it just got knocked off by someone else in the process of wizzing.

So, I had a bit of a set back but, I knew to expect it. It is only natural. Not fun, but, in the grand scheme of things, I can put up with it and will forget all about it when I have finally trained my ladies to make potty in the toilet!

I can not wait for that day! No worries though! I remain patient because this can't be easy on them!