Beware Flying Hammers

Let me preface this story by stating I've caught a wicked sinus infection thanks to all my allergies, with the added bonus of PMS thrown into the mix. So I'm feeling just peachy!

Last night, despite feeling miserable, nose running faster than Man O' War ever could, and cramps that would have felled Mr. Universe, I decided to work on my living room floor. Remember how I bought all that laminate flooring back in February? Yeah, it's still sitting there, pretty much untouched.

I had, at some point in early March, taken the contents of one box out and laid the boards out on the floor after tearing up a strip of carpet. However, I did realize that the laying of laminate flooring was not a one-woman job. So what was I thinking last night??

To tell the truth, the PMS hormones were running amok and my thinking was askew, possibly due to the added affects of all the Benadryl. I've been unable to get a family member to volunteer to help, so last night became an "I don't need them! I don't need anybody!" kind of insanity. (Did I mention that today's my birthday? That's another added dose of craziness.)

Anyway, I pulled up what I had already put down, started over, and made my first cut to finish out a row. I second-guessed myself and ended up sawing the board incorrectly, but whatever. I finished the row and started the next one with the piece I had miscut. Finished out the second row with help from Izzy and Jake. (And of course I mean that in the loosest form.)

The third row is where I went over the edge. Now, for those of you who have laid your own flooring, you see where this is going. You know I've been wrestling with those stupid little plastic tabs you place between the edge of the flooring and the wall so you keep your 3/4" spacing correct as well as getting the edges of each piece to line up. The first piece went down okay, the second piece took some hammering to get it in place, and the third, well, somehow as I was hammering it into place, it threw off the entire first and second row. All the joints were messed up and the only way to fix it is to take everything apart and start all over again.

This is the point at which my rubber mallet went flying across the room. Did you know those things bounce? I avoided the boomerang effect and burst into tears. Once again, I had to admit I needed one other person in the room just to, at the very least, stand on the boards and weight them down as I work on the next row. I stomped out of the room muttering about how every man I've ever known in my life has been a major letdown. (Hot shower and cup of tea time, perhaps?)

Moral of the story--don't try to lay flooring while sick and PMSing.

Wrestlemania, Kitty Style

Imagine being awakened in the wee hours of the morning by a wrestling match between two guys with too much hair. No, it's not a night in the frat house, it's life with kittens.

Evidently my rear end makes a good jumping off spot for Jake as he pile drives his little brother. And the blankets make good hiding spots. Even the pillows were brought in to play as the two of them dove, wrestled, chased, and chewed on one another this morning. I put up with it until I took a claw to the backside, then I decided to abandon ship. Unfortunately, they followed me into the bathroom to continue their "battle." Both were unceremoniously dumped back into the bedroom and the door slammed behind them.

I've learned that life's easier just to get dressed in the bathroom because there's no "help." No more tiny little claws snagging my clothes because they prove too tempting. But I still sit down on the bed to put on my shoes and socks. This morning I was ambushed by Jake who had been hiding underneath a pillow. There was a short chase to reclaim my sock.

Then of course there's Izzy, who really hasn't figured out yet that there are things in this world to be afraid of. (Especially his grumpy "mother" in the mornings!) Izzy took the opportunity to dash out the front door this morning as I was holding it open for Sam to come inside. I chased the little bugger all over the yard and finally cornered him next to the neighbor's house. Yet another moment to entertain the neighbors. (And let's not forget Jake's foray into the tree. See below.)

If it weren't for the really cute moments like when Izzy stretches out on his back across my lap or when Jake curls up with his head tucked into my neck, I don't think I'd survive.

Oh, and Sammy looks like he's joined the kitty mafia or something. That cat has bulked up! His neck is even disappearing. He was always the "little one" around Turtle and Tommy. Now he's the big kitty on the block.

But he's so sweet to his little siblings--Izzy will jump up from wherever he's at and dash over to him whenever he comes into the room. (Wish I got that reaction! LOL!) Of course, I think he feels put out most of the time, mainly because he never gets room at the food bowl, but they adore him. I try really hard to make sure he gets his fair share of the attention as well. Right now he's sharing lap space with the computer.

And a couple entertaining pics:

Shadow Cats Rescue

Thanks to Moderncat for highlighting this one--Shadow Cats, a non-profit group in central Texas dedicated to dedicated to improving the lives of abused, abandoned, feral, stray, and injured cats in Round Rock , Austin and surrounding areas. Check them out. Any group who appreciates the different and highly unique personalities of cats is a winner in my book!

 

Currently they are raising funds by selling raffle tickets for a chance to win one of several gift cards valued at $50 each.

 

Check out the webcam! I might have to consider one for home so I can keep an eye on my little troublemakers--and possibly catch a raccoon in the act!

 

(Oh man! Life is so much easier when you can blog via email! I'll have to try it from my cell phone, next.)

One Last Comment on Secession

I was going to let the whole thing drop, since Mr. Perry is doing what politicians do best--backpedal faster than his little legs can carry him, but I checked in on The Mudflats this morning and got a good chuckle. (I'll post a couple new pics of the boys for ya at the bottom to wash the taste of politics out of your mouth.)

To quote our popular Alaskan blogger:

He’s probably just some grizzled old, livin’ in seclusion, grumpy eccentric out
there on a well-fortified ranch, who likes to stick his thumbs in his pockets
and puff out his chest and say to the president, “Yeah….(spits tobacco juice on
the ground)….you got a nice ‘union’ and all, but you better watch it Mister.”

What? That was Rick Perry, the governor of Texas who said that? But
Alaskans are the ones that are supposed to say, “We don’t like the feds around
these parts.”

Go on over and read the rest: Texas Has Stolen Our Meme, and This Cannot Stand.

And one of the commenters posted this tidbit coming out of Georgia: Georgia Senate Threatens Dismantling of USA.

Stupidity is everywhere, people.

And now for the sorbet, I mean, the boys..... drumroll please....

Izzy getting a bath from Papa Sam.
Snuggles in the cat bed (although Jake seems to be losing ground, there.)

And a closeup of my little snake eater. Yes, he caught his first garden snake. Remind me to stay on guard when I ask the question "what do you have in your mouth?" Jake did the same thing two weeks ago.

The Aloe to My Sunburn or, the Tissue to My Gnat

I really have to remember to just stick with reading the Huffington Post rather than other online news agencies. (Never will I give up my newspaper, though! Unless Fox News goes to print and buys out the local publication.)

While I know the likelihood of secession is in the negative percentile, the fact that our governor stood up in front of a group of already disgruntled people and said it is what sets me off and embarrasses me. This is how the Dixie Chicks felt when they stood on a London stage and Natalie Maines made her now-infamous comment about Bush. (Hell, I felt the same damned way.)

I reached for my mouse and clicked on the Favorites tab after my last post. I almost went to MSN, but decided to seek refuge at Huffington Post, instead. And at the top of the page, I found my balm. Lincoln Mitchell, Assistant Professor in the Practice of International Politics, Columbia University, put forth the soothing common sense and rationale absent elsewhere.

To quote:

Why then are Republicans willing to talk about revolution, secession and other ideas that would destabilize our country and our democracy. One hopes that most of this can be simply chalked up to a party that is weak, defeated, directionless and out of ideas, but it may not be that simple. Perhaps the demonstrators and, more significantly their leaders, feel that for some existential, and undoubtedly irrational, reason the Obama presidency is a profound threat to their worldview, values and vision of the US. If that is the case we can only hope that these people remain on the margins. This is likely to occur as Obama's worldview, values and vision not only reflect those of a huge plurality of Americans, but will likely to continue to become more, not less, accepted over time.

Undoubtedly, many will argue that the words of Governor Perry should not be taken seriously because they were said in the excitement of a rally and were certainly meant to be hyperbolic. This is not convincing because public officials understand that words and statements matter. That is why elected officials are constantly making speeches, talking to reporters and sending out emails.

Governor Perry threat was in many ways the political equivalent of a child's threat to take his marbles and go home if he does not win a dispute. While it is easy and comforting to think that Perry cannot take his marbles and go home because he has already lost his, the failure of any GOP leaders to criticize his statement or remind Perry and his party that we are one union and a governor should not allude to secession lightly suggests that the problem is worse than that and may not be going away anytime soon.

Ah, the vision of ranting, foot-stomping children is more reassuring than visions of gun-toting right-wingers any day.

All right, I'm going to go work in my garden. I've been rather verbose today on the blog. Time to relax!

A Gnat Just Flew Up My Nose

I was really trying to ignore these pesky little boogers after this morning's tirade, but then I read the paper. Seems there was a tea party here in Denton yesterday with 900 to 1000 people in attendance.

Now, I work downtown, so I really would like to know where all these people parked as they made their way to the courthouse. When I left work, I certainly saw no evidence of an incoming flux of people. So, I really have to question the number they are stating.

And, let me just drop another quote, this one from the Denton Record-Chronicle, on ya--"Although (name deleted) had already paid her taxes, she held a freshly made sign stating that she shouldn't have to pay them until President Obama shows his birth certificate."

Um, excuse me? What? You actually took the time to go out and purchase posterboard and markers to make that sign???? I almost choked on my mint when I read that. You are protesting paying taxes that you've already paid by saying you shouldn't have to pay them until the man we elected President shows you his birth certificate????

Oy vey! *throws hands in the air* I worry about America.

If taxes and spending are truly such a large issue, where were these protests 8 years ago?? If I had walked around with a sign then saying Bush was unfair and our liberties were being taken away, I would have been painted un-American. So would a lot of us. Instead, we used the most effective way of mounting a protest and voted in November. Remember that? That day when a majority of Americans (definitely a few million more than the ones who participated in these ridiculous tea parties) cast their votes for change? Millions of Americans knew we were being sucked dry by the government and used the greatest power available to us to instigate change.

It doesn't happen overnight. You can't flick a switch and all this will be better. You question and learn and find ways to survive. Cutting off spending is definitely not the way to do it. Spending smartly is the way to go. Introducing oversight on the banking industry is not a step towards socialism, it's making certain the taxpayers don't get shafted again.

I will pose a question to those who participated in the tea parties. If you so fear socialism, will you refuse to cash those Social Security checks?

Didn't think so. The government "owes" it to you.

Test Blogging

Just testing this new blogger feature--I can now post from email!

And I still believe Rick Perry's a treasonous dumbass.

Sam for Governor!

OK, I was going to completely ignore the "tea parties" that occurred yesterday, because to me, their mis-mash batch of protests (come on, pick one thing--you'll get more credibility!) was more like the gnats that gather around a lamp at dusk. You don't really pay attention to those, either, except to make sure they're not drowning in the lemonade.

BUT, I caught this little tidbit from the governor of my own state--Texas Governor Says Secession Possible. This treasonous dumb-ass needs an impeachment hearing right away! How DARE he fan the flames of idiocy with even a hint at such a possibility. Did we not fight a war about this? Does he really think such a thing would happen peacefully? And just how would this state support itself as its own entity? Are we not laying off workers just as fast as other states?

He followed his pal Sarah Palin's trail and rejected funds meant to assist this state as we fall deeper into the cataclysm, but then he one-upped her and introduced legislation that states "all compulsory federal legislation that directs states to comply under threat of civil or criminal penalties or sanctions or that requires states to pass legislation or lose federal funding be prohibited or repealed." (Abe Lincoln's corpse just suffered a heart attack.)

I have always been proud to be a Texan. There's nothing stronger than a Texas girl. This state has a unique history that I have been proud to be a part of. But now, I'm considering a move out of this red miasma where our own governor fans the flames of stupidity. Just yesterday I said "at least he wasn't as embarrassing as Sarah Palin." Oh, how I spoke too soon!! Obviously reports hadn't come in yet as to what was being said down in Austin.

I did not vote for Rick Perry, not when he was Agriculture Commissioner, not when he was Lieutenant Governor, and I definitely have never voted for him as governor. And you better believe I will be voting against him come next election. I will gladly cast my vote for anyone other than this man. Even if it's for my cat Sam.

Disappointment

Def: Getting up in the morning only to find your stash of Easter chocolate pillaged by a pesky raccoon.

Yes, Max made a midnight raid on the house Saturday night. He devoured the half candy bar I was slowly doling out to myself, and he even ransacked my purse for the tiny little Twix bar hidden in its depths! The brand new 15 lb. bag of cat food was chewed into, and the lidded bucket I store cat food in was turned over and raided. Not to mention the fact that the boys' water bowl was full of dirt from where he washed his filthy mitts.

Quite the scene of destruction Sunday morning. I'm still sweeping up scattered cat food. And suffering chocolate withdrawals.

36

Now, is that number a milestone, or just a reminder that yet another year has passed by and I'm becoming bitchier and more bitter by the second?

Should be the first. Leaning heavily towards the latter.

Yes, my "birthday" arrives at some point this month. I won't say when because I prefer the day to pass unnoticed.

Last year I bought myself a house for my birthday. This year I'd just like a few hundred projects to be finished. Like the laminate flooring in the living room (when did that start? February), the fence and gate so the boys can't sneak out so easily, the new interior doors, the light fixtures in the dining room and kitchen, the ginormous utility room needs a thorough cleaning and painting, not to mention the construction of both a storage shed and rabbit pen. Oh, and all those damned boxes that I still haven't unpacked.

I actually have the materials for 90 percent of these projects, just need the labor. And I've learned that one woman alone cannot complete them. No matter how much determination she might have. But, since hunting and other pursuits are more important to the one man I actually thought I could depend on, looks like I'm going to put forth some hard-earned cash and get myself a handy man to help out. I really hope he'll work for peanuts. Where's Andrew Dan-Jumbo when I need him?

It really would help to have a husband, but I probably wouldn't be able to depend on him, either. (Was that bitter? I couldn't tell.)

Another Wee Postlet

Just a few quickies. I'm neck deep in shit right now thanks to, well, the economy, the corporation I work for, and so forth. None of which can be discussed in cyberspace. Which pisses me off even more.

Anyway, first up, my thanks goes out to my sister's friend Diana, who alerted us to a possible Tommy sighting. She was at her vet's and saw a sign for a grey and white cat that had showed up at someone's house. Well, I dashed out of work and over to the vet's office to get a good look at the pictures before I called the people. I was filled with mixed hope and dread, and dread won out. The kitty was not my Tommy. I walked out of the vet's office in tears. Thanks anyway, Diana, and thank you so much for still being on the lookout.

Then last night, my dear little Jakey got jumped by a neighborhood cat that came into our yard. Jake was relatively unharmed, perhaps because of his defense mechanism. You know how skunks have odor and squids have ink? Well, Jake's is poo. Yes, he pooed everywhere and I quite frankly didn't want to let him in the house until he'd cleaned himself up. (It's one thing to clean you up when someone else has done something to you, but when you've done it to yourself? You're on your own.)

Protective older brother Sam leapt into the melee and held off the intruder until I got out there with my broom. Where's the damned neighbor's dog when you need him?

Izzy discovered a tiny hole in the fence just big enough for him to squeeze his chubby little belly through and out into the front yard. Luckily he was only out there a few seconds before I realized what he'd done. The fence is getting replaced this weekend. And quite possibly with netting at the top to keep my boys in and intruders out.

That's it for now. Maybe things will turn around soon and I can come up with more to talk about than the boys.

Small Post

No, I haven't forgotten about this blog thingy. I've just been working too much, sleeping not enough, sneezing a lot (thanks Mother Nature!) and trying to get back on some sort of even keel.

The babies are fine. I hope to have video of one of Jake's favorite past times up soon. But for now it's back to work stress (the causes of which cannot be shared on this blog), trying to figure out how to keep Izzy from escaping the yard and not killing the neighbor's dog who absolutely refuses to recognize my right to rest peacefully in my own backyard. A ten-foot privacy fence is no deterrent to his anger over my existence.