And Now For a More Serious Message

I'm feeling kind of melancholy. I think it was brought on by going to this college for a campus visit with Big Bit yesterday. He seemed to like it, and the fact we were there on a campus visit was probably enough to inspire melancholy.

I went to this fine institution my first semester of college, but I was socially inept at 16 (I know, I know, I was 16, what did I expect?) and when the first set of friends I made didn't work out, I didn't know how to go make new ones. They were a close knit bunch, it's a very small college and I hadn't met enough people in classes to make new friends easily, plus I lived off campus so I didn't know as many people as I might have otherwise. I left at semester and headed back to my hometown and to the junior college there, where I ended up meeting the EHFH and...there you go.

So it was weird to be strolling around that campus yesterday for the first time in, oh, about 25 years (have I mentioned lately that I'm old?) and remembering how excited I was to be there and how stupid I was to leave. How the last time I remember walking into that cafeteria was to tell a guy I'd gone to junior high with that his good friend (my cousin, who Big Bit is named for) had died the previous night. Some of the buildings looked much different. Unfortunately that one didn't look different enough. I could still see him sitting there and the look on his face when I told him the news as I surveyed that room.

Life goes how it goes, and as Frank Sinatra says "I did it My Way" so I don't have a lot to complain about - I was a smart kid who made some dumb choices along the way, no one made them for me. Sometimes I forget to give myself credit for overcoming those bad decisions to live in a house I like, in a town I love, with a husband and two sons who love me, even if I could be or have been a better wife and mother along the way.

Okay, enough heavy thoughts. I don't get like this often, thankfully. For you, dear readers, as well as myself.

Life #2 Down, 7 to go

So the stupid Siamese (see below) had an adventure yesterday. TH let him in from the backyard, where he's had an ongoing battle with the squirrels going since we moved in. He's convinced they are pure evil and are plotting world domination. And, if you listen to the "Animal Conspiracy" by Tim Bedore, you would find there are those that agree with him. (It's on Bob and Tom periodically but I don't have a link).

TH noticed something odd about Bucky when he came in - he had a piece of METAL, somewhat hook shaped, in his EYE. It was, thankfully, between his eyelid and his eyeball, but still, it was in there pretty good. TH took it out (yuck, shudder, I'm glad he was there and not me) and proceeded to call me. Fifteen minutes later he was in the safe (but hated) hands of the vet receiving shots and ointment. We still can't figure out how he picked this thing up other than he was somewhere he shouldn't have been.

He's pretty miserable right now and can't go outside, but suffered no more than a scratched third eyelid. We suffered a $70 vet bill. I guess all things considered it could have been worse. Stupid cat, quit messing with the ninja squirrels. They mean business.

Just Because They're Both So Stinking Cute

I don't especially like how my new cell phone's pictures come out. My Razr had much better quality, even though this is a newer phone. But, until I find my damn camera cable, this is how I post pictures. Maybe this weekend that newest magic box will be opened. At least I found Little Bit's Scout shirt in a box last weekend - finally - in time for his Blue and Gold Banquet tonight. Then he decided he wanted to switch to the Boy Scout shirt. Sigh. So, I had to break out the sewing machine as I do every year or so and figure out how it works all over again, but I got the patches on. How cool to sew an "Ore-Ida Council" patch on his shirt. He will get two pins towards his Webelos badge tonight - again, pictures coming if I can find that cable.

In the meantime, have a good weekend!

Miscellaneous Updates

Let's see. Much to update, and I wish not to ramble.

JETS WON! PACKERS WON! (TAKE THAT VIKINGS!) Jaguars lost...sigh.

Greater Tuna (Tom & Joe for 2 hours) = FUNNY.

1) Little Bit got his Bear badge in Scouts. He is gearing up for Webelos. I found it very interesting for his Scoutmaster to note that he is the Bear with the most arrow points and got his badge first - and - let's get this straight - he's not LDS, his parents aren't doing it for him (and yes, the LDS Scoutmaster who works for me says this is typically how people get their Eagle Scout at age 13 so it happens) and who goes to the den meetings with him? We do. Come on people, get involved with your kids.

Here he's putting a pin on me. Since I am "Akela", his helper - every time he gets a badge, I get a cool pin. TH helps too, of course, but this is interestingly something he and I bond over (I always wanted to be a Cub Scout, and TH was and hated it). We're very proud of him!

2) A couple of interesting things happened last week. I had my interview, which I THINK went well (but who really knows) - I should know what's up this week and Sybil managed to e-mail herself into a corner. Please, people, when you hit reply all, think about what you're sending and who you're sending it too. Without going into gory detail or "dooceing" myself , my ER person tells me I'm in "the catbird seat". Karma, indeed, can be a bitch. At least I'll be left alone until Sybil departs....fittingly...on HALLOWEEN. I AM NOT MAKING THIS UP.


3) Little Bit's playing baseball and really, overall, doing well. It's a laid back program stressing skill building, not competition. However, because his Mom can't read a simple schedule, we missed his game tonight. Argh.


Boys will be boys - please note Little Bit manhandling the kid (last on the right) next to him for this picture. I love the pic for the looks on their faces.



He got to pitch - he really didn't do bad, considering he's never done it before!



4) Dad is having his surgery Wednesday and feeling pretty uppity and ready. Thank God. Please shout out your prayers and well wishes. He would like to feel ready to go fishing with Little Bit during track break in a few weeks. Saw Grandma Sunday - she's looking pretty good too all things considered and I'm hoping after Dad's surgery our family medical drama is done for eons! I'll keep you posted on how he's doing.


5) "Gertrude" had her baby today! Madison was a little over 6 lbs and is apparently pretty and healthy - haven't seen any pics yet. Welcome to the world, Madison! This is going to sound weird, but I hope you look like your grandpa, who is long since gone from this world. He was a very handsome man, and none of his kids or grandkids have really looked like him or had that really quirky, quick and smart sense of humor to the nth degree. That Porteguese look and temper has got to show itself somewhere - I miss him to this day.



Keep those fingers, toes and eyes crossed for the job - I ALMOST smell Idaho, and if not that, at least a boss is on the horizon I will really enjoy working for and with.



Lastly this cat is cute...yet really evil.

A typical Sunday

Here are some pictures from a fairly typical Sunday at Chez lostinutah...

1) Generally speaking, if in town, we go to church. Um, well, I go to church, and Big Bit if he's here and Little Bit goes to Sunday School and The Husband tolerates our aberrant behavior. It's kind of fun going to church in a movie theatre, particularly a church where I can go do fun things outside after lunch on Sunday and not be told I'll burn in hell for not locking myself and my family in the basement. Um, not like that happens here to those of certain other faiths. Heh. (And, if you don't go to church, no skin off my nose, I like you anyway, obviously. Live and let live and all that).

Here's a view from on the way to church. I'm always inspired by the view of these mountains - as stated before, one of the things I like about Utah.



2) Next, after lunch and a few errands, we monkey around doing chores or hanging out in the backyard. The Bits will eventually end up on the trampoline:






Margarita is waiting for someone to pet her, and dreading that someone might bathe her:



Bucky is waiting to be waited on. Spoiled Rotten Siamese.



"Hey Mom, at least I'm keeping the Voles away!"

3) Then it's time for grilling some dinner, having a glass or two of wine and dreading (I mean, getting ready) for the week to come. Oh, must stop one last time to smell the flowers before moving on...




Have a great week, everyone!

TGIF

I think this really sums up how I feel. It's been one long stinkin' week, it has, at work. Thankfully it is ending on a high note, though my blood pressure is up in the aftermath of this week's crises.

But it's Friday and hopefully the Jazz will win tonight, at home. We like Booz on Fridays too.

GO JAZZ!

The Great Vole Hunter

Here in Utah (unlike where I was in Idaho) we have this horrendous pest called a vole. Voles are like mice, only bigger and they love to terrorize your garden. They're extremely hard to get rid of as well. They threatened to invade last year, but Mr. Bucky Katt was alert and on patrol in the garden and they never surfaced.

Apparently the bad economy is hard on the voles as well, because we planted our garden this weekend and the voles came out of the woodwork.

Mr. Katt, mouser extrordinare, caught 4 voles. Yesterday alone.

He's on patrol in the garden even as I type. Now, if he could just do something about my usual springtime in Utah horrendous allergic reaction. I don't know what I'm allergic to here, but it's twenty times worse than it ever was at home. Yuck.

Evil in the Family

I say on my profile I have "evil pets", some of you know some or all of these pets, others are not aware, so I thought I'd introduce you to the evil in our home.

First, there is "Casper". So named because when Big Bit brought him home from a friend's house as a kitten he was very friendly and still is. So, "Casper, the Friendly Kitten". He's approaching 13 now and other than arthritis and a heart murmur he's not doing too bad. Here he is with Big Bit, his savior from being drowned or eaten by dogs - his fate if left at our friend's house (well, now ex-friend and this was the least of her sins).

















Next, there is "Margarita", or as she is known at the AKC "Tequila's Margarita". Lest you think we are totally winos, her mother's name is Tequila and Tequila's owners own a liquor store. So, many of her pups names are references to alcohol. We call her "Rita" for short. She just turned 10. I will never have a lab again because the first three years are hell, but the last seven haven't been too bad. Except for she will eat anything.
















I think the young pets are the evil ones, really. Cynthia Rabbit is, I think, coming on 4. Don't let the sweet, fluffy look fool you. This animal is a diva and capable of a) kicking the dog off her bed so she can invade it. b) defending herself against the evil cat yet to be shown. c) Rattling her cage, flinging her bowl and toys around to make quite the racket; and d) Demanding a nose rubbing. We got her because Big Bit HAD to have a rabbit. Guess who cleans her cage....

She rules the roost.

Lastly, there is Bucky Katt, now aged 3, who has been seen before on a post. He shows absolutely no appreciation for the fact we saved his life from the Salt Lake County Animal Shelter. I adored the Siamese I had as a child and had always wanted another one. Boy, did I get one in spades.

He has destroyed one banister to the point we're probably going to have to do serious work on it before we sell the house as he would NOT stop clawing it for quite a while, even under threat of death, and he has a lovely habit of marking his territory, if you know what I mean. He also bosses around Casper and tries to steal his food, as well as Little Bit's water from his nightstand. I think we've finally worked out the destructive parts with lots of discipline and Hart's Pet NO, but the nocturnal wailings and stealth missions for food and water continue.



So, there they are...the evil pets...good thing they're cute.

We are Siamese if you please

Here is the evil ruler (he thinks) of our home, one Bucky Katt. (if you don't get it, go to http://www.comics.com/comics/getfuzzy/index.html)

We got Bucky aka "Damien" a year ago. He is darned cute but he picks on the old cat, tries to pick fights with the rabbit (which does NOT work, she's meaner than he is), claws the banister and generally speaking is a pain in the butt. Good thing I like Siamese as it was my decision to get him and except for Little Bit, who loves him and vice versa, as you can see he is snuggling with Little Bit's teddies, I find myself having to defend my obsession with all things Siamese to the other members of the household.