It's official!

I don't have all the actual papers in my hot little hands yet, but I am now officially a company!

Take a look-see at Sunbiz

I'm planning my first business trip for mid-January. Wheeeee!!!! The ball is rolling!

Cat

Now I'm really a professional

Things are moving along here.

I filed my paperwork for incorporation, and I'll have everything back by Jan. 5. I have a consultation scheduled for Wednesday next week with an importing specialist from the SBA to give me some much-needed guidance in that area.

And I bought a fax machine. Now my desk really looks like a professional office, haha. The fax was only $29.95 at Staples. No bells or whistles, but all I really needed was something to send and receive faxes, and it does that just fine.

I should be getting my festival tent soon, too. Then I can practice setting up my displays! How exciting! (at least to me it is)

Happy whatever-you-celebrate,

Cat

Me? Recycle?

Factoid: Recycling an aluminum can saves enough energy to run a TV for three hours.

Now, there's a jarring thought. I've probably thrown away thousands of hours of energy, and not into the recycling bin.

Recycling just always seemed like so much trouble, another chore, a pain. It's enough that I pick up other people's litter and put it in the trash.

Though when you put recycling in that perspective, well, it sounds different.

It's not that hard, I guess, to keep the little yellow and blue baskets next to the garbage. Added bonus----> I won't have to carry the garbage out as often as I do now because it won't fill up so fast.

But I'm still not recycling the other people's litter....that stuff still just goes in the nearest trash.

Cat

Missing socks

I found out where all those socks go when you wash your clothes. I caught one escaping!

It was halfway in between the wash-barrel (is that what it's called?) and the outside wall of the washer, just the toe-end sticking out. I pulled it out, and I had no leftover socks that load.

I wonder how many socks are stuck in there, though, and if there's a way to get them out. Hmmmm....

Cat

Drunken Rabbits?

Well, now that the cat's out of the proverbial bag about my starting a small business, I may as well blog occasionally about how things are going with that.

I still don't have a name. I've become attached to Drunken Rabbits Imports, because of the whimsical nature, and because it seems that every time we begin brainstorming business ideas, we come up with more of them under this name than under any other. The downside of the name is that it doesn't say much about the business except that I will be importing something. I could add the word Mexican.....Drunken Rabbits Mexican Imports.

Half the people I ask love the name, the other half think it's dumb. I've always been one to ask all my friends for advice about something, and then do exactly the opposite of what they say, so chances are I'll go with that name. I do have one or two others on the back burner, just in case I change my mind.

I signed up for a Small Business Administration class on "The Basics of Importing and Exporting", so I will take that (next week) before I begin contacting customs brokers. Hopefully I will learn in the class how to choose a good one, and exactly how much I can expect them to do for me. If not, I will be asking the instructor after class how to locate that information.

Also, I took a survey on the SBA site, and I won a prize! A $30 gift certificate towards any paid classes the SBA offers. Most are free, but some do cost money, so this is great!

Cat

Yippee!!! Yippee!!!

Guess what I saw when I looked out my door this morning?

ROOFERS!!!

The cavalry has finally arrived, and they've started on the building across from mine. I believe mine is next. Let's just cross our fingers that the rain holds off long enough today for them to get some work done.

I'll be so happy to get rid of the maze of bowls and buckets catching dripping water all over the house!

Cat

Earthquake?

It looks like there was a minor earthquake outside my doctor's office. Darn, though, I forgot to ask her what exactly it was when I was in there!

The cement sidewalk has a 2-inch wide crack in it all the way across, and directly corresponding to that, another part of the sidewalk is raised up and has slid over the block next to it.

I really don't think we get earthquakes in Florida (do we?), but what else could that be? I know the hurricane didn't do it, even though everything else in Florida is blamed on Wilma. ;-)

Cat

A contest!

Since I've been laid off from work, I decided to use the time that I'll be on severance to set up a business for myself. I'll be importing handcrafts from Mexico, and selling them at retail here. At first I'll sell from festival booths, the flea market, and online. Hopefully, I'll make enough money that I'll be able to open a small store eventually.

I have spent hours online and on the phone researching everything that needs to be done to get this going. I'm excited! I'm ready to make it happen.

But I can't think of a name for it. I had chosen a few, but when I researched them, they were already in use.

So, I figured the more people brainstorming, the better. And that's where you come in!

Send me suggestions that I can use for a name (One that I had chosen was Mayahuela Imports, but there is already a Maya Imports, and it's just too close), either by using the comment field here or e-mail me direct at catnpr@aol.com. If I use your suggestion you won't get any financial reward, but I will send you a small hand-crafted item imported from Mexico as a prize.

If you use the comment field here, you have to type in the word-verification to make it post. I know that's a pain, but I was getting way too much comment spam on the blog. Sorry.

So, put those thinking caps on, and let's come up with a name for my business!

Cat

Leapin' lizards!

Why do cats think that bring home dead, or half-dead, animals makes their owners happy?

Today it was a big lizard, right on my doorstep. If it had been dark when I opened the door, I would have stepped on the thing. It was still alive, so I threw it out on the grass, in the hopes that maybe it was just stunned and it'll be OK.

Booger just keeps bringing these things home, dropping them proudly in front of me, as if it were a grand gift of some kind. I really don't have any use for dead snakes or lizards though. They're better to have around alive, since they both eat other pests.

Guess we'll have to get her a bell to wear. That might give the animals a chance to get away before she gets close enough to them to do any harm.

Cat

Spoke too soon

Oops! The water didn't start pouring in until after the rain stopped. I guess it had to fill up the walls and all the other spaces before it started coming into the house.

Maybe I'm having a bad day, but I just want this to be over. I want my house to be fixed. I don't want water everywhere each time it rains, I don't want this mildew smell everywhere, I don't want paint peeling off the walls, I don't want to be afraid every time I turn on a light switch, I don't want to be emptying buckets of water all day long. I'm over it. Really, really, over it. I want to have time to do something else besides emptying buckets and calling the insurance company or the homeowners people or FEMA or the one million other hurricane-related calls every day.

I finally called the insurance commission of the state of Florida. They told me I'd have results within 24 hours.

Guess what? My insurance adjuster called me three hours later and made an appointment to come over Friday morning. A small win, I guess, because I'm sure that we will not agree on the cost of the repairs. Nor on what part of the structure the repairs begin. My insurance says from the 'paint in', the property management policy says from the 'wainscott out' (I never knew what a wainscott was, it's the outside covering of your house). So, that leaves about 12 inches unaccounted, that neither insurance will pay for. It all has to be torn out and replaced, there is no other option. Maybe I can figure out how to do it myself?

And the stupid homeowners association (I should have abbreviated that second word) levied a $5000 assessment per owner for repairs. They "graciously" gave us 60 days to pay it. What the ?????? How the hell do they think that anyone who lives here just has $5K laying around? After all this crap? "Take a home equity loan", they say. Well, a home equity loan requires an appraisal, and if anyone were to appraise my home right now, they'd appraise it at zero. Who is going to lend me money against a house that I can't sell?

It's all enough to make a girl cry. But I won't. I won't. I won't...BWAAAAAHHHH......

I just want it fixed. I want it back the way it was. And then I want to sell it, and get the heck out of Florida.

Buenavista, here I come!

Cat

Rain, rain, go away...

Finally, we've had a few sunny days, although as I write this it is raining again. But, I think at last we have enough layers of tarp and tape and gook on the roof because no water is coming in this time. YAY!

A FEMA adjuster came and looked at the house, but they said I'm not eligible for a grant because I have insurance, and I'm not eligible for a loan since I'm not working. Oh, well, at least they came over. My insurance company hasn't even done that yet, so everything is still a mess while I wait for them to come and look at the damage. I'm also waiting for the Homeowners Association to tell us when their insurance company will be replacing the roofs, so that I can schedule my inside work to be done after that.

It'll probably be the next hurricane season before I finish all the repairs from this one. Whose idea was it to move to Florida, anyway?

Cat

Just a quickie

Well, Wilma came and went. Lost my fence, my screened patio, and part of my roof. Only the roof is covered by insurance. Guess I will just live without a sreened patio for a while. ;-)

Also lost electricity, and phone service was intermittent. Good thing I had a trip to Mexico planned, finally got a hot shower in Oaxaca. Also made some good connections there to buy Mexican handicrafts at wholesale prices.

I will probably not update the blog again until I get home next week. I had planned to update often while I was here, but I am just having too much fun to sit at the internet cafe.

Mexico City is huge! It really makes me miss Buenavista. I am only three hours from there, I am very tempted to visit for a day, but I should take advantage of all there is to do in Mexico City while I am here. I will be back in Buenavista soon enough. (well, it is never soon enough, but I will be there soon....)

Hasta luego,

Cat

In the homestretch

After four days of almost constant news coverage on every channel ("here we are Suzie, on location, with a live shot of the long gas lines"), and after the terrible devastion wrought in Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, the arrival of Wilma here in Florida sometime tonight seems almost anti-climatic.

I don't want to become complacent though, as the hurricane now seems to be strengthening to a category 3, and who knows what other surprises she has in store for us?

So, all of my patio furniture and outdoor items are stuffed in my living room once again, we are prepared for the inevitable power outtage, and are getting ready to hunker down and wait for the storm.

I sure hope this is the last one this year. (I know Alpha is out there, but it is supposed to just head out to open seas)

Cat

Like father, like son

I don't know where the Bush family learned geography, but they all seem to have a very interesting view of it.

Speaking about Tropical Storm Wilma, Florida governor Jeb Bush said, "It's a volatile storm. The entire peninsula needs to keep it's eyes south and east."

OK, while he's looking to the east for the storm it'll hit him on his keister, since it is coming in from the Gulf of Mexico, which is to our west.

Doofus!

Cat

What a day

It's not even 7:00 am yet, and I can already see what kind of a day this is going to be. I dropped my badge while trying to pin it on, spilled coffee on myself, discovered that I brought something from my house to work with me that was totally unneccesary, forgot to bring the item that I wanted to bring with me, and probably most telling of all, I decided to charge my cell phone on the way to work. I put the plug in the phone and went on my way. When I got to work, I realized I never plugged the other end into the car lighter!

Aiiiiiii! Things can only get better....

7:10 am....edited to add....OK, the computer at my desk is broken, so I had to move to another desk, and my first call was a guy screaming, yelling, and cursing at me because his wife ran up his bill and he won't pay the charges so now his account is cancelled.....

I can definitely see where this day is going.....Where's my xanax?

Cat

It figures

I just filled up my gas tank two days ago for $2.98 a gallon, now today I drove past the same gas station and gas was $2.81. Darn!

I'm sure it'll go up again when it's time for me to refill.

Cat

Just thanks

All I want to say today is that I never even knew how many people really care about me, but I have found out this week.

Thanks guys. You know who you are.

*sniff, sniff*, as I wipe a tear.

Cat

Pics as promised

Just a couple of pics from Buenavista. I want to go back already. I'm homesick.

Here is the town just beginning to stir, very early in the morning.

This is me, Mami, and Papi in the kitchen/patio, where we usually have our mezcal and botanas (snacks), and some very interesting conversations.



And this is me and Belo, my mexican "brother", on Independence Day, which actually begins at 11:00 pm on the night before the holiday with entertainment, a speech, and fireworks. It then continues through the night with music and dancing, and then on through the next day with a parade and lots of parties. Gotta love a country that begins a holiday at 11:00 at night!!



* * * * Cat * * * *

Your comments

I love when people leave me comments. It gives me a nice feeling to know that someone reads my blog, and cares enough to to respond, even just a small sentence.

But I hate blog spam! And I've been getting a lot of it. I guess someone figured out a program to crawl the web and leave advertising as comments on people's blogs. As if we don't already get enough in our e-mail.

So, even though I hated to do it, I had to add word verification to my comment section. It was taking me more time to delete the unwanted spam comments than to think of things to blog about. I know it's inconvenient to have to type that silly word in the box, and I hope that doesn't stop the few of you who do comment occasionally, but I had no choice. :(

Cat

Still here!

I know I said I would blog from here, but for some reason, I´ve had a hard time getting connected to Blogspot. Anyway, I´m on it now.

This has been a very relaxing vacation. I only have two days left, and I don´t want to come home! I wish I would win the lottery and just be able to come here whenever I want and stay as long as I feel like. sigh. Wouldn´t everyone love to do that though? ;-) Well, only about 20 years left until retirement...

I did see some of the news about Hurricane Rita. I can´t believe those poor people from New Orleans! First they get evacuated to Houston, then they have to be evacuated from there! I think I read that they are somewhere in Arkansas now? And who knows when they will ever be able to go home? Or to what is left of their home. If I didn´t already have a more-than-full house, I´d offer one of my rooms to somebody.

Only four more named storms to go, and then we´ve used up the alphabet this year! I think they begin using the greek names of the alphabet letters afterwards if that happens, starting with alpha. That´s a lot of storms!

OK, I´ll be home Wednesday night. If I don´t procrastinate, maybe I can get some vacation pics up here by the weekend.

Cat

P.S. The entire Blogspot website is in spanish when I go to it from here. How funny! I´m going to exactly the same web address as I do from home.

Hola de Buenavista!

I´m enjoying a nice, leisurely vacation in Buenavista, Mexico. I arrived Tuesday with my sister. She leaves Sunday, and then I´ll be here until the 28th. I´m staying with my friend, Belo, and his family.

Yesterday/today is Independence Day. (It started at 11:00 last night). We saw some good fireworks last night, and a parade today. Now we´re going home for some drinks and snacks.

This is a very small town, so I´m forced to slow down my pace and relax. There isn´t much else to do.

I will be seeing the kids at the CAM school for other-abled children. They were in the parade today, but I´ll be visiting them at the school on Tuesday. I have some school supplies and books (Thanks Rick!) for the school, and I made each kid a little dental kit to take home, with toothpaste, toothbrush, mouthwash and some Certs.

I´ll report again in a few days.

Cat

Pop-ups, pop-ups...

I think pop-up advertisements have to be the worst thing the internet ever created.

My kids downloaded a music-sharing program that has put so much adware and spyware on my computer that I was getting pop-ups when I wasn't even signed on to the internet! I have spent a week now trying to clean up my computer, and I still haven't undone all the damage.

Add to that the fact that this program is designed in such a way that you have to be a genius to figure out how to uninstall it. (well, maybe not a genius, because I finally got it uninstalled)

Even after uninstalling the program, I am still finding remnants of garbage it left on my computer every day. When this program is downloaded, it makes changes to your registry keys. I actually have to go into the registry now and edit it. If you know anything about computers, you know that this is a dangerous thing to do when you have only the limited computer knowledge that I have.

Moral of the story? Be very careful when downloading anything, especially if it is from a music-sharing program from a company with a name that has three A's in it.

Cat

A little story

I know it's been a long time since I wrote....big things going on, but I can't really say anything yet. I'll have to hold you in suspense for a little while longer.

Meantime though, here's a little story I heard last night. I was flipping the TV channels, and ended up listening to Mark Lowry, I guess he's a Christian comedian/singer. He was pretty funny, so I watched for a while, and here's a story I really liked.

He was living somewhere in Texas, and going through his first tornado. He was really scared, but he peeked out the window, and in a way it was kind of beautiful, the rain and the lightning and all. Even so, he closed up the curtain and huddled in a corner, certain he was going to die.

Of course, he didn't, or he wouldn't be telling this story. The next morning, all the regulars at the coffee shop were talking about the tornado, and he said "If I'd known I was going to live through it, I sure would have enjoyed it a lot more."

So, live your life that way. Smile, slow down, laugh a lot. You're going to live through it, so enjoy every moment.

Cat

Back To Work

Oh, well, the hurricane's over (at least for me) and all is back to it's normal state of abnormal. My heart and prayers go out to those on the Gulf Coast who were affected by the worst Kristina had to offer.

All we really got at my house was some wind and rain. South of me, there were a lot of trees toppled or with broken branches, and many people lost their power. Some still don't have it back.

Although we never lost power, we're still hot as hades in our house, because our air conditioning appears to be broken. Well, hot air is blowing out of the vents, so I should say it is broken. Luckily we have a service contract on our appliances (see? I'm not always a dummy) so the girls are calling them today to come out and fix it. I bet it's the compressor that they've been telling me to replace for 3 years. Oh, well, hope they can fix it again, because I still can't replace it.

Stacy is feeling a lot better. She still can't work, unfortunately, but she's going to physical therapy and doing much better than the doctors ever thought she would.

Cat

A "snow" day!

4:30 AM. I groggily roll over and hit the snooze button on the alarm, for ten more minutes of blissful sleep. Just as I enter no-man's land, the alarm across the room starts blaring it's own early warning system.

Since I have to get out of bed to turn this one off, I begin my morning routine. By the time alarm #1 goes off again, I'm ready to turn it off for good and finish getting dressed and out the door.

I grab my lunch, get in the car, and just before I get on the Turnpike, I hear on the news that there is no school in Broward or Miami-Dade counties due to the impending hurricane.

Hmmmm....I wonder.....

So, from my cellphone, I call the Hotline phone number on the back of my work badge, and Halleluja!!!!

"Due to reports of an impending hurricane in the area, all South Florida facilities will be closed today. Call at 8:00 PM for further updates."

Of course, there isn't much to do today because there are no other businesses open either, but I can still go home and crawl back into my nice warm bed with the sheets pulled up to my chin, watching TV and eating bon-bons.

YAY!!!!!!!!!!

Cat

product testing

Next time you want a sunless tanning product, just buy Behr's Wood Stain #500.

I was staining my fence yesterday, and some of the stain dripped on me. I guess I didn't get all of it off right away, but the skin that was stained was a nice brown, tan color today, as if I'd been in the sun for weeks. (don't try this at home, guys)

A product that I did find I like for real is Mr. Clean's Magic Eraser. These things really work! I couldn't stop cleaning things as I looked around for the next tough stain to try it on.

Just don't use the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser on the paint stains on your legs. It leaves a painful red spot. ;-)

Cat

Good morning, moon

Driving to work the other day the moon was full, bright, and absolutely beautiful. It was such a clear morning, and I could see the moon in such detail that it seemed as if I could almost reach out and touch it.

Wish I could have taken a picture of it so I could share it's beauty with you.

I've got to start carrying my camera around in my car with me. It seems like there are a lot of times that I wish I could take a picture of something or other as I'm driving around.

Cat

Good News / Bad News

So much has been going on that you'd think it would be easy to write a blog entry, but instead it's just the opposite. I don't know where to start.

We'll get the bad news over with first.

My insurance company has accepted liability for the car accident (Tara is on my policy). However, Tara's coverage limit is only $10K/$20K for bodily injury/property damage, so the other driver had his lawyer send us a letter, he is sueing us. Not that we have much for him to take, anyway. Luckily, one of my benefits at work is a legal plan, so you know who I will be calling first thing Monday morning.

Got a letter in the mail today. My medical insurance carrier has decided that two prescriptions I take daily are too expensive, so they won't cover them anymore. (they are already the generic version). I guess I'll let my doctor fight that battle.

Received another letter today also. My condo association is making a certain type of hurricane insurance on interior walls & fixtures mandatory for us to buy. So there goes another $800.

I've decided to just not check the mail anymore. It's only bills, junk, and all those crummy letters anyway. Sound like a good plan? ;-)

Now that's out of the way... On to the good stuff!!

I bought Stacy a card with a little poem about character on it, and wrote a note about how proud I am of her for how hard she is working on her recuperation, and how mature and understanding she's been with Tara. I caught her with a few tears in her eye as she read it. She's doing well enough that she wants me to take her over to the firehouse, so she can thank the cute paramedic who held her hand in the ambulance. I hope he's as cute as she remembers and she's not disappointed. He was the first thing she saw when she woke up after being unconscious, and I'd imagine anybody would look good at that point. ;-)

One month from today I'll be in Buenavista! With my sister! Woohoo! Double woohoo!

I can't believe Ava is going to be a year old on Tuesday. I hope I finish the scrapbook I'm making for her (well, I guess it's really for Tara) before then. She's starting to talk a lot. It seems she learns a new word every day, but she still can't say Lita. :( She calls me "Ta". We've been teaching her to color, and even though we let her walk around with crayons, she only draws in her coloring book. She is such a good girl! And a strong girl! She was moving around our patio chairs today.

We've been babysitting our friends' dog, the cutest little Lhasa Apso puppy. Like we have the time or the room here for a dog, but the good part of it is that Tara has stopped asking me if she can have a dog, and she even said the other day, "I'll tell you one thing. Ava is never getting a dog!" This was just after she had cleaned up the puppie's 4th mess of the day, haha. No matter how cute and fun they are, they are still a lot of work.

This is kind of a little wierd thing. As I was falling asleep last night, I was having a little conversation with myself...in spanish! So maybe my practicing is paying off, and I'm starting to think in spanish. And, no, I do not normally talk to myself! It was one of those half in/half out of sleep things, almost like dreaming.

Recuperation

I can't believe it's been almost two weeks already since the accident. I've lost all sense of time, and until I went back to work I didn't even know what day it was most of the time.

Stacy left the hospital after a week and is now here recuperating at my house. So my small house is now miniscule, what with a bed in the living room (since she can't get upstairs) and the other furniture pushed aside so Stacy can hobble around with her walker. She and Tara decorated the walker with ribbons and flowers, so it's actually kind of cute.

Stacy is doing very well, though. The doctors were surprised that she was able to leave the hospital so soon. She's been working very hard, and pushing herself from the start to do even the smallest things, like sitting in a chair in the hospital as much as she could instead of laying in bed, which helped her lung heal faster. She has been taking a walk (a slow one) every day, and doing what little physical therapy she is able. I have to give her credit, she's a fighter, and that is making a big difference in her recovery.

Other than that, things are back to normal. Or as normal as they ever get around around here. ;-)

Thanks to all of you who sent well-wishes and notes. They really meant a lot to me, and knowing that you cared helped me get through a tough time.

Oh, I also want to give props to State Farm and the Dan Sawyer Agency. They've been great through the whole thing, keeping in touch with me often, and my agent even sent the girls a get well card signed by everyone in the office. It was a nice little personal touch that I don't think I would have gotten from most insurance companies.

Cat

Baby Steps

When the phone rings, I glance at the clock. 3:26 AM.

First, annoyance, as I struggle out of sleep. Then fear. Good phone calls don't come in the middle of the night.

"Mom, it's me."
"Stacy? Where are you?"
"I'm in the ER. I was a passenger in a car and someone broadsided us."

Dread. Worry. I almost don't want to know the answer to the next question.

"Are you all right?"
"I'll be OK, but my chest hurts. I think I broke a rib, and I can't move my leg."

Concern. Unease. Apprehension.

"I'll be right there. What hospital are you in?"
"Well, you can't leave home because you have Ava."

Confusion. Maybe I'm still not awake.

"What do you mean? Isn't Tara here?"
"No, she's with me."

Things aren't making sense.

"Why? Did you already call her?"
"No. Mom...Tara was the driver."

My heart lurches.

"Is she OK?" I think I scream, but my voice sounds normal.
"Yeah, I think so. She hurt her arm and she's bleeding from the glass, but I think she's OK."

Relief.

"They're taking me for a CAT scan. I'll call you back."

Worry. Frustration.

I finally reach one of the doctors in the ER. Things are worse than Stacy led me to believe. She has a collapsed lung, 3 broken ribs, a broken leg, a concussion, maybe a cracked pelvis. They're still evaluating her injuries.

Shock. Panic. Heartache.

I get someone to watch the baby so I can be with Stacy. I just want to see her, touch her, hold her.

I want to make it all better. I want this to be a boo-boo I can kiss away.

Helplessness. Sorrow. Concern.

I spend the day in the ER going from one bed to the other, while the doctors debate whether Stacy should be in intensive care. They decide that she can go to a regular room if they put her close to the nurse's station so that her chest tube can be monitored. Tara can go home.

Now comes a wave of anger. At the world, at God, at Tara.

It's all I can do not to yell at Tara while driving her home, but I know that she feels worse than I could ever make her feel. I just want to know how she could have been so careless.

Stress. Distress. Anxiety.

My mind is still trying to wrap itself around all of this. I suppose it could have been far worse, and I tell myself I should be thankful that both girls are alive. I am, I truly am.

So now we go forward. We can only take this road one step at a time.

Baby steps.

web-surfing

Sometimes I don't know how I end up at these websites, but....

This is kind of funny, whether you smoke or not. Japanese advertisements about smoking manners. Click on the small images to read the signs.

I'm pretty sure this one is a joke. (I hope) What could someone have been thinking when they created this site?

Cat

Some surprise!

Both of my parents turn 75 this September, and they've been hinting around about wanting a "surprise" birthday party. So, for the past month or so, we've been arranging one and things were going quite smoothly.

Until this weekend. I guess my parents got tired of waiting to see if we were throwing a party, so they decided to throw their own, and started inviting all of us. (there are 10 of us kids, plus spouses and our grown kids, and a few close friends, so it's not a small party)

Finally, I had to tell them that there was already a party planned. After they'd already spoken to 8 kids and nobody else said a word. One of us had to say something, we couldn't just go on and let them plan another party. A restaurant had been booked and some of the kids already had their plane tickets.

Well, of course, control freaks that they are, they wanted to see the place we'd booked. I took them over there Saturday night and they really liked it, thank goodness! And they had to approve the guest list. Ditto on that, they liked it.

It's actually kind of a relief now that they know, because it would have been really hard trying to keep this whole thing a surprise. We can still pull a few surprises out of the hat at the party itself.

So now do we call it an unsurprise party?

Cat

New hours

I finally found out what my new work schedule. I had asked for third shift, so I think what I ended up with is pretty good.

9:00 PM to 7:30 AM, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday nights. So I leave work at 7:30 AM on Tuesday morning, and I don't return until Friday at 9:00 PM. And I receive a 15% differential, as well. I'm happy with it. Tara isn't very happy, because she'll be losing her weekend babysitter. Oh, well, that's life. I should start the new hours in about 3-4 weeks.


Another news clip here. I'm becoming quite the "news hound". I heard this one on the Early Today show on MSNBC.

A 7-month old baby was injured when a building collapsed while it was being demolished. The cause of the collapse is under investigation.

Now, I'm no rocket scientist, but do you think the fact that it was being demolished might have had anything to do with it collapsing? (the baby is fine, by the way)

Cat

More wierd news

The news stories keep getting stranger and stranger.

I can't imagine what kind of brains this bank teller must have, or what she could possibly have been thinking, to give a robber money through the tube at the drive-up window! What would he have done if she said no, sent her a gun and asked her to shoot herself? ;-))

Cat

I love my job

I love my job.

I love my job.

I LOVE my job.

I lovvvve my job.

I love my job.

I love my job!!!!

I love my job.

I love my job.

you get the idea.....what a day.

I love my job.

Cat

And in the news...

This story is so wierd that I just had to share it....1500 sheep attempting to committ mass suicide in Turkey. I wonder what would make them do that?

Gives real meaning to the phrase "following like sheep", eh?

Cat

Hurricanes

With Hurricane Dennis looming out there, even though predictions are now that it will miss the east coast of South Florida, hurricanes are in the news and on my mind. So I thought I'd just jot down some random thoughts.

I never used to be afraid of hurricanes, and we used to laugh at the weatherman's dire predictions (which never came true), since we hadn't had a direct hit in South Florida for so long. Since I've lived here, in fact, except for Andrew. And even Hurricane Andrew, with all the destruction it wrought, appeared to be a fluke that wouldn't repeat itself. But last year seemed to change the status quo, with four of them hitting us straight on. Now, as soon as the news starts putting us in the "cone of terror", I begin wishing I'd never moved to Florida. So, in other words, yes, I get "skeered".

And the newscasters are no help. You'd think they'd be trying to calm people down. Instead they whip everybody into a frenzy with their predictions of doom and disaster ahead. Makes for good news, I guess.

I always feel a bit of guilt when I'm wishing for the hurricane not to hit us, because by default I guess that would mean I'm wishing it would hit someone else. Unless it just goes back out into the ocean, or weakens into only a rainstorm. By the time I start wishing it would miss us, though, those two options are pretty much out of the question.

Like defiant teenagers, these sons and daughters of Mother Nature dance across the water, teasing and threatening, changing their temperment on a whim, first veering one way and then another, while they decide where to unleash their fury.

You'd think I would at least be prepared, since they've been telling us since April to get ready. Not this procastinator. I bought a flashlight. That's the extent of my hurricane preparation. I'll be on line at the store right before the next hurricane, fighting to buy the only remaining supplies, along with all the other people like me, who waited like idiots until the very last minute.

An interesting site (if you're into weather stuff) run by weather hobbyists, with hurricane blogs and forums is here.

The last straw

I've finally had it with the place where I get my oil changed. I've been going to the same place for years. A local Jiffy Lube. Why? I don't know.

It's one of those places where they're supposed to do a check-up, top off all your fluids, clean your windows, etc.

There have been many times when they didn't do the windows or vacuum. And times when if they did vacuum, they just worked around whatever was on the floor instead of moving it. Several times they didn't top-off my windshield cleaning fluid, and I had to ask them to do it. They have never put air in my tires.

They are too interested in trying to sell me everything under the sun. Every time I go there, they give me the spiel about how my dirty air filter is going to ruin the car's engine, even at times when I know I've changed it too recently to need replacing already. And their prices for any little thing are outrageous! The air filter, for instance, would cost $40 if I allow them to replace it. Come on, it's a $15 item, and it takes less than 5 seconds to drop it in there. That would work out to $9000 per hour for labor!!! Other simple items are just as expensive. And the staff is always surly, besides.

But, since I am such a creature of habit, I continued to go there.

Until now, that is.

I started having trouble with my transmission slipping last weekend. My brother looked at it, and it turns out that I was extremely low on transmission fluid. I admit, I should be checking it myself occasionally, but that is what I pay Jiffy Lube to do! I had my oil changed only 4 weeks ago, and they should have topped off my tranny fluid, or at the very least, told me that it was low. It's supposed to be one of the services that they claim is included in their "signature service". And I could not have lost a quart and a half of fluid in 4 weeks.

So finally, I'm going to do what I should have done a long time ago, and find another place to get my oil changed. A place that does what they promise.

Cat

My holiday

I enjoyed my Fourth of July holiday. I had Ava (my 10 month old nieta) for the day, and we went to my brother's house. His whole neighborhood gets together and has a shindig.

Ava was scared of the noise in the beginning. When my brother threw down the first few firecrackers she cried, but then she started liking to watch the bottle rockets. She enjoyed looking at the other kids playing with their sparklers. And she especially loved it when the real fireworks started. Her head was turning every which way so as not to miss a thing, because we could see fireworks shows in all directions.

So, that was my day. How was yours?

Cat

Flight Plans

Finalized my flight plans for my September trip to Buenavista (Mexico). YAY!

It was funny because my sister is coming with me for part of the time, but due to price constraints, she is taking a different flight than I am. So, she was breaking the news to me that although my flight leaves Miami at 6:30, her flight would not be leaving until 7:30. I tell her, that's OK, I can wait at the airport in Mexico City for you. And she says, "no you can't, because I get there two hours before you do"!

The wonders of modern travel. She snagged a direct flight, lucky her. I guess she'll be meeting me at arrivals in Mexico City. Hopefully she'll have no trouble finding my gate....I wonder if we need a back-up plan?

Nah, we're both experienced travellers, it'll work out.

Cat

Beach Shot

Here is a link (click here) to a webcam picture of the beach closest to my house, it's the one I go to on the rare occasions that I visit the beach. I never even knew there was a webcam there! I've probably been on it, because I always sit right there, downstairs from the pavillion, since you can walk underneath it into the shade if it gets too hot in the sun.

Now when I'm meeting friends at the beach, I can check to see if they're there yet before I leave my house. How's that for cool?

So maybe someday if you're browsing and check the webcam, I could be in the pic. I'll wave next time I'm at the beach. ;-)

Cat

Being Polite

Stacy was here baysitting Ava today. She had some guy stop by to visit. Besides having a voice that could be heard blocks away, his language was liberally peppered with 4-letter words. So, I walked outside to ask that he watch his language, especially considering that Ava tries to repeat everything she hears.

Stacy says he's trying to, but he's never been around babies before.

My response? "And I guess he's never been around people either? It's only common courtesy when you visit someone's house."

I wonder why he didn't stick around very long after that? ;))

Cat

Tabbed browsing

I've discovered tabbed browsing! I didn't even know what it was until this afternoon, and now it's one of those "don't know how I lived without it" things.

For those of you non-techies like me, who have no idea what I'm talking about, it means that when you have more than one internet page open, you can see the name of each page in a tab on the toolbar. It's so much easier than clicking on 'window' and picking from the list, plus you can always see how many windows you have open. (Sometimes I lose track when I'm linking a lot) It looks like this:


Many thanks to Gimikera for posting in her blog how to add this cool feature to my computer!

Cat



P.S...Here is a link to the (quick & easy) download

Yikes....Foiled Again!

After work today, I got my nails done. The place where I've been going recently has an all spanish-speaking staff, and they always talk to each other and joke around in spanish.

Since my spanish is so bad, I usually don't ever tell anyone that I speak it unless I have to. (Is that voyeuristic of me? Just to listen in on other people's conversations like that? Without them knowing that I understand?)

Today though, the girls were in rare form, teasing one of the other nail techs, and the jokes were getting funnier and funnier until I couldn't keep a straight face anymore. I finally had to burst out laughing.

They all just stopped and looked at me. "You speak spanish?" Just a little, I say.

I guess my secret is out. ;)) Oh, well. At least now I have more people to practice my bad spanish with, haha. I'll have to find someone else to eavesdrop on.

Cat

Boiled Water

Palm Beach County, Florida. One of the richest per-capita counties in the nation.

And I'm afraid to drink the water.

I turned on the TV this morning, and for the seventh time, in just that many days, parts of the county are under a boil-water alert. What happens if those people don't turn on the TV or the radio? Ugh, never mind, I'd rather not think about the answer to that question. And why do we have so many orders to boil our water anyway? Today the reason given is because of the recent rainstorms.

Hmmm. Our weather is tropical. It rains. A lot. And the county sewer system breaks down in a thunderstorm? They didn't plan for rain?

I find myself wondering if other places have the same problem. Is this as common in the rest of the USA as it is here? Maybe that's the reason so many people drink bottled water.

How can I be sure that I've boiled all the germs out anyway? I know they (the mysterious they people) say that boiling for one minute purifies the water, but really, if I know it's been compromised by waste-water, do I want to drink it? Even if I boiled it for an hour, I don't think I'd look forward to swallowing it.

So, for now, I'll stick to drinks that come in a bottle. At least until they get this sewer stuff sorted out.

Cat

We all scream for ice cream!

About a month ago, someone offered me an open invite to come out to dinner with them, since they go out just about every night. Tara has told me twice now that I better call and go out with them, because they're starting to get upset and insulted that I haven't taken them up on the offer yet. I've just been sooo tired, but that's another blog. Anyway, I called them last night to see if I could join them. Here's how the call went...

Hi there, it's Cat.

Oh, hi! We were just getting ready to go out for dinner. Do you want to join us?

Sure, where are you going?

Over to the italian place. Can you come over now?

Yes. I just have some groceries in the car, I have to put them in the freezer, then I'll be right there.

(pause) Oh. (longer pause) Well, why don't you meet us there, then?

I don't know where it is, can you give me directions?

(begins a long, confusing set of directions. I almost don't even know where to turn after I leave my driveway)

That sounds really confusing. I'll just come over. I can be there in ten minutes.

It's really not that hard. (more babbled directions) The thing is, well, if we leave our house right now, we can get there before 6:00. If we make it by 6:00, well, um, we get a free dessert.

WHAT?!?? Did I hear that correctly? These people don't even normally eat dessert! And they surely aren't short for cash. What is it about Florida that makes people so friggin' wierd about stuff like this? I almost felt like telling them I'd buy them the damn scoop of ice cream, but instead I just agreed to meet them there. I could call the restaurant for clearer directions.

I sure had to admit defeat on this one, a free scoop of spumoni was up for grabs!

Cat

Goodbye, Bill

Today is my cubby-mate's last day of work here. He is leaving to pursue a career in real estate, at which I'm sure he will excel. (so, Bill, think of me when you're a real estate mogul!)

We've been cubby-mates for years, though, and who could ever replace him and his inimitable style?

Who will hold my hand when I'm feeling down? Who will tell me jokes when the day gets stressful? Who is going to be my personal secretary when I'm on vacation? Who will be my living thesaurus when I can't think of the word I need? And who is going to tell me who's boffing who?

Well, good luck, Bill. I know we'll still be friends outside of work, but there'll never be another cubby-mate like you.

Cat

Travel plans

aiiii! I have "bloggers block". Can't think of a thing to write about. Maybe I should start another catfight, hehe.

I am planning a couple of trips to Mexico, I'm excited about those! Going back to Buenavista in September for Independence Day, and then will be traveling in Oct/Nov for two weeks through DF (Mexico City), Oaxaca, and Puerto Escondido. Those three are all new destinations for me, so I can't wait to visit them.

Saludos!

Cat

For nerds only

I love watching Jeopardy, but I never thought I'd find it easy answering the questions (or should it be questioning the answers?).

For the last few weeks it's been the Ultimate Tournament of Champions, with very difficult categories, and these champs are all soooo smart. The three finalists were fairly young too. It's amazing how much trivia they know.

Last night I was only able to get two questions right. But then, maybe I shouldn't feel too bad about that. Ken Jennings didn't do very well that game either, so I was in good company, hehe. In fact, all three of them flubbed a bit. Maybe the two million dollars on the line made them a little nervous.

Tonight I was just rattling off the answers! (and getting them right!) They must have 'dumbed down' the show for us non-geniouses this time, now that they started playing regular games again. Probably to make us feel a little better, after showing us just how much we don't know over the last weeks.

The outcome of the tournament actually surprised me. For some reason, I thought Brad was going to take it all. None of the three made out too shabby though. The third place purse was a quarter million dollars. I could live with taking that prize home!

Yeah, just call me a nerd.

Oh, well, at least I wasn't watching American Idol.

Cat

Hi Ho, Hi Ho, it's off to work we go...

Yikes! I haven't written in a long time! It's these crazy new work hours.

I really can't believe that anyone thinks 7:00 am to 3:30 pm is a great schedule, but I know there are people who would kill to get these hours. I mean, waking up at 5:00 in the morning is not my style. It's still dark out, for gosh sake! I'm looking at the moon in the sky as I drive to work. [although it has been very full and pretty the past few days ;))]

Working these hours really makes the days seem short. It seems that by the time I get home, putter around doing a few things, and eat something, it's time for bed already. That is, if I don't want to oversleep.

Can't wait to get a different schedule! Just seven weeks to go...then I can get back to being a "lady of the night". Ahhhh!

Cat

A rose by any other name...

I've been reading a really great blog lately, Waiter Rant .

I've made a few comments to the author at times, and I signed them the way I sign everything else, "Cat".

Imagine my surprise when I looked at the blog today, and found this note from another reader in the comments:

ATTENTION:
Someone has been posting comments with the name "Cat"
on them (like the one above dated "05.15.05 - 9:13 pm").
They are NOT being written by ME, so PLEASE IGNORE
them. From now on, anytime you see the name "Cat" at
the end of a comment, you all will know for a solid fact that
I DID NOT write it, as this will be the LAST time I leave a
comment on Waiter's fantastic blog. Not to say I'll stop
reading it, mind you, but I will never leave another
comment on any post, EVER.
By the way, imposter, I believe you meant to spell
"hottIE", not "hottY", as you have so ignorantly done... and
the REAL me would NEVER use more than one exclamation point.
...and with that, I bid you all a fond adieu, and ask you
once again to PLEASE IGNORE ALL FUTURE COMMENTS
with the name "Cat" on them, regardless of what they say.
Thank you.
Cat (the REAL one) | Email | Homepage | 05.17.05 - 2:49 am | #

At first I just laughed, and figured she must have had a bad day at work or something, but then I felt compelled to respond. I surely didn't want anyone to think that I was IMPERSONATING her every time I left a comment, so I thought I should explain that I would take a different name, and she could be the original "Cat" (by the way, I did not write "hottie" or "hotty". She was reading somebody else's comment incorrectly)

To the "real" Cat...Sorry that my mom named me Cathi
and has been calling me Cat all my life. I'm not really sure
what you're all bent out of shape about, you sound like the
lady lawyer now. I apologize, I didn't realize you had
exclusive rights to the name.

I'll just sign my comments 'Cat the imposter' from here on.
That way you can comment all you like, and nobody will
confuse me with you. I hope your day gets better.

(and by the way, if you had read the comment that you
mentioned correctly, you'd have seen that I did not write
it)

Cat (the IMPOSTER) | Email | Homepage | 05.17.05 - 10:06 pm | #

I feel kind of bad for stooping down to her level, but I read Waiter Rant regularly, and like to comment on it occasionally.

I thought her rant was pretty funny though. :)))) I wonder where all that anger came from? And I do like to use more than one exclamation point sometimes, so she MUST be the "real one" !!!! (I used 4 that time!!)

Cat (the IMPOSTER) haha

A slice of life

I broke a pair of glasses after only a month of owning them, so I took them to get fixed today.

me: Hi. I've only had these for a month, and the little nose thing came off already.
Dr: OK, so you need a screw then?
me: Umm, well, yeah, I guess so.
Dr: I mean, for the glasses. At this time. We'll put something in there to hold the nosepiece on.

Then, later in the afternoon, I called the toll-free phone number to renew the service contract on my appliances. The guy is probably answering the phone for ten different companies.

indian guy: Pride Appliances. (mumbles name) May I help you?
me: Yes. I'd like to renew my service contract.
indian guy: Whaat...?
me: For the next year. I'd like to pay for another year of service.
indian guy: Oh. You'll have to call back on Monday. We don't do that on the weekends.
me: OK, can I do it online?
indian guy: We don't have online services, ma'am.
me: You have a website, you know. The address is on my bill here.
indian guy: Oh. (pauses) Well, ok, you can look around then.
me: Alright, I will. Thanks a lot. (for what, I don't know)


Haha, the little things that happen as we go about our day. ;))

Have a great one!

Cat

This just in...

I guess Tara is trying to make a budget for herself, because she has to put Ava in daycare starting next week, and that is outrageously expensive. I found a piece of paper with her proposed budget on it. Now, remember, we are talking about a person who makes very little money, still lives with her mother because she can't afford to get an apartment and pays no rent.

The budget lists these expenses:
$360 month...daycare. OK, that's a fixed expense.
$200 month...food for Ava. I'm not sure if Ava eats that much food, but maybe. OK
$127 month...braces. Hmmm...she doesn't have these braces yet, and I thought she had decided to put off getting them because she couldn't afford it. We'll discuss that.
$100 month...clothes. WHAT?????? If she can afford to spend $100 a month on clothes, I want to see some of that money in my pocket for rent! (so I can buy clothes!)

No mention of food for Tara, gas for her car, or diapers and wipes. Oh, and health insurance for Ava. Tara is covered at work.

Do you think Tara needs a little coaching in real-life here? I guess it's nice to be young and believe in the impossible, but at some point you have to know your limitations. We'll talk tonight.

Gotta love her, though. I wish I were young again. :)))

Cat

Opportunity knocks?

Well, I have now thought my problem over for almost a week, solicited some advice, and I've made my choice (contrary to all the advice I was given). Now, all I can do is walk straight through it, and hope that I made the right choice.

I don't know what the hidden opportunity is yet, but maybe that will come later. I do know that now my "current responsibilities" include being to work by 7:00 AM for the next 10 weeks. YEECH! That in itself will be quite a challenge, but if I can get through it, I'll have my pick of the schedules after that. I'll just have to remember that every morning when I'm waking up at 5:00, that's all.

Is anyone believing in this horoscope stuff yet? I'd better not read any more of mine. I only read one, and I've been fretting over it for almost a week now, haha.

Enjoy your day!

Cat

I got my problem!!

Can you believe that I actually did receive a problem today? And it is one that might turn out to be an opportunity. A very small opportunity, kind of like an opportunity in disguise, but still, technically it is one.

It came in the mail, of all things. Well, it came by Fed-Ex. (do I have to say copyright?) And, no, it's not a bill. It was a letter that presented me me with some tough choices to make. In reality, it arrived yesterday, but I had put it aside, and then I got a phone call tonight (just in time to meet the deadline for today's horoscope...) that made me have to begin thinking about it.

Maybe there is something to that horoscope stuff, after all.

Or, maybe chances are that everyone will get at least one problem every day, HA!

I guess I had better go and start working on my problem!

Cat

My horror-scope

Here's my horoscope for today (according to AOL):

Just because a current situation needs your attention, this doesn't necessarily mean that your weekend will be unpleasant. In fact, today presents you with a problem that will turn into an opportunity. You will, however, need to face up to current responsibilities before you can magically turn the lemons into lemonade.

Hmmm....So, does this mean that instead of sitting on my butt all day at home, I should go out someplace where I might have more opportunity to find "a problem"? Or, is that my problem? How will I know when I've found the right problem? Will it scream out "hidden opportunity here!"? Or will I just have to confront all my problems, and hope that one of them is that magical opportunity? What responsibility is it that I have to "face up to"? I knew I should have cleaned the house today! Oh, well, there's still time.

Dumb horoscopes. Who believes in them anyway?

Cat

Gone....

Well, he's gone. Temporarily. My roommate, my friend, my partner.

He was offered a job for the summer at a golf club in Southampton, Long Island, and couldn't pass up the opportunity. He's a bartender, and summer in South Florida is not exactly the best time to make money.

So, off we went to Cingular to buy a second cellphone (MUST remember to mail in my rebate coupon!) and upgrade to the family plan so that we can talk to each other as much as we want. Then before we knew it, the day was here for him to leave.

He's been up there a couple of days now, and really likes it. The job is easy, he says, and his room is nice. He didn't realize how far it would be from civilization, though. ;) He says it's almost like being in a minimum security prison, because he flew up there, so has no car, and the closest place to go is about 15 miles away. Hmmm, so I guess you won't be walking to town, then? I'm sure he'll make friends and get rides to town. He's pretty likable.

He has his own Swedish maid. I'd like to have any kind of maid! Maybe that will be the first thing I do for myself when I go back to work.

On another topic, today is Cinco de Mayo, almost an all-american holiday. Only one state in Mexico actually celebrates it. Mexico's real Independence Day is Sept. 15. Now that day is a party not to be missed! Well, go have yourself a margarita or two today anyway. I am. It is a holiday of sorts here, right?

Happy day!

Cat

Ava speaks spanish!

So, all my efforts have not gone to waste. My little nieta (grand-daughter) said her first word in spanish today! She said 'hola', and she knows what it means because she was waving when she said it. YAY, YAY, YAY!

She isn't too good at pronouncing the letter L, she's only 8 months old, so it comes out more like oh-wah, but she is definitely speaking spanish.

She also understands a lot of spanish. When I'm feeding her and tell her to 'abre', she opens her mouth. If I say 'adios', she waves goodbye. If I say 'cuidado', she looks at me for more instruction of what to be careful about. I sing her bedtime lullabies in spanish, and she loves them. She hums along with my songs. At least someone likes my singing, hehe.

I had to e-mail all my friends in Mexico immediately, of course. I can be such a ninny sometimes about things, but it was exciting, to me at least.

Now, if I can only get her to call me Lita instead of mama.... ;)

Here is little "Poops-a-lot" herself, having fun on a sunny day


Have a great weekend, and remember Sunday is MayDay.

Cat

Finally!!!!!

The missing posts showed up. There IS a "blog help", but I still have no idea where they reside because I e-mailed them.

Can you believe the problem was that I had to clear my cache? I can't figure out what my cache has to do with it since the blog is on a different server, but my cache needed clearing anyway. Oh, well, all fixed now. YAY!

Cat

I wonder why....

I don't understand why it takes so long for my writings to appear in my blog after I publish them.

For instance, I wrote an entry last night, and it's still not showing in my blog this afternoon. If I preview my blog, however, it's in there. That doesn't help you very much though, does it? Hmmmm...

OK, well I'm submitting this one at 1:50 pm EST. Let's see when it appears. I may have to call "Blog Help", hehe. Is there even such a thing? And if there is, are they located in India?

Cat

PS...Well, that was a bunch of nothing just to fill a page, wasn't it? haha

To gulp or not to gulp? Is that the question?

As I make my way around Mexico, I don't really feel like a vacationer. I feel more like a visitor to someone's home, even though that "home" is a huge country. I feel comfortable there, and people everywhere in Mexico are always more than willing to take a break from their day to have a conversation with this 'extranjera' and answer all of my questions about their life and their country.

Even though I've been visiting and studying Mexico, her language (well, one of them), her people, and her cultures for over 10 years now, the more I visit there, it seems the less I know and the more I want to learn. There is truly so much to discover!

With each visit I learn a little bit more, like taking small sips of a drink. But I'm so impatient. I just want to down it all in one large gulp and know everything immediately.

Or.....maybe I don't. Perhaps it's comparable to drinking a fine tequila. You can't appreciate the taste unless you sip it slowly, savoring each sip, and feeling it work it's way from the taste buds on your tongue to the mild burn in your throat and finally that satisfying feeling in your stomach.

So, I will continue to appreciate and uncover the beauty of Mexico in small sips, to be thankful that I am able to keep on visiting, and to know that the glass is always full and waiting for me to return.

Cat

The eyes have it

Well, I always thought I should have been a proofreader. I catch mistakes in everything I read.

I finally have my big chance. ;) My stepdad has written his biography and has asked me to proofread and edit it for him. It's over 500 pages long! He has led quite an adventurous and exciting life, and it is very interesting reading about it. I cannot believe all the details he remembers from his youth; I sure don't remember that much. (But then again, I can hardly remember what happened yesterday, haha) Names, dates, places, everything. When it's finished, he is going to have it bound into a book and give a copy to each family member.

The work sure is hard on the eyes though. And I find myself going back and forth, and making changes to prior changes as I read on further. Should the chapter end here or there? Should that have been a comma or a period three paragraphs ago? Did he really mean to capitalize that word, or is it a mistake needing to be fixed? Should this word be which or that? And why is my computer picking tonight to be a pain in the ass and freeze up every 10 minutes?

Although it's been many hours of sometimes tedious work, I feel honored to be the first in the family to read it. It's been fun. And I hope that I fulfill his expectations and edit it correctly, without changing the meaning of anything he wrote or altering his unique style of telling a story.

OK, enough rest for the weary. Back to work now. I just pray it doesn't take me as long to edit it as it took him to write it.....two years.

Cat

Breaktime

I took a hiatus for two weeks, sorry I haven't written anything. I'll be back up and running in a couple of days.

Hi Jos!

Cat

Of fate and gates...

Poor little Ava suffered her first injury yesterday, and of course it was all my fault. Just call me Ms. Klutz.

We had re-arranged the bedrooms so that she had her own room, and I was putting a baby gate up in her doorway. Sounds simple, right? NOT!

I made sure I had it nice and tight so she couldn't push it over, then I was pushing the handle down to lock it in. Well, I didn't realize it, but she had crawled over and grabbed on to the gate, so while I'm pushing down on the handle as hard as I can, her fingers were stuck in between the two pieces of wood. Of course she starts screaming with a sound I never heard from her before. When I realized what I had done, I picked her up and her tiny fingers were all red and squished.

Tara comes running upstairs to find out what happened, and I'm trying to explain as calmly as possible while at the same time holding Ava and twirling around in a futile attempt to keep Ava's fingers out of Tara's sight. When she saw them, she starts screaming, crying, and yelling that we have to go to the doctor.

Tara grabbed Ava right out of my arms, as if I had done it on purpose. I finally got them both calmed down, we got some ice for Ava's fingers, and I gave her a popsicle (the magic medicine), even though I had to hold it for her because she wouldn't use her injured hand. After about 10 minutes I walked upstairs to see how they were doing, and Ava gave me the biggest smile and put out her arms to be held by me. That made me feel sooo good! At least she didn't blame me.

Her fingers are fine, no damage was really done, but I'm sure it hurt like hell when it happened. I'll have to be more aware from now on. I forgot how fast (and quietly!) those little kids can move.

Now Tara has asked me to babysit last night and tonight. Think she considers it some kind of penance? I don't mind, though. I even kind of like it when she wakes up in the middle of the night and we sit in the rocker together until she falls back to sleep. ;)

Cat

Earring, earring, on the floor

So, I lost one of my earrings here at Lori's house (no surprise there, I lose everything). I looked all over, and had finally given up hope of ever seeing it again.

Well, guess where I was sitting when I looked down on the floor, and THERE IT WAS!!! If you've been reading my blogs, you know exactly where I was situated. ;) Maybe I should spend more time situated there and I'd be struck with a bolt of inspiration for that novel I've always wanted to write...hah!

Hope your day is great, and also hoping that you too will come across an item you thought you lost! That's always such a nice surprise.

Cat

A little beer ditty for you

Sing to the tune of "Do, Re, Mi" (Doe, a deer, a female deer....)


Do..(dough)..the stuff I buy beer with

Re..(Ray)....the guy I buy beer from

Me..(me).....the one I buy beer for

Fa..(far)....the distance to the store

So...........I think I'll have a beer

La...........and then I'll have one more

Ti..(tea)....No thanks, I'll have a beer,

And that will bring us back to do, dough, doh, doh......


And that means another round for everybody!

Cute little song, isn't it? I forgot where I heard it, so I'm sorry I can't give credit to the original writer.

Cat

I'll keep this one neat, I promise!

Ahhhh, I just started a new checkbook register today. There is just such a good feeling about opening this completely blank, new, clean register book! Every time I start a new one I tell myself that I'm going to keep it nice. I'm going to write in neat, legible handwriting and keep everything in the row where it belongs.

That lasts about 2 days, and then I start writing fast and messily (at such places as the gas pump), forgetting to enter things when I use my checkcard, crossing things out and having to rewrite them, and generally just making a mess of the whole thing.

Oh, well, at least I always start with good intentions, and I get a new chance every time I fill one up. Wouldn't it be great if life were like that?

Cat

Jaywalking

No, not walking around the street asking people stupid questions (for those of you who are familiar with Jay Leno), although I do ask stupid questions at times also. Just some observations while walking around Seattle, where I happen to be visiting my sister right now.

Nobody jaywalks! In Florida we just cross the street whenever and wherever we want, hoping we don't get creamed by a senior citizen in a new cadillac. Here, everyone crosses at the corner and actually waits for the light to turn green. And turning cars actually stop for pedestrians! Amazing!

There really is a Starbucks on every corner.

They sell beers with 9% alcohol content! That's illegal in Florida. Florida even restricts the size of the bottle you can sell beer in. We have too many rules. But then that's our state motto - Things Are Different Here.

Every restaurant has at least one vegetarian and/or organic dish on the menu. The stores even sell organic dog food.

Speaking of dogs, the people here love their dogs with a passion. I'm sure some of these dogs live better than I do!

The people in Seattle are great! They are some of the nicest people I've come across.

Cat

Talk about multi-tasking!

I think it used to be called doing a thousand things at once, before we came up with this word that makes it sound like a goodd thing, multi-tasking.

Right now I'm trying to write my blog, check my e-mail, put on my make-up, and pay my bills, all while talking to my daughter on the phone.

Believe me, I'm not doing a good job at any of them, haha. Oh, well, at least they're getting done, because I want to get out of here and go for a walk!

Cat

Merv The Perv

I really believe that all men have a little bit of perv in them.

I was sitting in someone's driveway with them, getting ready to go Geo-Caching, and a little neighbor girl ran across the yard. He says, "She's going to be beautiful when she grows up", and I realized how many times I have heard grown men make that statement about little girls.

I mean, you don't hear women talking about little boys and saying, "Ooooh, he's going to be HOT when he grows up!". We do say kids are cute sometimes, but you can definitely tell that we are talking about a child.

It's just the way men say it, it's different somehow, I can't really put my finger on it. But I've come to the conclusion that all of them have a little perviness, or whatever you want to call it, in them.

Ah, well, I'll leave you with that thought. I'm off to Zephyrhills, Florida for three days. Yeeehaaaw!!!!

Cat

Aiiii ! I'm too old for this!

Now, don't get me wrong here, I love my grand-daughter very, very much. I think I'm just too old to have the energy for her by myself.

Tara was at school the other night, so I was babysitting Ava. Everything was just peachy, until Ava got hungry. Then she got cranky and started crying. So, I got up to get her dinner. She started crying so loud that it was painful to my ears, so I picked her up.

Just imagine trying to heat up food and make a bottle, and hold a baby, all at the same time, while the cat is meowing loudly and winding herself around my legs the whole time. Well, the cat can wait for her food, but it's difficult to walk with her under my feet under any circumstances, let alone while holding Ava.

Tara said it's not my age, that she gets flustered sometimes too, but I suspect she was just trying to make me feel better.

I need an energy boost!!!!!!

Cat

Tic Tac Toe

Hmmmm...all the title words in my last two blogs start with T. Wonder if that means anything?

HAHA, I read way too much into everything. But that's a topic for another day.

Anyway, I was in the bathroom at the local deli (seems I get all my blog ideas in the bathroom too. Wonder what THAT means?) and I saw a Tic-Tac-Toe game scratched into one of the tiles on the wall. So, I started thinking, is T-T-T really a fair game? I did every scenario I could think of in my head, and the conclusion is NO, it's not a fair game. The first person who goes will always win, no matter where the second person goes. This is provided that the first person knows how to play, of course. Tara didn't believe me, so we played about 20 games and I made a believer out of her. I think one game was a draw, but that was because I went in the square she told me to go in, instead of the one I wanted to.

So, if you're with a friend and need to while away some time, play dots. ;)

Cat

Toilet talk

Sorry, not to be crude here, but I just noticed something. (This is the wierd kind of stuff I think about...)

I was on the toilet, and I guess having nowhere else to look, I looked down, and saw that the back-band of my underwear said "size six". Well, it just so happens that my ring size, on the fourth finger, the ring finger, also happens to be size six...so...I WONDER...

Is every woman's underwear size the same as her ring size?

Click on the word 'comment' below to leave your answer. I'm really curious about this now.

Cat

Achoo!

Oh, gosh, all of us here have that stupid flu that's going around. There has been more coughing, sneezing and nose-blowing going on in this house than I can say!

So, last night, I had Ava on the bed with me, and she crawls over to my tissue, picks it up, holds it by her nose and pretends to sneeze...hehe! It was funny. Pretty smart for a six-month old, huh?

Now if only she would learn to hold her own bottle....the little stinker...

Cat

Memento

OK, I know I said I was turning off the computer, but I just wanted to say one more thing.

Watched the movie Memento tonight. Boy, did that remind me of myself! I also have little notes everywhere reminding me to do stuff. At least they're not tattooed on me! Actually, that guy's situation was MUCH worse than mine, so I should feel lucky, right? Who cares if I have to check every drawer in the morning before I find the one my socks are in? And my memory loss is supposed to be temporary, unlike his. Let's please hope that is true!

It makes for some funny moments, but it makes for some frustrating ones too, and I can tell that my family is getting frustrated as well, having to answer the same questions over and over. Today my daughter had to remind me what I got her for Christmas. I hope I still remember by tomorrow. (Repeat after me...high chair, high chair, high chair...)

Will blog again soon!

Cat

Just one click........

That's all it takes, is just one click.

That's how I started last night, then I saw an interesting link on the page, so I clicked it, then I saw another one, and clicked it, and on and on.

Before I knew it, it was 6:00 in the morning and the sun was coming up. You can just go on forever! I'm sure you've all done it before...

Well, it's 1:15 AM now, so I'm just going to publish this blog, and then force myself to turn off the computer and go to bed. Ha, ha.

Cat

Dont'cha just love these kids?

I visit Mexico a lot, and my favorite town so far is Buenavista. It's a small town where everyone knows everyone else, and every person I've met there has treated me as if I were part of their own family. My 'brother' there took me to visit a school for retarded kids, and I don't know who had more fun every time we went, me or them. The name of it is CAM (Centro de Atención Múltiple). I've decided to adopt them, and next time I go down there I am going loaded with school supplies. I've gotten some of the stores here to donate, but I will take anything I can.

So, if any of my readers feel like donating anything, they could use crayons, pencils, calculators, paper, childrens books to learn english with, or anything else you could think a children's school could use. I can bring a receipt back for anybody who wants one. If you want to call me and discuss their needs, my cell number is 561-271-1639. If you'd like to e-mail me, my address is catnpr@aol.com

Since I'm out of work anyway, I'll probably take a trip down there end of March, beginning of April. Please help, these kids could use it. Here are some pics of the kids and the school...

Please read through to the end, and comment if you will.

Here is a copy of my post from the first day I met them last year....Gabriel is a friend of mine who lives there. This is dated 11-05-04.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Gabriel volunteers a few times a week at a small school here for mentally and pysically handicapped children. (Is that today's politically-correct term? I hope so)

After school today four of us walked over there. It was the other student here, Padre Dennis; his teacher, Raquel; Gabriel; and I. It was too funny, when we arrived, one of the kids walks past us and yells to all the others, "¡Tienen muchachas!" They have girls! We were cracking up. I guess he doesn't bring too many guests there.

They were all having a meeting with the director of the school. He was giving the Padre a tour of the building, and I was snapping a few photos with my digital camera. One of the little boys started following me around, so I was letting him play with the camera. He was so thrilled with taking pictures and then looking at them in the little viewer. Then he started dragging me all over the school, making me take pictures of everything, so that he could look at the object and the picture of it at the same time. Before I knew it, I was mobbed with kids, asking me to take their pictures in various combinations and poses so they could see themselves in the viewer. They were all shrieking and howling with laughter, and shortly, I was too.

We were having so much fun that I didn't even notice when they all came out of the meeting, and then I realized they were standing around waiting for me so we could go home. oops!

I really didn't want to leave. All the kids gave me big hugs goodbye.

The director of the school invited me to come back next week and have lunch with the kids. I better not forget my camera!
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
If you have gotten this far, the help I wanted is just to send me a few crayons or pencils, or any other school supplies. They could really use them! If you think you can help, call me at 561-271-1639. I can bring you back a receipt if you want one. I'll be going down there the end of March or beginning of April. I've gotten a few stores here to donate the stuff they couldn't sell and would have returned to the wholesaler. Please be a good doobie and help me out!

I had some pics of the kids and the school to add, but I can't remember how. So I'll post now as-is, and add the pics later when I figure it out.

I figured it out! Yay, yay!! Here are the pics...hope you like them...


The schoolroom 


2 of the kids. They are SO loving! 


Me, the director, and kids 

Cat

Why, why, why?

Why does it take so long for a blog to post on here? I wrote one 5 hours ago and it's still not showing yet. Unless I'm doing something wrong, which is more than likely...

Anyway, on to the next blog, where I ask for your help with something...

Cat

Memories....

I just can't remember anything anymore! Today was my brother's birthday and I forgot (sorry Joe). Good thing my sister reminded me so I could call him!

Went to the doctor today. He says he's keeping me out of work another 60-90 days. Good in a way, because I can use the break from the stress, but the money really stinks! I'm only getting half my normal pay.

My boss is a jerk too. My daughter called him to let him know the doctor extended my sick leave, and he just said OK. Never even asked how I was. I've worked for the guy for 5 years, you'd think he'd care.

Tara gave me a little notebook to carry around, and now I'm writing everything down so I don't forget so many things. I can't even remember my own mother's phone number, or my own phone number for that matter.

Ah, well, got to go. We're going out for our Valentine's dinner tonight.

Cat

Happy Valentines Day

Hope you all had a good V-Day. Mine was nothing special. My boyfriend is a waiter/bartender, so obviously he is working tonight. I got to babysit for my grand-daughter. Her other grandmother was supposed to do it, but at the last minute she changed her mind, so Tara brought Ava back over here. She's cute and all, but I like being able to hand her back when she gets cranky.

Anyway, I guess it turned out to be a good thing in a way, because when Tara dropped Ava off she reminded me to turn on 24. Good thing, because I would have totally forgotten to watch it! As it was, I was having a hard time following the story line because of this memory crap. I can't wait until my memory is back to normal!

Here's a picture of the little angel....sleeping, just the way I like her.

Ava sleeping 

And here is Ava in what I call 'The Wonder Walker'. Tara got it at Walmart, and it has more toys on it than I've ever seen attached to a walker!! She loves the thing!

Ava in the wonder walker 

Cat

Welcome to Blogspot

Welcome and thanks to those of you who came over here from my other blog. Welcome also to any new readers who just happened to land here.

I hope you like what you see and visit often. I'm learning as I go, so please bear with me, I'm doing the best I can. I thought I knew some HTML, but I obviously do not know as much as I think I did. Luckily this site offers lessons, so let's see how quickly I can improve my talent. I still haven't figured out how to put smiley faces in my blog.

I hope you don't mind the advertisements, I tried to make them as unobtrusive as I could (with my limited HTML talent), but they offer me a small source of revenue. And who couldn't use an extra source of revenue? Especially right now, since I'm not working. I'll blog about that later.

Happy Sunday to all!

Cat

Well, this only took all day...

Relaxing in Mexico

This is definitely not the easiest site in the world to use. Or maybe I'm just not the most educated web-user. (the more likely explanation)

All I was trying to do was add a picture to my profile. Somehow it ended up as a post instead. Then it took me three hours to figure out how to get it into my profile and another two hours to figure out how to edit the post, rather than creating a new post, to add text to it. I think I pretty much have the hang of it now. (well, I certainly hope so after working on it for 5 hours!)

Now I just have to figure out how to put smiley faces in here, but that will have to wait for another day. As impatient as I can be, I'm plain tired of messing around with it today. Anyway, now I'll have a ready-made subject for tomorrow. *smile*

Cat

Post number one...

OK, so I couldn't think of any other title.

I've been going through some medical procedures recently which have caused me to lose all my short term memory. They (the doctors) told me that was going to happen, but I was definitely not prepared for the extent of it. I couldn't even remember my own mother's phone number, I had to ask my daughter what it was. This is supposed to be temporary. I certainly hope that's true, because my job is based on my memory, so no memory=no job.

This is a really weird feeling. I can't remember any of my logins or passwords to any of the websites I go to. I had to create a new blog, because I can't get to my old one. I've gotten bills in the mail for things that I can't remember I ordered. I can't find any of my belongings, because I can't remember where I put them. I even lost $100 that someone gave me. Oh, well, my daughter says, look at the bright side, I'll be really happy when I find it someday. I can't even remember stuff I said or did 5 minutes ago. I probably wouldn't even remember I wrote this blog 10 minutes from now, except that I wrote myself a note so I can find it. The whole situation is very, very strange! Tara (my daughter) thinks I'm joking sometimes when I ask her to remind me of some things, but believe me, I'm not joking. I wish I was.

Well, that's that it for tonight. I was going to write about something else, but I forgot what... (Surprise, surprise...) I hope I remember tomorrow that I have a blog....heeheee.

Anyway, goodnight from the cat's meow. Maybe forgetting is a good thing; people tell me my voice has a happier lilt to it. So, life is good, right?

Abrazos y besos por todos!

Cat