I had been told that Michael had a sneezing problem. He does. He even came with a big bottle of allergy pills, although Florence said she hadn't noticed they did any good. After my one disastrously failed attempt to give Michael a pill, I'd rather give him a tissue. Being such a conscientious fellow, he cleans up any residue in the house himself. He has more good days than bad, and he doesn't sneeze continuously, but in spurts.
It is the time of year when hot days alternate with cold, and I get a drippy nose. Michael and I are quite a pair on our walks, both of us snorting and sniffing as we go. It's a good thing we're not often in public.
We are having company this week. Linda is coming by tomorrow; it's been ages since I've seen her and she has yet to meet Michael. And Clay is coming up! The change in weather has me thinking about cooking again, and albondigas are sounding better and better. Clay is such a pleasure to cook for.
I got another five this morning! A full house or, better yet, four of a kind are in the realm of possibility. Hey, you take your excitement where you find it.
Monday, October 7, 2019
Sunday, October 6, 2019
Comedy Club
The funny thing about cats is that they don't think they're being funny. Ask any cat and they'll respond in a typical stoic way. Ralph and Celeste, my own dynamic duo, crack me up all the time. They play hide-and-seek, ambushing each other from behind the curtain in the shower stall. That, in itself, may not sound very funny. You'd have to know it is a clear plastic curtain to find the humor.
Celeste continues to herd me into the kitchen every morning for treats. Now, however, she thinks any time I go in there should be treat time. "Wrowr?" in her tiny cat voice. "No, Celeste, you had treats already." "Wrowrrr," (pitiful cry as she winds around my ankles). "No, I said." "Wrowr!" Ralph lets Celeste do the talking for the pair, waiting around the corner to see if she's successful (and I'll admit sometimes she is).
Except for the one time Ralph slipped out an open door and panicked to get right back in the house, neither cat has been outside. That doesn't stop them from threatening any bird that comes close. It's one thing when it's a sparrow on the deck rail. It's quite another when they "kek kek kek," tails flicking, at a huge turkey in the front garden. They had a chance to practice their kill skills a while back when a praying mantis came in under the screen door.
Ralph seems to have a species identity crisis. When he sits on my lap, he'd rather have his belly rubbed like a dog than have his back stroked. In my experience, that's unusual for a cat. He's pretty insistent about it, adjusting his body so my hand is in the right place. Go figure.
(I got another five this morning, hoping for four of a kind,)
Celeste continues to herd me into the kitchen every morning for treats. Now, however, she thinks any time I go in there should be treat time. "Wrowr?" in her tiny cat voice. "No, Celeste, you had treats already." "Wrowrrr," (pitiful cry as she winds around my ankles). "No, I said." "Wrowr!" Ralph lets Celeste do the talking for the pair, waiting around the corner to see if she's successful (and I'll admit sometimes she is).
Except for the one time Ralph slipped out an open door and panicked to get right back in the house, neither cat has been outside. That doesn't stop them from threatening any bird that comes close. It's one thing when it's a sparrow on the deck rail. It's quite another when they "kek kek kek," tails flicking, at a huge turkey in the front garden. They had a chance to practice their kill skills a while back when a praying mantis came in under the screen door.
Ralph seems to have a species identity crisis. When he sits on my lap, he'd rather have his belly rubbed like a dog than have his back stroked. In my experience, that's unusual for a cat. He's pretty insistent about it, adjusting his body so my hand is in the right place. Go figure.
(I got another five this morning, hoping for four of a kind,)
Saturday, October 5, 2019
Company's Coming
Fridays are now known as Arden Days. It's a good afternoon for both of us. We share a snack, she gets her laundry done, we watch a couple of news shows that interest us, and, because company's coming, I get some cleaning done beforehand. (I work better under the incentive plan.) Yesterday's chore was the seldom-used guest bathroom. Someone explain to me how a bathroom gets dusty, please.
This year is zipping by on fast-forward. It occurred to me the other day that Thanksgiving is just around the corner and I am so not ready. In an attempt to get a jump on prep work, I cleaned the ovens. Okay, that's a pitiful attempt to garner praise. I have self-cleaning ovens, so my "work" consisted of pushing buttons. When Steve and I redid the kitchen, it was at the height of "guess who's coming to dinner (and how many)." That's when we put in a six-burner propane stove and double ovens. When shopping for the ovens, I found that the majority had a self-cleaning top oven, but not the bottom. Does that make sense to anyone? Half the work is still work. Those appliances only get a workout now on holidays, but the holidays are coming.
I'm about due for a new microwave. The much-used buttons are starting to malfunction and the door doesn't want to open. I really can't complain as I've had it for over twenty years and it's done yeoman's duty.
I drew a five in the morning time card game. I'd better hope to pair up or get a full house, because a straight would put me either way too early or too late.
This year is zipping by on fast-forward. It occurred to me the other day that Thanksgiving is just around the corner and I am so not ready. In an attempt to get a jump on prep work, I cleaned the ovens. Okay, that's a pitiful attempt to garner praise. I have self-cleaning ovens, so my "work" consisted of pushing buttons. When Steve and I redid the kitchen, it was at the height of "guess who's coming to dinner (and how many)." That's when we put in a six-burner propane stove and double ovens. When shopping for the ovens, I found that the majority had a self-cleaning top oven, but not the bottom. Does that make sense to anyone? Half the work is still work. Those appliances only get a workout now on holidays, but the holidays are coming.
I'm about due for a new microwave. The much-used buttons are starting to malfunction and the door doesn't want to open. I really can't complain as I've had it for over twenty years and it's done yeoman's duty.
I drew a five in the morning time card game. I'd better hope to pair up or get a full house, because a straight would put me either way too early or too late.
Friday, October 4, 2019
Magic Mike
No, I'm not talking about Matthew McConaughey and other male strippers in that racy 2012 movie. I'm talking about Michael's magical powers. It's absolutely amazing how he draws people to him. We were in town yesterday and clerks came out from behind their counters to meet Michael. Women in the aisles stopped to pet him (I always appreciate that people ask first), ask about him, and tell me about dogs they've had in their lives. More surprising still are the many men who do the same. I mean, I've seen dogs before and admired them for their coats or behavior, but it wouldn't have occurred to me to stop their owner. People just gush over Michael.
It's not just the admiration that makes Michael happy to go shopping. There are all those bushes and trees in the parking lots and he has to visit every one wherever we go. He goes through the motions even when the well is dry.
Michael has another, not so pleasing, magic trick. He can disappear. Hands full of bags to unload when we got home, I'd left his leash in the truck. When we headed out for our evening walk, I went one way to get the leash and Michael headed off in the other. "Michael, don't you do it! Get your fuzzy butt right back here!" "Lalalala. I can't hear you," and just like that, he vanished. In due time (Michael's time) he came back. Doggone dog.
It's very liberating not to have a clock in the bedroom. When the power blipped the other day, of course it set the clock to blinking and I just haven't gotten around to resetting it. I'm used to waking up in the dark, but try to hang out in bed until 5 or so. Three-thirty seems ridiculous even to me. The last few days, if I'm tired I go back to sleep. If not, I get up. It's like drawing a card in poker to find out what time it really is when I get to the kitchen. Today I drew a six. Ta da!
It's not just the admiration that makes Michael happy to go shopping. There are all those bushes and trees in the parking lots and he has to visit every one wherever we go. He goes through the motions even when the well is dry.
Michael has another, not so pleasing, magic trick. He can disappear. Hands full of bags to unload when we got home, I'd left his leash in the truck. When we headed out for our evening walk, I went one way to get the leash and Michael headed off in the other. "Michael, don't you do it! Get your fuzzy butt right back here!" "Lalalala. I can't hear you," and just like that, he vanished. In due time (Michael's time) he came back. Doggone dog.
It's very liberating not to have a clock in the bedroom. When the power blipped the other day, of course it set the clock to blinking and I just haven't gotten around to resetting it. I'm used to waking up in the dark, but try to hang out in bed until 5 or so. Three-thirty seems ridiculous even to me. The last few days, if I'm tired I go back to sleep. If not, I get up. It's like drawing a card in poker to find out what time it really is when I get to the kitchen. Today I drew a six. Ta da!
Thursday, October 3, 2019
In Training
Just as I often wonder who's in charge here, now I'm wondering who is training whom. Michael is so bright. He learned my haphazard schedule in no time, and now he's teaching me. He is such a quiet dog, I have to pay attention to his signals. He never demands, but he does give persistent clues. Should his bowl get empty, he moves it about on the floor for me to hear. "Hey, lady, how about some service here." I'm lucky in that Michael is a late sleeper, giving me time to fool around on the computer (I call it taking care of business), but when I dress and go out to the living room, he's ready to go outside. The only way I know this is because he goes to sit by the front door. If I should ignore him, he moves over to the other door, more in line with my vision. "Hey, lady, pay attention!" Using this technique, he now has me going out at least three times a day and we're logging over a mile altogether. Whenever we go outside and he's not on the leash, if he's not gone down the hill, as soon as we get back in the house he gets a treat and a lot of "Good boy" praise. That's all well and fine, but Michael has been training me to also give him a brisk butt scrub as soon as I sit down. The outing isn't complete for him without that. Okay, I'm learning. Bess Anne and I had shared a meal (small bits for her), but I had intended not to do that with Michael. Yeah, well. I found out last night that he likes roasted Brussels sprouts as much as I.
Michael has kept his sense of humor well hidden, but bits and pieces are starting to creep out. He really seems to enjoy beating me (every time) in our race back to the house. I'm getting my reward in tail wags, which he hadn't done before. The other day he even ran around in the house, not enough to play Catch Me, but it was the first spontaneous play he'd done here. I'm getting hand licks now when he's happy. That makes me happy, too.
Michael has kept his sense of humor well hidden, but bits and pieces are starting to creep out. He really seems to enjoy beating me (every time) in our race back to the house. I'm getting my reward in tail wags, which he hadn't done before. The other day he even ran around in the house, not enough to play Catch Me, but it was the first spontaneous play he'd done here. I'm getting hand licks now when he's happy. That makes me happy, too.
Wednesday, October 2, 2019
The Hurrier I Go
As Lewis Carroll's White Rabbit said in Alice In Wonderland (1865), "The hurrier I go, the behinder I get." Fits me to a T. Should have paid bills the day before, but wasn't up to it after the mess with the, as Kit called it, Docusign, so I tackled that onerous chore yesterday.
I have used online banking for years. Given that our local post office keeps erratic hours and the price of stamps these days, online is a simple process. A check that had been sent to one of my payees by the bank had the wrong address and was returned to me! When I checked my statement, I also found that an automatic deposit made every month from an investment company had not been made. I believe I mentioned a while ago that my computer had suddenly chosen to enlarge the visible screen. Well, looking at the statement, all I could see in the right-hand column were minus signs with the amounts in red. Red to me means "in the hole" and that I was overdrawn (which has never happened). Aarrgh! I was in a right panic by the time I called the bank. The nice young man couldn't explain the payee mistake, but he was, calmly, able to ask if I could shift the computer screen to the left to see the entire page. Of course I could, and would have if I had not been in such a froth. The second call was to the payee company to explain the foofah and why my payment was late. "No problem, just send another." The third call was to the investment company, left a message, and, rattled though I was, went about the business of paying bills. When that gentleman called back, he couldn't explain either, but said he'd fix it immediately. Oh goody, please do.
I'd no more than finished with the monthly task when "blip!" the power went out. Really?! With a clear blue sky overhead, I felt I was under a dark, dark cloud. I was going through my mental checklist for life without electricity (not my first rodeo) when the gremlins in force said, "Let there be light," and the clocks started blinking.
"Come on, Michael, we're going for another walk. I don't know about you, but I need one!" I hauled a wagonload of firewood to the porch. It had been the coldest day yet and I was frozen. There is that blissful moment when Stove starts throwing out heat and you realize you can feel your cheeks again.
I can't say it had been a good day, but it had a happy ending.
I have used online banking for years. Given that our local post office keeps erratic hours and the price of stamps these days, online is a simple process. A check that had been sent to one of my payees by the bank had the wrong address and was returned to me! When I checked my statement, I also found that an automatic deposit made every month from an investment company had not been made. I believe I mentioned a while ago that my computer had suddenly chosen to enlarge the visible screen. Well, looking at the statement, all I could see in the right-hand column were minus signs with the amounts in red. Red to me means "in the hole" and that I was overdrawn (which has never happened). Aarrgh! I was in a right panic by the time I called the bank. The nice young man couldn't explain the payee mistake, but he was, calmly, able to ask if I could shift the computer screen to the left to see the entire page. Of course I could, and would have if I had not been in such a froth. The second call was to the payee company to explain the foofah and why my payment was late. "No problem, just send another." The third call was to the investment company, left a message, and, rattled though I was, went about the business of paying bills. When that gentleman called back, he couldn't explain either, but said he'd fix it immediately. Oh goody, please do.
I'd no more than finished with the monthly task when "blip!" the power went out. Really?! With a clear blue sky overhead, I felt I was under a dark, dark cloud. I was going through my mental checklist for life without electricity (not my first rodeo) when the gremlins in force said, "Let there be light," and the clocks started blinking.
"Come on, Michael, we're going for another walk. I don't know about you, but I need one!" I hauled a wagonload of firewood to the porch. It had been the coldest day yet and I was frozen. There is that blissful moment when Stove starts throwing out heat and you realize you can feel your cheeks again.
I can't say it had been a good day, but it had a happy ending.
Tuesday, October 1, 2019
Falling Behind
Being President of Procrastinators Unanimous has its drawbacks. There were papers that needed to be signed for the dreaded change in home insurance. They were slow to get here by snail mail, so my "support person" at the insurance company sent them to me by email. "Get them back to me by Friday, Monday at the latest." It doesn't do to extend any deadline for me. Of course I waited until Monday to pull them, print them, sign in umpty-ump places, and scan them for return. Oh, wait. I've evidently not needed to scan anything since the change to Windows 10 and the connection with the scanner was not lost...I just couldn't find it. I even downloaded a new app that, as they said, should have worked. It didn't. Panicked by this time, I called and explained that I was failing computer and I'd bring the papers in. "You don't need to scan them. You can sign them right on line." "Really?!" (Who knew?) Back to the computer which, by this time, was not my friend. "Just click where it tells you and follow the directions." Uh huh. I got as far as finding the right place to "enter name" (that's all it told me), tried to type in my name, and nothing. Aarrgh! I called back. "Can you talk me through this?" "Yes." Again I found the right boxes. "Just enter your name." "Nothing is happening." "Just hold the left key down on the mouse and write your name." Take my word for it, there were no directions to do that. Mission accomplished, I sent off the documents. Technology is forging ahead and I am definitely lagging behind.
I have the same sort of problems with the change in the television receiver. The new remote control can do things the old, simple remote could not. My problem is that neither the computer nor the receiver came with directions. I can follow directions but without a manual, I'm left to founder on my own.
Michael and I took three walks yesterday. We both needed to be out in the fresh, brisk air. The rain had stopped by daybreak. Michael had business to take care of, and I needed to decompress after the trials of the morning. At least I can keep up with Michael now.
I have the same sort of problems with the change in the television receiver. The new remote control can do things the old, simple remote could not. My problem is that neither the computer nor the receiver came with directions. I can follow directions but without a manual, I'm left to founder on my own.
Michael and I took three walks yesterday. We both needed to be out in the fresh, brisk air. The rain had stopped by daybreak. Michael had business to take care of, and I needed to decompress after the trials of the morning. At least I can keep up with Michael now.
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