Snow, Sammy and Soup

The last time I wrote about Sammy the neighborhood vagabond cat, he was ignominiously turned away from the door by Molly the visiting grand dog. He didn't show up here for about 8-10 days after that, but this morning, he jumped up in the kitchen window just as I got up. I rushed to let him in; the temperature was hovering near 20* and I knew he was nearly frozen. 

He sure was happy!  I poured a bowl of dry food and topped it off with some wet dog food, and he ate half of it and promptly walked off to the guest room to take a nap on the antique blue and white woven wool coverlet  (he has good taste.)

Just before he went to sleep, his roaming buddy, the feral black neighborhood cat showed up in the window. I thought maybe I could coax him or her to come in, since it was so very cold - but he/she was having none of it, and every time I opened the door, the cat ran off. Mr. kenju suggested that I put some food out for him, and I did. About ten minutes later, I saw the cat chowing down, but I still couldn't convince him to come in. Sammy didn't seem to mind; he is now curled up near my feet. 

About 11:15 am, it started snowing and I went upstairs to shower. When I returned, there was about 1/2 inch of the fluffy white stuff on the deck and Sammy took one look at it and decided be ought to stay right where he was. Smart cat. I am so pleased to have him here!

My hair is boring me. The length (just below the ears) and color (white/gray) are limiting. I am not about to change the color, but I can do one thing - and that is wear full bangs - instead of pulling them off to the side. I styled it that way after my shower today. Meh. 

Mr. kenju said I look like a woman we used to know back in the 60's, who had hair styled like this. I was not impressed....lol....and next time I comb or wash it - the bangs will be back to the side. 

For the last month or so, I have been trying to clean out and throw away. I am also considering starting deep cleaning in one room at a time. Notice that I said considering. Nothing concrete has been done yet, although I have been able to rid myself of some books and trinkets and picture frames. I did keep the photos those frames were used for, however. I have a very hard time tossing photos out, even if they are not good, or if I have no idea who the people are...lol

Soup is very good on cold days  (or hot ones, for that matter) and I am about to go and have some. I used last Sunday's left-over pot roast, with potatoes and carrots, to make soup and it is excellent. I added some corn and green beans. There was talk of cornbread on Facebook this morning and it whetted my appetite for some, but I think I'll wait until dinner time to make it. 

What are you doing this fine, cold, snowy day? 

Odds and Ends

We're drowning in hair. Between Molly the dog, Sammy the cat, what falls off my head and that of Mr. k, we are carpeted in discarded hair. If I still had a loom, I might try to weave some of it into a blanket. Before we turned gray, we seldom noticed our fallen hair, but now it is very easy to see. The only remedy for it is to redecorate and have white carpets and furniture.....lol   (Ain't gonna' happen; hair is more tolerable than spots.)

While reading the obits in my home town paper on-line this morning, I saw a familiar name. My maternal uncle's wife died, age 95. I have not seen her in at least 25 years; he died in the early 60's of a heart attack, after shoveling snow to help a friend out of a ditch. She was an elegant woman in middle age; tall and slim with a classic face and long dark brown hair which she pulled back into a large bun at the nape of her neck. I was an impudent pre-teen when we met, and she was not my favorite person at that time. She and my uncle were not married yet, but she was pregnant with his child, and I was (stupidly) judgmental and unforgiving. Shame on me. Their child was a gorgeous cherub with flaming red hair, who grew into a beautiful woman who could have modeled for hair product posters with her exquisite mane. I came to love them both, and I wish our paths had crossed more often over the past 30 years. I don't know her contact info, and apparently there will be no service for the mother. It's too bad that we let people leave our lives. The last time I saw either of them was at my mother's funeral in 1985. 

Today is Mr. Kenju's birthday. I don't usually "do" breakfast for him, but this morning I made bacon and a cheese omelet, and delivered orange juice to him in bed. He thinks I ought to do that every day, but he is barking up the wrong tree. You've heard women say "I married for better of for worse, but not for lunch?"  I say the same, and add breakfast....lol

He is going out to lunch with 3-4 guy friends and I have to decide what to make this evening. We would ordinarily go out for dinner, but it is colder than the proverbial witches you-know-what here, and we won't want to be out past dark. I think steak and baked potatoes are looming in our future, along with shrimp cocktail. I made his favorite cake last Sunday, and since the doc complained about his weight this week - we will dispense with dessert tonight. Mr. K blamed his weight gain on the holidays, but the doc wasn't having it. We are all the victim of our choices, and where food is concerned, Mr. K never saw a plate he didn't want to dive into  (unless it contained fish.)

Here's hoping you are staying warm this week!  

To Sleep, Perchance to Dream....

Mr. Kenju's birthday is this coming week, so the family is gathering here today for a meal and celebration. He is having a problem with the number of birthdays he has achieved. I guess I should remind him that a high number of birthdays is certainly preferable to the alternative. 

I put 4 1/2 lbs. of pot roast in the crock pot last night, with carrots, potatoes, celery and onions. There is nothing new about that combination, but the recipe is one I found in the cook book that came with the crock pot, and it has a gravy made with tomato soup, beef consomme, thyme, marjoram, salt and pepper. I didn't have any marjoram, so I added a bit of Mrs. Dash. It has been cooking all night long and the aromas emanating from the kitchen are almost too good to bear. Mr. K was concerned about cooking it overnight; fearing that it would catch fire. Luckily, that didn't happen. Now I just have to worry that we don't start eating it before the family gets here....lol

Waking at 4 a.m., after a weird dream  (and only 4 hours sleep) , I went down to the kitchen to check on the pot roast. A family member and I had discussed the possibility that if all the family came  (15 of us) there might not be enough food for everyone. My dream was about giving a dinner party and finding out at the last minute that I had run out of food, and had to leave my guests to go to the grocery. As I awoke, I was in quite an agitated state - and so further sleep was impossible. I hope I don't fall asleep at the dinner table today.

The birthday dessert is Mr. K's favorite pineapple-upside-down cake. My son loves it too, and I have made so many of them I think I could do it in my sleep. 

I'm not sure why Blogger put this photo here; I meant it to be at the top. "Sigh"

We have a good day for it; after 1" of snow several days ago, the temps have risen and today will be nearly 60*. Unfortunately, by Tuesday we will be in a deep freeze. I know that we need some cold weather to kill the pests, particularly fleas and ticks, but I can't wait for spring. I sure hope it comes early this year!!

An Old Friend

I referred on Facebook today to an oooooooooold friend of mine and in one of the comments, one friend said she presumed I meant old as in the sense of how long I had known her. Actually, I meant it both ways; the lady is 87 and I have known her since 1983. We met when I began as a volunteer at the north Carolina Museum of Art, and we hit it off right from the start. In the early years of our friendship, we saw each other frequently, but that has leveled off in recent years. 

We have had the good habit of meeting for lunch near our birthdays at least two times a year since then, but in 2012,  the month of May was extremely busy for me and I had to let it slide. It continued to slide, past my birthday in October but today, we finally were able to have our lunch. Mr. kenju kept reminding me that if I didn't do it soon, I might miss the opportunity. I hate to look at it that way, but of course, one cannot help but think of losing friends and family who are in their 80's and beyond. 

This friend has been very healthy during the time I've known her, but she now has a pacemaker, and the only other problem is with a foot, on which she had surgery last year, and necessitates the use of a walker (which she hopes is temporary.) When her foot trouble escalated, her children moved her from her lovely, spacious two bedroom apartment into the assisted living unit of her complex. She deplores the loss of room and the loss of her car - as I am sure I will when it happens to me. 

We had a good lunch today, at Relish. I had a Reuben; she had the tuna melt; the fireplace was roaring and the conversation flowing. We had chosen a lousy day, weather-wise, to go out. It was chilly and misty as we started out and down-right cold and rainy when we left the warm atmosphere of the restaurant. But that didn't dampen our spirits and we definitely enjoyed seeing each other after so long a separation. I definitely will not let it slide so long again in the future. Good, old friends are hard to find.....we shouldn't let them fall to the wayside of our lives. 

Odds and Ends

Edit below!   When long-time, well-enjoyed bloggers disappear, do you miss them?  I always loved seeing a new post pop up on SRP's site:   Melange    Her photos and poems were usually wonderful as well as educational, and I enjoyed reading about her family. 

I had the good fortune to meet her when we went to Virginia Beach, near where she lives. We had lunch twice and conversed as if we had known each other for years  (in person, and not just on the web.)

Over a year ago, just after her mother passed away, SRP stopped blogging. She has not

answered email, either, and although I was in her area again last January, I hesitated to call her, since she obviously didn't want further communication. I just wish I knew if she was okay. Roxanne, if by some chance you are reading this, please tell us you are alive and well.

Mr. kenju went for his every four month blood-letting this morning, after which we had the usual greasy, golden arches sausage biscuits. I couldn't finish mine. It tasted like something

fake; as though it were manufactured instead of taken from living things. I suspect I am not far off in that speculation. It is the only time I ever go to that place, and I am grateful that I have other choices. Guess who ate my leftovers? 

We have been blessed with warm, definitely out of season weather for the last 4-5 days, and today is supposed to be decent, but at the moment it is misting rain, chilly and dreary. I can't get warm. We are going out again in a few minutes, to get pedicures, and I cannot imagine walking out of there later with flip-flops on. I'll be one big chill bump! I'm in the mood for green toenail polish, but the last few times I've been there, they haven't had any. 

Miss Molly, my grand-doggy is here visiting again. She doesn't always sleep with me, but when she does, I don't get much sleep - or it seems that way. Last night, she stayed in my bed all night long. I was trapped in one position for hours. She is too heavy for me to move and she is loathe to do it on her own....lol  

Poor Sammy, the vagabond cat, came visiting 2 nights ago. He was in the kitchen window at 11:30 pm, when I was making preparations to go to bed. Molly didn't see him at first, but she heard me opening a can of cat food and came running. When she saw Sammy in the window, she put her paws up on the counter and let out the deepest, loudest, most malicious-sounding growl I've ever heard. Luckily, we have a sliding pocket door between our kitchen and the back hallway. I shut that door and opened a back door to the deck, and set the bowl of food out for Sammy. It was warm that night, so I didn't feel too badly about not letting him inside, but he needed cuddling and I needed to do it!  I hope he will return after Molly goes home on Thursday.

Note:  I almost missed my blogging anniversary, but today  (January 16th) marks 8 years of blogging!  I started with this blog, Just Ask Judy, changed to Imagine for a few years, and then came back to this older one. I'm still loving it, even though I don't post every day. Thanks to all of you who read here!

DO Your Taxes!

Have you started your 2012 taxes yet? I like to get a head start by collecting data and making lists, finding checks and receipts, etc. I'm still cleaning out files and boxes of photos and memorabiilia, and this 1940 tax return popped up. When I cleaned out my parents home after my dad died, I found this, along with a receipt for something he bought in 1940 that cost $1. I can't understand why he found it necessary to keep that receipt until he died, in 1995. The tax return is a bit of a mystery too, since he didn't have many others in his files. Perhaps this one is special because it was the year I was born. I'd like to think that was the reason he and mom kept it.

What's new with you?

Nothing Going On.....Except....

There is nothing much going on around here since Christmas, hence I have had little to say.  I still don't have much to say, but I thought it best to check in. 

Here's hoping your New Year is off to a good start and that you have managed to skirt the horrible flu that is going around. We have, and we are grateful for that  (and for the flu shots.)

Molly the dog has been here visiting again yesterday and Sammy the vagabond cat came to the deck while Molly was here, but thought better of coming in, since Molly almost tore down the French doors when she saw Sammy. We thought Sammy might never darken the doorstep again, but on this frosty cold morning, he was looking in the kitchen window again. Since Molly had gone back to her home,  I let him in pronto and fed the ravenous little guy, who promptly curled up on a comforter and slept for 5 hours with very little change of position.

January always puts me in a clean-up mode. I started  (yet again) in my office/laundry room, which (along with the garage) has been the catch-all for the whole house for years. My mother was a pack rat and I swore I'd not be like her - but to my dismay - I'm almost worse. Mom kept clothing, dishes, kitchen utensils, costume jewelry, collectibles and anything she thought someone might need to use or own at some point in the distant future. I am a paper keeper.  Books, pamphlets, leaflets, posters, art prints,  old school papers, gift bags, wrapping papers, ribbons, cords, string - you name it and I probably have some. Until now.

Upon finding some old posters from the 80's that daughter one discarded years ago, I asked her if she wanted them now, to sell on eBay and she said no, "No one would want them."  I thought about it for a day and decided to mention them on Facebook. Within 20 minutes, I had 4 takers; one of whom is local, making delivery easy. Later I mentioned a poster from a local event, and someone from my neighborhood wants it. It just proves my idea that everything in the world has a collector, if only you can manage to connect with that person. So much of the stuff I have collected over the years is in that category. It might be hard to find someone who needs or wants everything, though,  and donating is not always the answer. Neither is a garage sale, since the odds of the typical attendee wanting my ephemera is slim at best. I just want it to go to a good home, where it will be cherished and kept for posterity. Is that too much to ask?  After all, if I thought it was good enough to keep for 50 years, why not someone else???