SueWorks

Paranoia or Good Sense

I was looking at articles on H1N1 yesterday.  Two people in China may have died due to the vaccination.  A local medical center is buying gallons of hand sanitizer monthly.  I've heard of schools cleaning door knobs multiple times throughout the day with germ killing chemicals.  To get to the restroom at work, I need to open three doors one way.  That's a lot of germ infested door knobs to touch. 

Pkin and I were at Costco, at check out the family behind us had two preteen girls who were sneezing.  No hands were covering mouths and I didn't see a tissue anywhere.  Pkin moved us to the front of the cart - so there were only sneezing on our purchases. 

Wow!  All this stuff can make you crazy.  Do you wear a mask?  How much hand sanitizer should you use?  How can you not shake hands?  I heard something about elbow bumping as an alternative.  Heck, I'm ready to wave only.

I Cannot Wait

It's official; in one week it's the bestest day of the whole year.  It's Thanksgiving.  There are three turkeys with my name on them, thanks to my Dad.  Thanks, Dad!

I will pick up one early next week to begin the defrosting process.  We use frozen birds because we know it's all about the stuffing.  I cannot share the family recipe.  Yes, it is a secret, and yes, it is not written down.  There are special ingredients with a base of Mrs. Cubbison's corn bread, that's all I can share.  It's heaven and it's the bestest way to stuff your bird.  Honestly, you don't even need a bird, and we always have extra for pre-dinner snacking and during dinner and then for after dinner meals. 

There's an article in yesterday's LA Times, actually a few, about Thanksgiving traditions and recipes.  There was also a statement about Thanksgiving being utmost a family holiday, and that's why I love it so.  You spend all day, actually a few days with pies and prep, preparing for one meal that you share with loved ones.  Who could ask for anything better?!?  I think I have pictures from last year.

This year I have a new roaster rack.  It's got a removable pin that will allow the bird to be gently moved from the roasting pan to the serving platter; I'm rightfully skeptical, but I shelled out the 15 bucks anyway.  It's worth a try.

Happy Monday

I have weigh-in on Monday, which makes me think a little more about what I eat on Sunday.  It's a good thing.  Today was a good day, down 1.6 pounds.  That seems like such a little bit but it's like half a can of coffee.  That's something!

My friend, and main non-paid motivator, is on Lindora which is a high protein, very low carb plan.  She is losing weight much faster than I am but I like my carbs, love them in fact, this is best plan for me right now.  If only, only I can get exercise in.  We spent a hour at the shooting range, and I'm sore but 'cause of the big ass bruise on my arm that Pkin poked really hard last night.  He can be a major pork chop most of the time.

There was a study in Australia or New Zealand, I think, about low carb versus not low carb diets.  Carbs make people happy, they help in serotonin production.  Though people lost about the same amount of weight, the carb eaters were happier.  It's supposed that happier people have better eating and exercise habits overall.  I like that kind of thinking. 

I'm also afraid to write this next bit.  If I continue on track, I will be at my goal is 31 weeks and my super goal in 36 weeks.  Neither is a long time.  I'm been on plan for 5 weeks so far, that is 13.9% of the way there.  That's like what tax will be next year, at the rate we're headed.  That's almost 15% and that is a lot, a lot!  Wow, I've accomplished so much already and it's been a process but not really super hard.  I just need to keep it up to keep my weight down.

Have I shared about Pkin's diet by proxy?  I'm sure he's down as a size and a half.  He was wearing a formerly sausage shirt that now is only slightly snug about the belly.  He's so lucky I'm doing all this and that he gets the take advantage of the benefits.

Opposites Attract

 

Yesterday was an unseasonably warm Fall day in Southern CA.  Pkin and I walked out at the same time, I say, "it's freaking hot!"  He says, "it's so nice!"

This is Pkin on his HAM radio, with his laptop.  He's wearing plaid, a baseball cap, and is eating a Spam sandwich.  Yes, I made the sandwich but that is love.

Updates

Buster's still in the hospital.  If he were British, then he would be "in hospital."  He's not you know.

He is a little stinker.  He's got a catheter in his nether parts and it's draining all over the place.  I can't wait to get him in the shower.  His brother is more of a water cat but Buster does pretty well himself.

These are from yesterday; today he's supposed to come home.  Yippee!

 

Buster had a urinary infection a few weeks ago.  He was treated and then his pH went all out of whack.  Crystals developed in his urine and one got so big it clogged up the whole works.  He needed surgery to clear the blockage and he's been recovering since Monday afternoon.  He looks way better but really needs to come home so he can get some quality rest and then we need to keep Bob close enough for comfort but far enough away for proper healing.  Don't mind my arm.

 

Buster's on the Mend

It's a very long story but Buster is finally on the mend.  He has a recovery ahead of him but we have a better vet and Buster is getting the care he needs.

 

Buster is wearing "designer" wear.

 

Women and Handbags

I love purses.  My Aunt Epie who had interesting taste and an odd shaped body, kinda like me, but way bigger boobs, loved shoes and purses.  Both say so much about a person.  Pkin has blocky shoes and man-sized carrying accessories.  No man purses for him.

Mom and I spent Saturday at the mall, we tried on makeup, bought shoes, saw a movie and glimpsed into the Coach store.

She has a few Coach bags.  I have a few Dooney & Bourke bags.  We both don't like the newer garish styles that both lines are currently hocking.  The most noticeable thing was that Coach had none of their traditional, plain, wonderful bags.  We were in Pasadena, in the more "trendy" of the two major shopping areas, but I was still surprised by the lack of a basic collection of every day handbags.

I have to add that I'm currently carrying a blue satchel in pleather from Marshall's.  It cost about 22 bucks.  I love a simple bag, one color, with minimal hardware if any.  These are not the bags that are currently being advertised. 

So I need a good shoe/handbag repair person.  Do you know of nice Italian-trained, my preference, person near the Burbank, East SF Valley area?

PS:  Coach is having a factory store sale.  The closest store is 60 miles away and I don't need another purse.

Springing

This week's entries will focus on Spring.  Spring begins at 5:48 UTC on March 20.  I will find out when 5:48 UTC is in Pacific Daylight Savings Time. 

While I consider that I can tell you that it has already started at my house.  The peach blossoms are bright and full, there are roses peeking through the thick leafy stems and there are irises, both blue and white.  The kitties are fixed but if they weren't they'd be blossoming out all over because, after all, IT IS SPRING!  As it is Buster jumped the wall yesterday.

We have a five foot wall surrounding the backyard; it's cinder block with a red flat brick top for accent.  Pkin believes in open doors (my Father would say that he was born in a barn).  The kitties and Rosey believe in going into any unlocked space and trying harder to get into the locked off areas.  Bob was cool, sitting under the patio table amid leafy plants.  Rosey was minding her own business, enjoying the sun.  Buster was on the prowl.  I happened to be walking to the garbage cans when I should have been about 40 feet closer to the front of the house where Pkin has instructed me to be (it's a longer story than this one.)  Thank Goodness I was walking to the back and saw Buster leap from the cinder block wall onto a garbage can top and streak into the open garage.  He didn't come when I called.  He was trying to be invisible against some cases of soda.  I had to pick him up and deposit him inside, behind locked doors.  Bob got a little freaked 'cause I was a little freaked.  Rosey just wanted to see what was going one. 

It's begun, the constant battle to keep the kitties inside safe and sounds against their desire to roam free like big kitties.  I heard once that the average life expectancy for an outside kitty was 2 years.  I suspect that their Mom didn't make that.  Spikey was nearly 20 and still trying to sneak outside.  Spikey was the kitty before the current heifers.   

The Capitalist Uterus

This is something I came across from a personal coach:

I have a special announcement...I'm expecting another baby:)! We have a little boy on the way who is due in November. Being that I work alone and often never get to meet clients in person, you would never know that I have this growing belly getting in my way:). But I wanted to share the good news and also let you know that starting in September I will not being taking on any new personal clients until the new year.

If you've been thinking you'd like to work together there are options for you:

1. I can take on one more client starting in August.

Is she using the upcoming baby as a marketing device?

Rosey's Got a Baby

Rosey is happy to have the kitties, overall.  She'd be tons happier if they played with her more.  Tallulah and Bob are built-in playmates.  They are the same size, can fit in the same corners of their rooms and can get under the bed quickly and easily.  Rosey is and can do none of these things.

She has found a way into their life.  The pictures are care of Pkin.  I'm wondering if this is a good thing.  I don't know enough about animal psychology, or physiology for that fact.  Rosey seems to enjoy it and so does Tallulah. 

Tallulah began her life in our house as the rambunctious one.  She was the first to leave the box, the first to climb all over the sofa.  Bob has now become the "first" one except for the nursing.  Tallulah is more skittish actually.  I guess she just needs a little more care.  Good thing Rosey is around.  Bob's having none of it, by the way.