Kitty Humor

Beany–who thinks he runs the joint
I imagine that plenty of people have already seen the story below–maybe a million times. The story has been passed around for so long that I seriously have no idea where it comes from. But being a cat-type person–well, it still makes me laugh.
So, please–just humor me.
Besides, who doesn’t love a good cat joke?

“The Line Cut Kitty”

My sister-in law is from Oklahoma and has a slight accent. She has cats and when she lived in the south she would take them to the groomers and have what is called a Line Cut. To her a line cut is when all of the fur hanging down below the cat’s tummy is taken off (because it gets matted or snarled).
When she moved to Chicago with my brother, some of the cats fur got all tangled up so she took it in for a line cut. She was quite surprised when she heard the price as it was twice as much as it was down south. She confirmed with the groomer that he understood what a line cut was and he said “Yes, I know what a LION cut is.” It seems her accent came out sounding like LION not LINE and this is how her cat was returned to her.

She cried for a week…but not as much as the cat. It was November in Chicago and the cat needed all the fur it had.”

Ten Things To Be Happy About

1) Baby secrets

2) Bags to cut up to make more…ahhh…bags.

3) Random things popping out of the ground

4) A box of new bows

5) New hubcaps!

6) An evening cloud burst

dsc02611

7) Huge, strong, gentle hands

8)  A cute new book to read

9) Our mountains

10) A new daddy

~~~~~~~~~~~

Your turn—

Let’s add to our “Million Things To Be Happy About” page.

So, what makes YOU happy—right this minute?

Tell me in the “comments” and I’ll add it to the Grateful list AND the quote rotator.

GO!

Organizing Photos (part 1)

Otherwise known as: The Great Picture Project of 2009

If you’re anything like me and have been collecting photos for the last couple of decades, then maybe your closet looks like this too. Hopefully not.

There are, of course, photo boxes sorted into whichever child is the main focus of the picture, but then there are scads of miscellaneous packages, stacks, bags and piles of ones that haven’t been categorized–or that don’t fit into the boxes at all.

I even have some in dusty old albums and baby books, and some in old frames or outdated collages. And perhaps we shouldn’t mention the file cabinet that I inherited from my mom with a century and a half of old family photos–you know–the priceless relic kind. I’m not brave enough to open that drawer yet.

Now, I’m not entirely brainless. I know that this is not the right way to treat your pictures and that I need to do some kind of acid-free, archival-type adventure and eventually scan and save them all on discs–or something. I even realize that the “Proper Preservation of Family Photos” police could be pounding on my door at any moment–but honestly—I just can’t think that far ahead.

This could all be a wee bit daunting…if taken in one massive chunk.

For that very reason, my plans will be much more modest. I just want to get these pictures sorted, organized and–most importantly–all in one place–so that I can find what I’m looking for without a bunch of crazy packages landing on my head.

That’s the extent of my big ambitions, for now. The acid-free-scan-and-disc-stuff will have to wait for another day…when I’m more mature.

I’m off to Wal-mart–with 30 bucks…not a penny more.

I’ll be back.

Wish me luck…

Mary Jane Skimmers

I found the most adorable pattern the other day–for a style of “Mary Jane” booties, called “Skimmers.” As with any small pattern you have to be really careful to follow the directions exactly but look how cute they turn out!

These are for baby Keni, but I’m starting a pink pair for Lily tomorrow. They are just too fun not to make a million of them.

If you are interested, you can find the pattern at Sylver Designs.

Tell my what you think…

Keeping Secrets

One year at Christmas time my little, then three-year-old Lyndi, wanted to help me wrap some presents for Daddy. Seemed harmless enough, so I let her do all the easy stuff–you know, “hand Mommy the tape,” and “pick which paper,” that sort of thing. The whole time I carefully explained to her that all these presents were secrets until Christmas morning and to be sure not to tell Daddy or it would spoil his surprise. We even practiced. Oh, how she promised to keep the secret.

Then Daddy came home.

She ran up to him and grabbed his legs and said, “Guess what? We wrapped your Christmas present today.”

Uh-oh, I think.

“It’s a secret…”

Good girl, good girl…

“…so I can’t tell you…”

That’s right, good job!

“…what it is…”

Well done!

“…but it ticks.”

…sigh…

If you’d have known this particular little sweetheart, you wouldn’t have been able to be mad at her, any more than I could at the time. Especially, since–from what I’m told, I was the very same sort of kid. Apparently, Christmas secrets or any other kind were just not safe with me. I don’t remember being the surprise spoiling blabber-mouth, but according to my siblings…I was.

Having lived a million years, since that time–I think I’m a little better at it…but sometimes it’s still really hard. I love to share surprises more than anything, which makes keeping a secret for very long–a trial. Probably why I have the “Secrets” tab on this very blog. I need to tell someone!

Then this very cool thing happened. Our household recently discovered a notebook stuffed full of “secret” famous recipes–just waiting to be tried and shared. And what-do-you-know, I’m really good at both things!  This could be the healing enterprise that I need…and the cool, famous restaurant favorites that  you need!  Hee hee hee.

So stand by. I’ve got some great recipes coming. Some from the “Secret Notebook” and some serendipitous finds from other places.

In fact, we’ll start with Brazilian Limeade, served at places like Tucano’s, from my sweet friend Susette.

What you choose to do with the secrets….

…is up to you.

 

 

PS—You are welcome to request a restaurant favorite and I’ll go on a hunt for it as well.  ;}