Eragon

I am almost done reading Eragon. I liked the movie so much I bought the book, with original picture instead of the movie cast on it. So far the book is equal to the movie, which is rare. Usually I like the books better than the movies because they leave much unexplained if you have not read the book yet.

I know it is normal to read books before watching the movie, but I get lost if I know the story. Movies take book scenes out and place new things in so it is hard for me to follow along. When I watch the movie and then read the book, I follow the book very easily and get more background information of characters and places to understand what and why everything is happening. Does that make sense? Post later. Bye!

Lost and Found

Yesterday I lost the ruby off my ring in 1 of 5 stores I visited that day after Christmas shopping. I tossed the ring with the big hole in the center away. Tonight while leaving my sister's house, I find my ruby in the driver's seat of the car. Now which waste basket did I throw the ring into? Empty the kitchen garbage can (Yuck!) and proceeded to the bedroom can (Bingo!). I try to slip it back in the prongs when I notice one prong is broken. Guess I will be buying a new setting for it at the jewelry store next week. Post later. Bye!

Weird kitty

This morning Precious starts in with the meow chorus scratching at the window and door ready to get out for our daily hour outside (weather permitting). We get outside, I toss the garbage in the dumpster. Precious is running around all over the place. Then I head for the back door because Frodo takes his time creeping down the stairs. Precious jumps inside to encourage Frodo outside. But no, Precious runs all the way upstairs, all 3 floors, with Frodo tailing behind him. They wait for me to open the fire door and the apartment door. Huh??? We only spent 2 minutes outside and they want back in. Naturally hours later the meow chorus of Precious going bonkers wanting outside starts again. We don't go outside at night. Post later. Bye!

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all my readers. Today I woke up early, open our gifts from Santa, tried to sing "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas to the cats, took the cats outisde, and went to work. I never wanted a husband and kids more than when I was singing that I couldn't finish the song. I watched Christmas movies all day at work. Back home I am passing time playing with the cats before I see the movie Eragon with someone at work. I haven't read the book so I all I know is that it is about a dragon. Good night. Post later. Bye!

Xmas loot

This year's Christmas presents include a Sugared Pear and Vanilla scented candles, Target gift card, money, bookends, cd shelf, level for the cd shelf, desk organizer, and back up computer discs.

Yesterday the essay I snet to a local newspaper was published. I grabbed a hand full of papers at the grocery store to mail to far away relatives.

I got myself a sweatshirt and Christmas cd so I have something to upwarp on Christmas Day. I got presents for the cats too, mice and fuzzy balls.

Post later. Merry Christmas.

Hanging cat

Since it was raining today, I let my cats play on the steps of the apartment building. They have such a thrill running up and down the steps and pouncing each other. One stair flight has no back to it so the cats can squeeze through the steps and jump down the other side.

Precious was scratching at the carpet on the steps (the carpet is wrapped around each step and stapled underneath) and slipped through the top step space to be clinging the carpet underneath. He was almost cute hanging there staring at me and Frodo. I didn't think I could grab his paws and pull him back up without resistance, so I let him drop, which he did, 1 story. Don't worry, cats are built to fall from trees. I've seen Precious jump down from high levels from trees and hit the ground running. Post later. Bye!

uh-oh

I found out coming to work today that one of my coworkers who has been on vacation all month (she takes her 4 weeks vacation all at once) and celebrated 25 years with the company last September retired yesterday. Too bad I didn't know about it so I had time to get her a retirement card and present, like a snowglobe.

Then later when another coworker came to work, said she didn't retire, she told the boss off and quit. During her vacation while she was inch away from retiring and getting a retirement party? This makes no sense to me, or anyone else. Something must have miffed her pretty good to quit like that.

Next I hear is the bossman is not hiring any new people to replace the outdoor guy and indoor counter person who have quit the past month. He is making cutbacks. Uh-oh. If we are shorthanded and he not replacing people is not a good thing. I wonder if we get raises in January if business is that bad. Post later. Bye!

Mooch

I sent out an email to the family for my sister sick as a dog asking what everyone wanted to bring for the family Christmas. My sister and I thought my brother could bring rolls so he didn't have to cook. My brother answered he didn't know was suppose to bring anything, but could bring rolls if necessary. My reply: Mooch.

He eats like a piggy and thinks he shouldn't contribute to the meal. We women are breaking our backs cleaning, baking, setting the table, lighting candles by the centerpieces, and washing the dishes: and he didn't know he is suppose to contribute. Just eat and watch TV is his job. I'm almost insulted here.

He doesn't have a wife to do the contributing to the meal, so it is him who needs to do it. I'm done ranting. Merry Christmas. Post later.

PS. I am bringing gingersnaps, sugar cookies, macaroni and cheese, French Silk Pie, folding chairs, movies and books for the kiddies. Yes tonight I baked my sugar cookies and bought a pie at the grocery store freezer section. Bye!

Cookies

C is for cookie, that's good enough for me.

Today I baked gingersnaps while my kitties jumped on the counter to investigate. I am almost ready for my family Christmas at my sister's house Saturday. She called today to ask if I would email everybody who wants to bring what so we don't duplicate dishes. She is sick with the flu bug my niece had last week. Yesterday she asked me to pick her up at a Target store because she couldn't drive all the way home from work. Then I drove my brother-in-law to her car and then drove home. At the party, I plan to bring my gingersnaps, a French Silk Pie from the freezer section of the grocery store, and macaroni and cheese. At least the presents are wrapped up and under the tree. Post later. Bye!

Proud mama

Today after our walk we start heading back towards the door. Right in our way, ten feet from the door stands a terrier without a leash barking at Frodo and me. Precious was still sniffing the bushes cause he hates coming inside. Dog master comes out and aplogizes, terrier is all bark no bite. I explain we just need to get through the door cause our walk is done. He holds dog back from Frodo and I open the door for Frodo to escape into. Problem, the dog runs in and stops at the 2nd floor fire door. I don't think he wants to play outside, I joke to the owner. Well before I could stop him, Frodo sprints into the door and runs smack into the dog. My back was my turned so I didn't see the initial confrontation but I heard Frodo hissing so I looked to see him slashing at the dog and the dog backed away. The owner pushes the dog through the fire door and Precious comes missing the excitement to sniff the rocks by the outside door. I was so proud Frodo, he is terrified of dogs and always hides from them. I get Precious inside and we come upstairs. Frodo keeps checking downstairs with his hair raised up, he has nice winter fur now. I pet him and he calms down. Post later. Bye!

Joy to the World!

Hey there. My darling sister said tonight after my niece tossed her cookies on me, my niece, the couch, the floor, and my sister that she would write a check for the amazon.com listing. Joy to the World, I got it listed on amazon.com. I did it tonight and found a special deal, Regular price is $39.99 and newcomers can get a special deal of $19.99 for 2 months. So it will be available online tomorrow. Now if my stupid printer would scan the book cover for the website. Godforbid electronics work past midnight when I want to go to bed. And I had all the books wrapped up too for my nieces' Christmas gifts, right before going to babysit tonight. Oh well, they can be unwrapped as necessary.

Oh yeah, I forgot to look for Mom's Xmas card she left behind with my travel toothbrush and toothpaste, and dental floss I left at Mom's house. Maybe I'll remember next week to get them. I found the pictures Mom asked me to copy in the scanner. Oops.

Done at last

I finally finished my Xmas shopping and wrapped up all the gifts. Now all is left is baking of cookies, which might get skipped this year if I don't find any time to do them. Oh well, other retired people in my family can do the baking for the family Christmas. I emailed my siblings what I got everyone so we don't get identical gifts. We never tell the receiver what they are getting, unless they are so picky we have to obtain their approval to avoid conflict later. But never tell what someone else is getting them.

And my sister gave up on trying to halt the gift exchange because she never gets what she wants (things out of our price range). Now she is poor enough to need things and eagerly informs us her wish list. Plus from my work email I threatened my siblings to buy them either a food basket with jellies and cocoa or a bath basket if they didn't tell me what they wanted. It worked. I guess nobody wanted open cocoa or soap on Christmas. Post later. Bye!

The Nutcracker

I went to see my niece perform in The Nutcracker put on by her teacher. Trying to find this place was the adventure along with costly since the city has a toll bridge I had to cross. I followed the mapquest directions, but they did not mention or show on the map that I could tell, the road splits without any signs directing which street is what. So thinking the right split was a side road, I followed to the left looking for the street the high school is listed on. I ended up in a suburb next door. I figured I went too far when I saw signs for the airport and interstate I got off of a hour ago. So stopped at a gas station. Since I was in another city thatn my mapquest directions the guy didn't know where the place was located. Turn around and stop at a bakery next to a gas station that had no place to park. The lady there said she lives someplace else and had no clue. The customer she just helped in front of me guided the way in a long about way. I got there to discover the street I was looking for doesn't exist. It is the entrance to the high school. Much like Cowles Dr is the entrance to the Des Moines Airport that you will not find on any streetmap, but find on mapquest.

I was 35 minutes late, but no one was present to take my money so I didn't have to pay. I grabbed a program off a box of them sitting on a chair. I saw people sneak in while the performance was going on. I thought one was suppose to wait for intermission before entering a perfomance, but I guess not at a high school audiotorium. I snuck in during the snowflake dance right before intermission. I found my brother-in-law standing up and went over to talk to my aunt during intermission. A niece returned and talked to her. Then the performance began again. I missed my niece in the Christmas party at the beginning. I did see her preform the cook dance where they give treats to Clara and a tiered cake about to fall over. The Nutcracker prince does his storytelling of the battling the mouse king to the cooks. If you are familiar with the story. At the end, my niece needed time to change so we didn't see her. I went straight home and realized I should have turned right at the split in the road. Oh well, pay the toll bridge again and went home. Post later. Bye!

Visit to Mom's

I went to my parents' house for a couple days to have maintence done on my car from a free inspection coupon I received in the mail. Dad thought best if someone else cheaper did the actual repiairs suggested. I brought the cats with me. All the things that needed fixing were done, but the inspection people missed the worn brake pads and worn belt the mechanic said need replaced while he was working on it. Good thing it has yet to break down. Dad even got a new battery in because it tested low. He intended to buy a battery at Walmart and install it himslef, but after testing it the mechanic replaced it so Dad gets to take back the battery to Walmart. That's ok because we were pressed on time. My sister called down to say I was needed for babysitting early than planned.

Nothing exciting happened at Milo except cats being cats and knocking things over to Mom's dismay. She said she would fix her tipped over Christmas deocrations once certain people are not here. I replied, "My cats are people?" She even called Precious a little girl and I corrected her. Then when the cats sensed impending doom when Mom opened the cat carriers, they rushed out the door into the garage when I came back in from packing my car. we had to chase them down. Mom pulled on Precious's tail to keep it from getting away and she was lucky Precious didn't bite her hand off, he just meowed. I informed her not to do that again. Then he came to me when I knelt down and I comforted him. I said, Ah did Grandma pull your tail, and carried him to the carrier. Theses cats are really getting heavy now and stronger when I push down on their shoulders to close the top. It is a little humorous seeing them spreading their paws out to stop me from squishing them into the carrier. They are fine once they are trapped, not too much meowing on the way home. I did get the meow chorus going to Mom's.

Once I got home and put stuff away, I realized I left the water running. It was low so it did not overflow and probably the reason I didn't hear it running when I left. Precious likes to drink from the faucet so I often leave the water running when I am finished. Well better go to work now. Post later.

Funny

Funny I keep getting Christmas cards from charities begging for money. I don't donate to these charities in the first place so it seems unreasonable to send a Christmas card saying thanks for supporting our cause when I have not. The charity Christmas cards went in the garbage with the rest of the junk mail I receive. Post later. Bye!

Masterpiece Theater for Cats

Today it was so cold outside that Frodo elected to stay in the apartment so only Precious came out for his daily walk. Precious scampered over to the edge of the fence where a neighbor has bird houses and bird feeders. It is Masterpiece Theater for Cats.

We begin with birds feasting on the ground by the feeders. All together they fly up to the brush and after a minute come back to the feast one by one. Repeat a few times. They never know Precious in the bushes on the other side of the fence watching them. Enter stage left, a squirrel climbing down from a tree chases off the birds perching on the brush. Squirrel eyes Precious hidden in the bushes before hopping onto the brush. Birds fly to nearby bushes. Squirrel now has the feast to itself while watching Precious. Birds watch helplessly as squirrel enjoys the feast.

Squirrel straightens self on its hind legs with its arms to its chest watching Precious investigate the bushes. Squirrel jumps up on brush and returns to the feast. Birds exit stage right hopping branch to branch of the bushes. What will happen next?

Precious steps on some leaves and meows. Squirrel climbs small tree by the brush and returns to the feast. Preicous climbs tree. Squirrel climbs larger tree and barks at Precious. Squirrel climbs taller tree until out of sight. Birds are gone so their is nobody left to enjoy the feast. The End.

Masterpiece Theater for Cats

Today it was so cold outside that Frodo elected to stay in the apartment so only Precious came out for his daily walk. Precious scampered over to the edge of the fence where a neighbor has bird houses and bird feeders. It is Masterpiece Theater for Cats.

We begin with birds feasting on the ground by the feeders. All together they fly up to the brush and after a minute come back to the feast one by one. Repeat a few times. They never know Precious in the bushes on the other side of the fence watching them. Enter stage left, a squirrel climbing down from a tree chases off the birds perching on the brush. Squirrel eyes Precious hidden in the bushes before hopping onto the brush. Birds fly to nearby bushes. Squirrel now has the feast to itself while watching Precious. Birds watch helplessly as squirrel enjoys the feast.

Squirrel straightens self on its hind legs with its arms to its chest watching Precious investigate the bushes. Squirrel jumps up on brush and returns to the feast. Birds exit stage right hopping branch to branch of the bushes. What will happen next?

Precious steps on some leaves and meows. Squirrel climbs small tree by the brush and returns to the feast. Preicous climbs tree. Squirrel climbs larger tree and barks at Precious. Squirrel climbs taller tree until out of sight. Birds are gone so their is nobody left to enjoy the feast. The End.