The DailyGs

Happy Valentine's Day, Cory!

noreply@blogger.com (Barb and TheDailyGs) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 11:45:00 +0000

AT&T ish-ooze

noreply@blogger.com (Barb and TheDailyGs) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0000

So. Before I left for the Vet with Whitey yesterday morning I was on the phone with the Business DSL division of AT&T. She reset the port and fixed me up all fine and dandy... except for one little thing. I had put the old modem back in yesterday after completely losing internet. In other words, that new modem they said I needed in November that cost me $100? Totally didn't need it.

Then I had to call the AT&T billing department to get a label sent to me so I could send back the new modem and get my $100 back. Well, that lovely young woman read all of the notes on my account with internet issues dating back to October and she did something truly amazing! She is, of course, sending the label so I can get the $100 credited back to my account. Additionally, she is:

reducing my monthly bill by $80 a month for the same services
scheduling a technician to come out to wire my 2 business lines properly (they currently come in on a single line with a splitter)
sending me a new modem

For FREE. I verbally agreed to a 12 month commitment. And why not? My current agreement does not expire for 18 months. Dur.

Of course I should mention that in the beginning of our conversation I asked her to first read the notes. Then I told her that I would be switching to Mediacom as soon as my current contract expired... for half the price that I am currently paying... and the Internet with Mediacom is not DSL, it's High Speed Broadband. At their lowest end, Mediacom's Broadband is 3x faster than AT&T's High Speed Business DSL.

I still may call Mediacom to have the Internet installed. It's only $29 a month. I'll have a backup and still be about $50 a month less than I was paying. Win-Win!

Yesterday was a very busy day. And not in a good way. I'd far rather be taking lots of lovely orders. Hopefully, that will be the case today. Here's hoping you have lots of YAY in your day. And me, too.

Whitey Update

noreply@blogger.com (Barb and TheDailyGs) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 20:17:00 +0000

for those of you who are either not my Facebook friend or just not on Facebook at all...

First of all I just want to say again how much I love my Vets, Dr. Tad and Dr. Dave. Dr. Tad spent quite a long time with us today - and charged me NOTHING! He did a slide to check for cells and bacteria and other nasties (nothing alarming and much less bacteria!). Whitey's temperature is still normal and his lungs are still clear. That's the good news.

Whitey is down to 11.3 pounds from 14 pounds last month. Not good. Dr. Tad thinks the Doxycycline is doing its work and has added Dexa-something-or-other (steroid) to help with the inflammation which is what is causing all the inflamation and boogers... and his lack of appetite. My compounding pharmacist (who I also just love) probably already has it ready but I'll pick it up after work. She said she'd have it for me in an hour. Isn't she absolutely fabulous? The other pharmacy wanted 5 days. Really? Could you possibly need more time?

If Whitey's appetite does not improve to the point that he stops losing weight by next Monday, we're looking at a feeding tube. Bless his poor little heart.

Oy.

Oh, and while I was in line at the pharmacy the guy in front of me seized and went straight back, just missing me, and hit the floor hard. And I mean HARD. I moved my car for the ambulance and kept other people from parking in the front. I mean, what else could I do? He'd regained consciousness by the time the ambulance got there. Luckily, other than a bit of blood from biting his tongue, he seemed pretty much OK. He knew his name and where he was. The hospital was literally right next door so you can't get faster attention than a bunch of Pharmacists attending to you while you wait for the EMTs to take you to the hospital.

That was my morning. How was yours?

Worried Momma Monday

noreply@blogger.com (Barb and TheDailyGs) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0000

Whitey is really not eating much at all now. Not only that but he is usually far and away my biggest water drinker and he has not been drinking nearly as much over the weekend. He started the new compounded Doxycycline on the 7th so he's had 5 1/2 days of it as I type this and he's still so, so sick. Dr. Tad said he should be feeling better after he'd been taking it a week... which would be today.

But he's not at all better.

I'm just so very worried... and I'm recalling the phrase Dr Dave said to me on the phone while I was driving to pick up the Doxcycline on the 7th... "if he gets over this."

I'm bringing him in to see Dr. Tad (or Dr. Dave) just as soon as they can get me in.

Please... Wish us luck.

Weekend DIY Projects...

noreply@blogger.com (Barb and TheDailyGs) — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0000

...are more fun when you don't DIY.

It was much too cold to paint yesterday so Al & his assistant installed a recessed shower light in my parent's shower for me yesterday. It's been a pet peave of mine for years. Dark Shower = No Good. I gave my parents the master bedroom here at the Swamp because that bedroom has a big shower instead of a bathtub and I figured in years to come that would be much better for them. But it had no light in there. At all. Close the slower curtain and forget about seeing anything! It wasn't bothering my parents at all, but it was bothering me a bunch.

It has a light now though! Yay!

My favorite project of all of the things I'm having done on this round of Home Improvements is this little baby...

See that electrical outlet? It was not there until yesterday. I wanted a night light in the hallway. One on a sensor, like I have in every other room in the house. There is nothing worse in the middle of the night than having to get up to tinkle and having to throw on the BIG light and getting so awake that you can not go back to sleep. srsly.

Bliss, I tell you. Pure bliss.

Pay no attention to that carpet scrap sticking out of the hallway closet. It's a knee pad for painting down low that we just tossed in there to get it out of the way. :)

I know, you didn't even notice it, right? :)

Nor did you notice that the baseboard trim is not yet nailed in. Or that the wall paint hasn't been cut in yet after painting the first coast of white. Or that my favorite ladder is propped up against the wall in my office.

That's because you're just so sweet and you're my friends. Friends don't notice stuff like that.

It ain't right yet, but we're getting there!

Have yourselves a lovely day with some YAY in it. And me, too.

Bugger!

noreply@blogger.com (Barb and TheDailyGs) — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 12:27:00 +0000

I almost booked a cruise for me & MotherDear yesterday. Literally, my mouse was hovered over the Book Now button. The only think that stopped me was that MotherDear does not have her Passport yet. It was one of those Pack and Go cruises... meaning super cheap! It also means that you pay it all up front and it's completely non-refundable.

I figured if her Passport didn't arrive before the cruise and we couldn't go then it wouldn't be cheap at all, now would it?

Well, I thought about it overnight and I figured I've already sent away for and received her newfangled Birth Certificate and I've already filled out the Passport Application. All she needs is to get her Passport Photos taken today and we could apply for it today!

So I just went online to book it.

And it's gone. Like the Wind.

Bugger.

113 Days!

noreply@blogger.com (Barb and TheDailyGs) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:18:00 +0000

“A friend is one that knows you as you are, understands where you have been, accepts what you have become, and still, gently allows you to grow.” ― William Shakespeare

A friend is also one who cruises with you! Picture me and Linda, The Distracted Wanderer, HERE! In June. On the Glory!

There is nothing quite like waking up in the morning and having your first thought be, "I booked a cruise yesterday!" Woohoo!

Tons of painting goin' on here at the Swamp. I just love watching men work, don't you? Have yourselves a lovely day full of YAY! And me, too.

Swampy Stuff on Thursday

noreply@blogger.com (Barb and TheDailyGs) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 12:05:00 +0000

So Whitey got chicken flavored instead of tuna flavored Doxycycline. Something about it needing to be an oil base for this particular med and that meant chicken. I updated on Facebook last night but in a nutshell, it still sucks but it is much better :

far more palatable
far less volume to get in him (1 ml twice a day in a teeny syringe which I can just squirt in through the side of his cheek vs. 6 ml meds followed by 6 ml of water once a day in a HUGE syringe )
Whitey did not hate me afterward for 12 hours (See above photo taken immediately after administering his meds)
far less stressful for Whitey which makes if far less stressful for me

Speaking of me...

See that green and blue box on the desk right behind Whitey?

That's for my knee. I finally decided to try something for it. You know, other than complaining.

:)

So that's all I know right now. I hope you remember to put some YAY in your day! And me and Whitey and alla the G's, too.

Then and now... Remember these kittens?

noreply@blogger.com (Barb and TheDailyGs) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 10:26:00 +0000

Back in July 2011 I posted this photo of a 3 or 4 month old kitten, hoping to find homes for him/her and siblings.

He/she was one of 1 of 3 kittens that were born to a homeless/stray/feral Momma kitty. They've all grown up now. We have no idea what happened to Momma kitty. The kittens just showed up one day.

Well, here is a photo I took yesterday of one of them. He/she was on a walkabout in my front yard right in front of my office window. I actually took this through the window.

Sadly, they still don't have homes, but they are contentedly living out their lives across the street from me behind my neighbor's shed. They have access to the garage during cold and nasty inclement weather. They also have plenty of food and water.

And acres and acres of pine trees and a Swamp to explore. Life could be so much worse.

We won't call animal control because we do not have a Trap Neuter Release program nor do we have a No Kill Shelter. They wouldn't last a few weeks there. It's a sad situation for so many cat colonies.

It has been fun watching them play and romp and grow up, but sad knowing they will probably never have a home.

Or servants.

In other Swampy news:

Starting today Whitey's meds will taste like TUNA JOOSE! I called the compounding pharmacy to see if they could do the Doxycyline in a flavor other than cherry, something that would be more appealing to cat. She said she could do chicken, or tuna. I chose tuna. I do hope Whitey approves. srsly. He's got at least 4 more weeks of meds and this past week has been just awful for him.

Also starting today is some painting and repairs and stuff here at the Swamp. Painting NOT by me this time! My friend Al found a really handy handyman! A Jack of all trades kinda fella whose rates are really quite reasonable! Al's had him busy doing a bunch of stuff for him and now it's MY turn to put him to work.

Well, alrighty then.

Have yourselves a lovely day. And me, too!

of Swampy Sunrises, Full Moons and Boogery Boys

noreply@blogger.com (Barb and TheDailyGs) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 08:45:00 +0000

Yesterday's sunrise. It rose very quickly. It was like the sun was in a big old hurry to get here and start the day already. What was even stranger was last night the moon rose just as quickly.

I'm telling you. Quickly! Very quickly. I think time actually is hurtling by at record speeds. Or the planet is spinning at a higher speed. Something!

So, yesterday was a week's worth of almost getting most of Whitey's Doxycycline into him. It also marked a month's worth of wiping his nose and trying to get him to eat more.

He hate, Hate, HATES getting the Doxycycline! You would not believe how much fight this sweet kitty boy has in him. Then once I've struggled and finally have gotten most of it in him, he hates me for about 12 hours after the Doxy. He has had a month of my hand coming at his face for something unpleasant and he is now kind of cringing when I approach him. Let me tell you, that is breaking my heart.

But then morning comes and all is forgiven and he wants to do is lay on my desk beside me and purr while I pet him and work.

The best news is this morning I can definitely say that I see an improvement. The boogers are beginning to bugger off!

I spoke with the pharmacist yesterday and the vet about getting the 2 refills of Doxycyline compounded rather than giving it to him in the 2 methods I've tried. He's still got 3-5 weeks left of this and I just can't see putting him (or me!) through so much stress and fight.

So that's all I know today, other than I'm doing lots of Quotes. Today I'm hoping to get the last bit of my year-end stuff done, in between taking lots of lovely orders, of course. Hope your day has lots of YAY! And mine, too!

And now for something totally different

noreply@blogger.com (Barb and TheDailyGs) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 08:54:00 +0000

That's right! We have evening skies, too!

This photo has a plane coming in for a landing at our big airport. We have just the one gate so you needn't worry about parking in the wrong terminal, getting off the elevator on the wrong floor or even having to make a mad dash to another terminal on the other side of the airport. Because we don't have any those things.

Delta is THE only game in town.

You MUST go to Atlanta first.

Sorry about that.

Oh, and it was quite the rage not too long ago... they recently added a 3rd daily flight in and out for your traveling pleasure.

Y'all come.

Blackeye Pea Supper Dish

noreply@blogger.com (Barb and TheDailyGs) — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 16:26:00 +0000

This recipe has been with me many years. I got it off the back of a can of Bush's Black-eyed Peas about a bizillion years ago. It's taped to an index card in my actual Recipe Basket. I thought it was time to add it to the digital Recipe Basket.

My friends Al & Barbara also call it Southern Stew, on account of the Black-eyed Peas. :)

After a quick run to Wally World for some sausage, I'll be making some of this for tomorrow. It gets extry happy overnight. I usually use a Kielbasa or smoked sausage, but try it with whatever you prefer. It's also pretty good with hamburger. I always chop some green onion to toss on top with the shredded cheddar. Yum.

It is completely awesome served with cornbread. :)

I always double or triple the recipe, depending on how many people are eating... or as my friend Al says, "quatripled".

A word to the wise.. Don't try to play that word in Words with Friends. I'm pretty sure Al made it up. He's got a bunch of those kinda words he likes to throw around.

Take a MotherDear to Lunner

noreply@blogger.com (Barb and TheDailyGs) — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 11:57:00 +0000

lun-ner: /ˈlənər/

Noun: A late afternoon meal eaten instead of lunch and dinner.

Yesterday all plans went completely out the window. No paperwork. No credit union. No laundry. No shopping for Super Bowl foods. No, none of that.

Instead MotherDear and I headed out about 3pm in hopes of beating the crowds and a long wait at the Olive Garden.

As it happened, there was at least parking this week, but still there was a crowd waiting outside. We were able to park up close in handicapped parking this week and we headed inside to see how the long we'd have to wait. As I was asking the gal at the desk and giving her my name I glanced into the bar - and what did my wandering eyes see? Several booths, tables and places at the bar were open! Woohoo! The bar is open seating, first-come first-serve, and full service. NO wait!

Grilled Chicken Flatbread
Chicken, mozzarella, roasted red peppers and basil with alfredo and garlic spread. DEElish!

We both loved this appetizer. It is quite similar to the grilled pizzas my brother-in-law Rick and my nephew Mike make. Both MotherDear and I wholeheartedly agree... we need to try to make this one at home. So simple and SO good. MD said it is "better than Bruchetta" ... and MD Love, LOVE ♥s her Bruchetta. Sorry, the photo is dark. We were in the bar in a poorly lit corner.

I don't normally order a bottle of wine but since this was a special occasion...

A bottle of Rocca Delle Macie Chianti Classico Riserva 2007 ! Yum!

winemaker's notes:

90% Sangiovese, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot.

The color is ruby red tending towards garnet. The aroma is Rich, intense and complex, while on the palate the wine is dry, soft, gently tannic with good structure.
Uncork at least an hour beforehand, then decant shortly before serving. Serve at a temperature of 64°-68°F. This wine is particularly well suited to dishes of red meat, roasts and game.

critical acclaim:

"Blueberries and blackberries, with minerals and dried spices. Full-bodied, with fine tannins and a long and racy finish. Drink now. "

90 Points

Obviously we could neither uncork an hour before nor decant it... And neither one of us ordered red meat, roasts or game, but that did not prevent us from enjoying the wine. You know how I love my Sangiovese and Cabs! :)

Minestrone
Fresh vegetables, beans and pasta in a light tomato broth — a vegetarian classic.

I started with Zuppa Toscana, but I just had to have the Minestrone. My favorite Zuppa at Olive Garden! MotherDear had the salad and breadsticks.

And this is all that remained of MD's Chicken Parmigiana! I forgot to take a photo before she started eating it! :)

Chicken Parmigiana
Parmesan-breaded chicken breast, fried and topped with marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese. Served with spaghetti.

By the time I had the grilled pizza, some of MD's salad, and soup I really couldn't touch my dinner.

Asiago and Roasted Garlic Tortelloni with Grilled Sausage.

Since I ordered from the $12.95 Special, my meal came with a Dolchini.

Dolchini

Piccoli Dolci "little dessert treats", layered with cake, mousse, pastry creams and berries.

I've got to say that this small dessert portion idea is brilliant! Compare the teaspoon size to the bowl and you have an idea of how small they are. Just the right size to have for a little treat with coffee. Just a taste of something sweet and fresh. Brilliant! Even though MD's meal did not include dessert we ordered her one so we could have little tastes of 2 different ones. We chose the Dark Chocolate Cake with Caramel Cream and Chocolate Curls and the Limoncello Mousse. These were both absolutely yummy!

Do you remember last week we ended up at Longhorn and we ran into none other than Tom Cruise?

Well, you'll never guess who our server was at the Olive Garden! Natalie Cole!

Ariane
Our delightful server who happens to be in her junior year at VSU. Thanks for being such a good sport and so much fun, Ariane! Er... Natalie.

So over all, how was it? I'll let MotherDear tell you.

Squisito!

And it's finally Super Bowl Sunday!

No need to prepare anything as I have my leftover Tortelloni and MD and Dad just want a burger, baked beans and steak fries. Easy Peasy.

Hope your day is full of YAY! And mine and the Patriots, too!

There's no accounting for taste!

noreply@blogger.com (Barb and TheDailyGs) — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 13:11:00 +0000

"In Love Again" - Artist, Thomas Fedro

I just love the artwork of Thomas Fedro. His style is Modern Abstract or Contemporary Abstract or Neo-Pop Art. Bold colors and deep, black strokes. Love it.

Chicago artist Tom Fedro creates art with zing and boundless humor. His innovations of creative and playful discovery incorporate a combination of pop art collage and whimsical potraiture that have an addictive rhythm all their own. Bright colors, big features and bold lines that seem to be electrically charged represent an exiting way of seeing and experiencing the world through his eyes.

I've finally ordered a piece which, upon first seeing it in his Etsy shop, I instantly knew I had to have. It's a matted, signed and numbered Giclée.

Just now MotherDear wandered past my office as she made her way from her bedroom into the kitchen and stopped. She walked in and said, "Is that the art you ordered? It's HIDEOUS!"

Would it surprise her to know that I don't especially care for her stuff? :-D

And just the other day Kevin, one of my 12 year old nephews, was looking at a Facebook photo folder of some of Thomas Fedro's art:

An art critic, at 12 years old! Love it!

That's the great thing about style. It's completely subjective and personal.

I use to buy stuff that everybody said they loved or was "in style"... and I hated it. It didn't make me happy. Years ago in my house in Tampa I did my living room completely over and bought what was the most popular current style (country cutesie) and colors (mauve, rose and powdery blue). Now there's nothing wrong with those colors, they just don't happen to make me happy. I spent a lot of money. Custom blinds, etc. HATED it.

I've eventually learned my lesson. I hate almost every piece of furniture I own. I no longer ask anybody for their opinion because I am the one who has to live with it, to be surrounded by it and to have it shaping my mood on a daily basis.

This piece of art is the first step toward decorating in a style that I love. Starting next week I'll be getting back into getting more of the painting done here at the Swamp as I try to figure out how to redecorate my bedroom and my office.

This piece makes me feel lighthearted and happy! So if you hate it, as MotherDear and Kevin clearly do, that's OK! Oh, and my Dad hasn't seen it yet. I'm betting he's not going to love it either!

Don't forget to put some YAY in your day! And me, too!

Whitey Update

noreply@blogger.com (Barb and TheDailyGs) — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 08:25:00 +0000

Skip this post if you saw this already... but in case you have an inquiring mind and you missed it on Facebook yesterday:

Just got off the phone with Dr. Tad. Whitey's Feline Respiratory Complex test results came back and he was negative for everything except Mycoplasma Felis.

So no Herpes or Calici virus. At least not shedding. And no whatever the other 3 or 4 virus that Dr, Tad had checked. Yay!

The only antibiotic they use to treat Mycoplasma Felis is Doxycycline... which just happens to be what he's currently taking. He'll be on it for at least a total of 4 weeks, possibly 6. Dr. Tad he should start feeling better within a week of taking it. This afternoon will be Whitey's 4th dose. Which he hates. Utterly and completely. Bless his heart.

Mycoplasma Felis is a bacteria. Dr. Tad says he's probably had it inside him for years, laying dormant until triggered by stress. Stress. I'm basically their 24/7 chief cook and cleaning lady. I can't imagine why he'd be stressed.

That's the thing with cats. You just never know.

Anyway. They only treat it with Doxycyclene... the very antibitoic I asked Dr. Tad to read about and prescribe for him earlier this week. You may recall that I brought in my iPad with the page all set for Dr. Tad to read.

Advocate I am. :-P

Hooray for Google...

and Mommas with inquiring minds. And tons of frustration and worry.

That means he got a 3-day jump on taking the Doxycycline while we waited for the test results to confirm what nasty bugger he has. I just wish he had the tests weeks ago. Even though he acts like I am murdering him every time I give him the antibiotic.

And that's not saying anything about the Afrin drops in his tiny nostrils. Mama mia.

Hopefully, he's at least on the road to recovery now.

And today is the day before Super Bowl. I have to run out to pick up a few things. I think I'm making chicken salad and Taco Dip and I need a couple of ingredients.

And since I don't have a cleaning lady yet... Yeah. That.

Enjoy today's trip around the sun. I'm sure gonna try!

Good-night, sweet Sarge

noreply@blogger.com (Barb and TheDailyGs) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 09:33:00 +0000

Today my friend Sarge Charlie will be laid to rest with full military honors. My heart, my thoughts and my prayers are with his soul mate, his wife Miss Bee and their entire family.

Good-night, sweet Sarge.

ThursDistraction

noreply@blogger.com (Barb and TheDailyGs) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 11:31:00 +0000

I remember that I started this post about an hour and a half ago. I remember opening the folder to upload this photo. ...and then all kinds of other stuff just sort of took me away.

But I'm back now!

I may need some of Miss Bee's fish oil. srsly.

Whitey is an absolute angel about taking meds and being examined, etc. Normally. But let me tell ya, he hates this new med, doxycycline. It's in capsule form. I have to open it, pour the powder into a syringe, draw up at at least 6ml of water (a bit more than a teaspoon) and quirt that into his mouth. No, not all at once! Then I'm supposed to follow it with another 6ml of water to make sure the meds don't stay lodged in his esophagus.

Because that could cause lesions.

And that would be bad.

Well, I did OK with the first dose but yesterday...

Yesterday he knew what to expect.

I took my time and eventually got it all in him, but after a minute or so he managed to gag a bunch of it back out. No idea how much actually got into his system.

Being a Sick Kitty's Momma is hard.

Yesterday was a good day for some lovely orders! I am hoping for more of those today! But Mr. Uzbekistan dude has already begun emailing me today. Oy!

I hope you have some YAY in your day! And me, too!

February? Already?

noreply@blogger.com (Barb and TheDailyGs) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 10:30:00 +0000

Last night's Facebook status:

Whitey update: He's now on Doxycycline for 6 weeks. I had to go across town to Publix to get it but it was FREE. Considering that I've now spent $600 on whatever this boogery mess is, I'll take a bit of free, thank you very much.

I took Whitey back in yesterday afternoon so Dr. Tad to swab 3 samples to send to the lab. Dr. Tad spoke with his friend the feline expert and he agrees that the 6 week course of Doxycycline I found online is a good one. The lab will be testing for 4 or 5 things and the results will take about a week to come back.

In other less boogery, more fun news, I have decided that February is Friendship Month!

All of my Blackboard Quotations in February will be about being a Friend, having a Friend and Friendship in general all month long. I'm starting with the help of two of my old friends, Statler and Waldorf. In fact, they will be appearing in several of them because I just love them! I absolutely loved their heckling on The Muppets. But there will be no heckling during Friendship Month. :)

I hope you find one or two that you like.

I had a very weird kinda day at the office yesterday. It resulted in some good orders so it all worked out.

But that dude from Uzbekistan was walking on my last nerve.

Hope your day is full of YAY. And mine, too.

Boogery Boy: Week 4 begins. Bugger.

noreply@blogger.com (Barb and TheDailyGs) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 10:00:00 +0000

So yesterday marked the end of 3 full weeks of the whole Whitey Upper Respiratory Infection Relapse THANG.

I brought him in to see Dr. Tad again yesterday. We're about to do a test which checks for Herpes, Calici, Bordatella, Influenza and several other pathogens. The test results take about a week to come back. In the meanwhile, Dr. Tad was planning to call a cat expert friend of his last night for a consult.

We talked at length about some info I found online.

What? Didn't you know that all Veterinarians and Doctors just LOVE it when their patients Google stuff and self-diagnose?

Of course, they do!

Just think of all that extra work we're saving them!

I brought my iPad so he could read it. Oh, yes, I did!

And the course of treatment I found is what he's discussing with his cat expert friend. And some other stuff. :)

Whitey still acts as sweet as ever. His temperature is still normal. His lungs are still clear. He still sings his mousie song. But he's lost a pound and a half in the last 3 weeks and that's significant. I know it's mostly because a cat won't eat what they can't smell and he's just about quit eating any wet food at all. He is still drinking well and eating his crunchy foods.

Dr. Tad will be calling me this morning to fill me in on his conversation with his cat expert friend and we'll see where we'll go from there.

So wish my Boogery Boy some luck.

Farewell, you dear, sweet man.

noreply@blogger.com (Barb and TheDailyGs) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 11:30:00 +0000

I know that most people who don't blog find it hard to believe that you could love people so much that you've come to know through this so-called impersonal medium called social networking. But they just don't know how much my heart hurts knowing that Sarge Charlie has left this world and all of us who loved him behind.

And how could I make them understand?

But you do, my blog friends. You do.

Bon Voyage, Sarge. See you soon. And don't you worry about a thing, honey pie... We'll all be here, keeping a close eye on Miss Bee and giving her lots of hugs.

Slothful Sunday

noreply@blogger.com (Barb and TheDailyGs) — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 09:02:00 +0000

Cosmo Kitty

So. Yesterday I was basically a sloth.

Oh, sure... I did a bit of paperwork, but my heart just wasn't in it.

I played some Words with Friends. I think I have 7 games going. I like it. Play a bit. Don't play a bit. I've had a few people close out the game because apparently, I don't always get back to it and play soon enough for them. Whatever. It's not supposed to be a job, right? :)

Anyway. Yesterday...

And then I did something very unusual... I took a late afternoon nap. A very long nap!

It was lovely. A little bit lazy. A little bit cat-like. Perfectly marvelous, in fact.

And today? Well, I believe I shall wash, rinse and repeat.

I hope your day is full of YAY! And mine, too.

Benvenuti a Olive Garden ... quasi!

noreply@blogger.com (Barb and TheDailyGs) — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 09:09:00 +0000

I finally have an Olive Garden!

Mangia!

It really doesn't take much to make me happy. :)

We decided to go for dinner last night. I had decided before we even left that I would ease back in with the fundamentals and have their Special - a 3 Course Italian Dinner for $12.95. You get to choose one from each category.

Which would you choose?

Course 1: Soup or Salad:

Course 2: Entree:

Course 3: Dessert

So... did you choose a yummy meal?

I did, too!

In my mind.

Because when we got there we found the joint was jumpin' and the wait was an hour. So we went to the Longhorn.

On the upside, I did get to meet Tom Cruise.

He's taller in person.

Friday from the Swamp

noreply@blogger.com (Barb and TheDailyGs) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 09:24:00 +0000

We had another lovely sunrise yesterday morning here at the Swamp. Morning skies are one of my favorite things about living here at the Swamp. Always so beautiful and yet so different!

This shot shows Gandalf taking one of his many morning stretches. I'm not sure where his head has gone but I assure you, it is still on his shoulders! You can see the Swamp was also covered by a low fog which lifted not long after sunup.

So it's Friday and I have a few errands to run early this morning. Then it's back to the office for a day which I hope will be full of lots of lovely orders.

As you may have heard, they have finally opened an Olive Garden here in Hicksville. Just this Monday, in fact. I haven't decided yet if we'll be going for supper tonight or for lunch tomorrow. I guess we'll see how the day shakes out and, of course, whether or not MotherDear and Dad have a preference.

Don't forget to put some YAY in your day! And me, too!

I am still That Girl

noreply@blogger.com (Barb and TheDailyGs) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 08:30:00 +0000

The Reunion Committee has booked the hall for our 40th High School Reunion.

That can't be right.

But it is right. I DID graduate from high school in 1972.

I feel like I just blinked and now I am this old woman. With Arthur Itis, gray hairs and knees that burn if I move just a little bit wrong.

I know I am this old woman because my SisterDear who is younger than me is a Grandmother. And MotherDear is a Great Grandmother. Seven times over with another one due in March.

Every one of my 60+ classmates whom I've reconnected with on Facebook are old women and old men. I've seen their photos! I've eaten Chinese Food with some of them!

Old!

Blink.

But I am still that girl.

No. Not the one with the beret being tossed in the air.

That girl... the one who was young, and tall, and skinny, and athletic, and crazy in love with Brad.

I am still that girl.

In my mind.

Well... I'm still tall.

Sit, Ubu. Good dog.

noreply@blogger.com (Barb and TheDailyGs) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 08:54:00 +0000

Can you believe that in, lo, these many years MotherDear had never once opened a bottle of wine? Somebody else has always done it for her.

Well, that just won't do! Last night I gave MotherDear a crash course in Wine Pull 101.

I let her use my good wine key... the green double-hinged Pulltap that was given to me by Miguel, the maitre d' on board the Carnival Glory on the very last night of the BC4 cruise last year. It's my favorite!

I am pleased to report that MD pulled, and pulled well! She passed with flying colors!

Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks?

Shoot! Before you know it she may yet pump her very first tank of gas.

OK. Don't hold your breath on that one.