Sunday, December 18, 2011

Millie

It was time

To introduce

A new dog

Into our lives

Silly

Willy-Nilly

Millie

Friday, December 9, 2011

When Your Laptop Gets Sick

Soooo. I haven't been blogging. Because I don't have a behaving laptop. Which leads to having no pictures to blog.

I realize I could write without pictures, but where is the fun in that?
The laptop is getting better. I have lots to catch up on. Like we got a dog and Christmas is almost here, etc. and so forth.

Once I get my pics worked out I will introduce you to Jaws Millie.

Friday, November 11, 2011

The Cat is Now The Star of This Blog

There is someone in this house with more issues than even me.

May I present:



I am not amused



Grumpy Old Cat.

A while back the cat was diagnosed with high blood pressure, which I didn't even know they could check on a cat. I imagined a teeny tiny blood pressure cuff and a teeny tiny stethoscope. But actually it's a lot more complex (and of course, expensive) than that.

So we've been giving him BP pills. human BP pills, which I get at our local Walmart pharmacy and always come with the amusing warning sticker "use caution while driving." You know, in case he wants to hit the road.

He's also fat. Despite the diet cat food and lack of treats. The vet would like us to encourage him to be more active. But, look, he's pushing 16 which is like a million in cat years and who am I to criticize his lifestyle. Floor, food bowl, couch, litter box, chair. That's his little circuit and it makes him happy.

However. Last week he spent the night in the basement because he really couldn't make it up the stairs. So another trip to the vet revealed he was low on potassium. Which requires another medication.

He perked up right away, but at the follow up today his BP is still high, despite his pills and his continued lack of driving.

Now the vet thinks he might have a problematic thyroid (the cat, not the vet). Which would require special food to fix, but might also fix the BP and potassium issue. This is getting expensive. The cat needs to get a job.

But I will pay it. I need my Grumpy Old Cat around a little longer.

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Cat Love and Buffer Pets

We have been the owners of our cat for 15 years now. He is old and fat and pretty happy with his life.



This little boy LOOOOVES him a cat.

When we lost our dog back in February, I thought we would get a new dog soon after. But I was worried about how that would impact our elderly family member.

Plus I am not sure Dr. Dad was so ready to get a new dog.

Time goes on, however, and to be honest, after a cat related health scare this weekend, I am not sure we should be without a "buffer" pet.

Do you know about those? It's the pet you have to soften the blow of losing another pet. It sounds kind of harsh typed out there...but I know having the cat around after loosing the dog was very helpful.

So, we have just put in an adoption application for a dog.

I will let you know how it goes.

In the meantime...we will keep enjoying the cat.

Monday, October 24, 2011

What I Did on My Vacation (Baby Girl Edition)

Took my fourth plane ride...

Visited my Palace...

Spent time with my BFF...

Took pictures on my favorite ride...

Got a lift from my Papa...

Made a new friend...

Had an awesome time...

Saturday, October 15, 2011

What I Did On My Vacation (Baby Boy Edition)

Fell asleep on a plane...


Got some Mouse ears...


Fell asleep in a car...



Got smooched by a Princess...



Navigated...



Got picked to be a Pirate...


Fell asleep in a chair...



Had a great time...

Monday, September 12, 2011

Lighten Up

This past weekend was a long and somber experience. I realized today I am still feeling a little down...so I decided to uplift us all with this picture. I call it "Boy Pinching Toad"

It makes me smile...but I am not sure the Toad is feeling the love.

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Saucy

I am third generation Italian-American. Oh, I look like a pale Irish Girl, but the need to turn Roma tomatoes into sauce overwhelmes me this time of year...



My family makes two variations of saucy goodness. The first is what I typically cook, a Marinara...with garlic, olive oil, oregano and fresh Roma tomatoes, cooked down until it's thick and chunky. I use the Romas that we grow in our garden, and then freeze the sauce to use all winter.

I almost sound like an Italian Martha Stewart there, no?

The other sauce uses the juice of the Roma. This is something I just started becoming involved with the past few years.



We juice the tomatoes, cook it down, can the juice, and then later use it to make a smooth tomato sauce. Juicing a tomato the old way was not fun. You hand crank a metal machine until your arm falls off, juice leaks everywhere, and it takes a looooong time.

My Mom and I recently each got an attachment for our Kitchenaid Mixers that, together, let you juice a tomato. We do the juicing in the garage at my Parents' house, just to keep the kitchen free for the cooking of the juice and canning.



The mixer method was so awesome. Cleaner and faster than I thought and so easy even Baby Girl could help!



We're stocked up for now...once I try my hand at turning this into a sauce my Grandma Carmella would have been proud of, I'll feel like a true paisan!



Mangia E Statti Zitto!

Monday, August 29, 2011

The Not Bummer Summer

11 weeks just doesn't seem like a very long time. Especially when you are trying to have a Not Bummer Summer.

Inspired by the movie I took Baby Girl to at the beginning of June, we decided to make a list of all the things we wanted to do this summer to make it fun...i.e. not bummer.

School starts tomorrow, and we accomplished everything on the list except for two items (a baseball game and camping out in the backyard).

Here they are (in no particular order):

Going to the Judy Moody Movie

Fourth of July Party

Going to Lakeside

Swim Lessons

The Columbus Zoo

Cousin Sleepover

Having a Pool Party

Strawberry Picking

Visiting the Warther Museum

Going to a Drive in Movie

The only real Bummer:

Overall, not bad, not bad at all...

Friday, August 19, 2011

Ode to Lakeside (or How I Learned To Love a Chautauqua)

Ten summers ago, I was pregnant with Baby Girl, and we were invited to spend some time with Dr. Dad's whole family (at that time, 11 people) at a little Chautauqua resort on Lake Erie called Lakeside.

We settled in this little cottage and I immediately thought Chautauqua meant "boring."

I mean, they have their own "world renown" shuffleboard area, for crying out loud.

Sure, it was pretty...

and there were things to do nearby...

but a week of shuffleboard, concerts and rock painting wasn't our thing.

Or so I thought.

Fast forward 10 years, two kids, three cottages and a house full of 16 people and I have slowly developed a love affair with the lazy week we spend at Lakeside.

We do the same things every year...and we wouldn't have it any other way.