Happy Father's Day!

Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today!

Slip + Fall = Ouch!!!

I'm really wishing that my pride hurt more than my back. Friday night I was trying to give Mabel a much needed Monkey respite. I scooped her up with one hand, and had a plate full of TJ's cat tuna in the other hand and started galloping down the stairs. About half way down I slipped on a plastic bag. My feet went shooting forward and I managed to continue down on the right side of my back. Cat food flew everywhere. In case you were worried, Mabel managed to easily bound to safety.

Now the plastic bag being there was totally my fault. Pure laziness. Basically instead of walking down a potential cat litter bag I carelessly tossed it over the counter and then completely forgot about it.

Ugh. So I don't think anything is broken, but my back STILL HURTS. I'm basically sitting on the couch with an icepack. Haven't slept much the past few nights. Over the counter meds just aren't working.

Fingers crossed that it gets better soon, since we're supposed to go to Six Flags with Griffin's company this weekend. Even though it's cheesy I've wanted to go for years but we just haven't gotten around to it. My back HAS to get better. Must...get...better...by...Saturday!!!



On a positive note, here's a photo of San Francisco's organic farm. Looks pretty sweet with a windmill and greenhouse.

The Three + Hour Tour

Let me begin by stating a simple fact - I am NOT a fan of boats. Canoes are okay, kayaks will do, but big old boats - especially those with motors have been a nightmare for me since I was a small child. I mean, everyone thinks they know motion sickness and its aftermath, but let me assure you have you have NO IDEA what the aftermath of my extreme super motion sickness looks like. You're not alone, since I haven't been on a boat with a motor for 10 years.



The longest boat ride I have ever taken is the 2-hour ferry ride to Martha's Vineyard. Which was a total disaster. It was raining that day and everyone else on the ferry was comfortably inside staying dry and having cups of hot cocoa while I spent a couple of hours getting uncomfortably damp and heaving over the side of the boat.

I have tried all of the usual tricks. I have the acupressure bands (I had them for the ill-fated MV trip), I have tried pills and really nothing seems to work.

So I am EXTREMELY concerned about tonight's 4 hour dinner cruise. Especially since it is with G's new co-workers. My constant hurling and heaving has the potential to ruin everyone else's enjoyment. Sigh.

My mom was all "Oh, honey. Did you tell him about the time you threw up for hours after riding the world's smoothest 10 minute ferry when you were a kid?"

Um, no. No I didn't. Because it has never really come up. I have successfully managed to avoid boats for years and years. But that changes tonight.

I have several coping strategies. Tonight I will be instituting the following measures:
• chewable motion sickness relief pills
• acupressure bands
• endless ginger chews
• large mostly empty purse filled and lined with lots of plastic bags
• staying outside on the deck of the boat as much as possible

I'm not sure what else I can really do. Sigh. I'd best get myself ready to go and will keep my fingers crossed (unless it interferes with subtly whipping out the big purse for secret and hopefully silent barfing).

Diorama-Rama

I am totally obsessed with using Tilt-shift to make my photos look like miniatures/scale-models. Look at the model roof kitty! So cute!

What I'm really loving about it is that it makes some rather blah digital landscape photos look really cool.


Before Tilt-shift this was a rather disappointing, flat shot of a Beaver Creek hotel or apartment building. After tilt shift it looks really cool!

Of course, you can use it with photography that's already good as well.


Look at those adorable toy boats!

Warning: this filter is highly addictive and I cannot be held responsible if you decide, much as I did, to search through your entire library of say 20,000 photos obsessively to find the perfect photos to convert into miniatures...

Cat News

A box arrived the other day - a not so discreet box labeled thusly...



Funny how they just know...


I had a tough time getting Mabel off of the box long enough to put the tree together...she was all over it every step of the way.





Seems like it's a hit.



Seriously, how do they know that this bizarre piece of furniture is for them?

Shenanigan - yep, just one

More monkey business from one crazy kitty.

Cat News

Monkey has gotten quite a bit larger and wider, and though he has calmed down a lot, he can still be one crazy monster. His claws also get ridiculously sharp. Because he won't let us (and by us I mean Griffin) clip them. If you even try to cut a single claw he makes this horrible howling noise (even though you haven't done anything yet and there is no way he feels any pain) and starts to struggle. And even if I help hold him he loves to swivel his neck around exorcist style and chomp down on any flesh or garments. Oh, and he has no qualms about biting right through the skin. Sigh.


Look at those claws!


Monkey must sniff each and every thing we eat or drink. He never really wants to taste, but can be relentless until you just let him sniff it already!


Herr Crazy Eyes

Mabel has been doing really well. She has a good appetite, and has even managed to play with Monkey's ribbon on occasion. Last night she apparently had a big adventure. When I woke up this morning and came upstairs, the back door was open and it had rained into the porch. There were also wet paw prints both coming and going. But Mabel was sitting there waiting for her breakfast. When I mentioned it to G (who had fallen asleep on the couch) he was all "so that was why she was wet. I just thought she was in the bathtub." In all fairness I must disclose that she does indeed love to hang out in the bathtub and the faucet does have a drip so it isn't that farfetched...


Mabel making the lap rounds.


Playing with Monkey's ribbon. I have tried to get them to play with it at the same time (each with their own end) but neither will play with it unless I'm holding it. Silly cats.


Mabel helps felt her heart toy.

In Mabel & Monkey news, they have started to sleep closer together. This usually involves Monkey sneaking in after she is already asleep.



But on January 17 they made history by touching whilst sleeping.



Their butts and paws are touching! YES! It's still a long way from cuddling together, but I'll take it.