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      Tuesday, July 03, 2007


catstuff
08:05 AM - 07/03/2007

The topic: It’s TUMMY TUESDAY #50!
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It really makes me smile when I’m a little late on getting the Tummy Tuesday pic up.  Brian still isn’t back on a schedule, he was planning on staying up at the property until late this afternoon, but it was too damned hot, so he decided to come home yesterday.  Possible record heat this week. 

He went to his brother’s house before coming home and his bro lives in the desert.  It was 112° yesterday at his brother’s house, but they kept working on some equipment and he didn’t get home until a quarter after five.  So, my regular routine is still pretty much off at this point. 

I got up at 4:15 this morning, let the cats out, then went back to bed.  Got up at 5:45, fed KittyMeeze, opened the garage door and turned on the fan in the garage so that it had a chance to cool off before the heat hits, and turned on the computers for the cameras.  Then I went back to bed. 

I finally got up for reals about twenty minutes ago.  I check out Benny’s forums and I see I have a private message.  This is what makes me smile.  To paraphrase:  “Hey, when you getting the damned Tummy Tuesday up, I’ve got an awesome shot of a kitty tummy to share with the world!”

So, without further ado, here we go!

Today’s tummy belongs to the lovely and talented Saggerwaggerbaggerbutt.  Officially known as “Sagwa”.  He’s all stretched out in one of the bay windows, catching the weakening rays of the evening sun.  Good job, Sags.


click for a larger pic

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The first year anniversary of the Tummy Tuesday page is coming up in two weeks.  If you don’t have a weblog, for this one time only, I’m accepting a photo and a short message about the subject.  I’ll add them to the fifty second TT entry.  Send them to tummytuesdaypix @gmail.com.  (Remove the space between the x and @, otherwise your mail will bounce.)

If you’ve got a Tummy Tuesday blog entry, feel free to post the link in the comment section or trackback to this entry. And if you put a link back to this page, then more kitties will get to show off their tummies!

      Sunday, July 08, 2007


catstuff
04:25 PM - 07/08/2007

The topic: Lonee
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Well, she’s doing a million times better at this point.  The meat helped her get through her period of not wanting to eat. Her stool isn’t always as nice and firm as I’d like it to be, but it’s so very, very much better than it had been.

She did poop under the bookcase in the family room Friday morning and I had to lay on my belly to reach under there and clean it up and it wasn’t one of the nice ones. I refreshed the batteries in the Scat machine, keep her the hell from under there.  Blech.

But she’s right there when I hand out the treats in the morning and at night. Well, not with the unwashed crowd, but up on her own little perch.  If I’m not quick enough for her I can hear her calling for me to move a little quicker.

I love it!



04:38 PM - 07/08/2007

The topic: Feline asthma
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Rory started having signs of the hard breathing again this past week.  What I don’t understand is why she gets so much more active when her breathing is so much harder.  Same thing when I first took her in for this earlier this year.

She waits until late at night and starts rough housing with her brother or bringing her feather boa on a stick into bed at night, fighting with it, dropping it off the edge of the bed, retrieving it and bringing it back to bed (until I grab it and stick it under my pillow).  If she can’t find her FBOAS, she’ll find one of the many rattling mice and bring that into bed and play with it (until I grab it and stick it under my pillow;  under my pillow is a fun place to look each morning).

The vet had warned me that spring and fall would be bad times for her, I think the heat we had this past week was pretty hard, too.  Record temperatures in much of Southern California. 

Friday, I call the vet’s office to recheck the instructions on the meds she’s supposed to be given for a flare up.  I say “yeah, she’s got pred and Brethine, what do I give her?”  Amber checks and comes back “give her the just the Brethine.”  Ah, yes, now I remember, if the Brethine alone doesn’t help, then she gets the course of pred.  I thank her and hang up.  Then I call right back.

When she answers, I don’t identify myself I just say “for how long?”  She starts laughing, says “let me go ask.”  A week.  She’s supposed to be on Brethine for a week.

Let’s hope this helps.  I really would like to not have to give her prednisone.


otherstuff
04:49 PM - 07/08/2007

The topic: Unlimited long distance
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Okay, I’m not known for my lengthy phone conversations.  But one of the reasons is because we don’t have long distance.  We do have anytime minutes with our cell phone service and rollover minutes.  We’ve got over 3500 rollover minutes stored at this point.

So, last month I decide to get unlimited long distance.  I call Cox Communications, our current provider, on June 15th.  It would add $23.00 to our monthly bill, putting it at over $55 a month.  Hmm, that seems kind of pricey to me, so I do a search online.  (Google is my friend.)

AT&T has an online offer of unlimited long distance and thirteen features for forty bucks a month (hey, if you’re interested in trying this, wait until I get set up and you can use me as a reference and I’ll get a million bazillion dollars…well, maybe not that much, but I do get some sort of thank you from AT&T).  So, I sign up online.  Get to the last page and “we’re experiencing technical difficulties, please call….” and there’s a number.  I call.  She asks questions, I answer them.  She asks what number I’d like and gives me three or four choices.  Uh, no, I want the number I’m calling from right now.  Okay, that will take longer to set up because your current provider has to let us have it. 

No problem, our original service was with AT&T before we went to Cox.  So, it should be pretty simple, right?  I should be hearing something within the next week. As an additional bonus, since I’m switching from a cable company, we’ll be getting an additional ten dollars off a month. For five months.  Or was it ten?  I don’t care.  It was icing on the cake.

On the 23rd, I call AT&T.  “Hey, what’s the status on this?  I haven’t heard anything.”  The guy looks up the records, shows nothing for this phone number.  I give him the confirmation number I was given when I signed up.  He looks it up. Shows a different phone number.  He’s at a loss, says he’s going to transfer me to a supervisor.  Okay, whatever ya have to do.  I just want to get this set up.

I speak with the supervisor and she asks “well, what’s this phone number?” and rattles off the number on the account.

blank

Beats me.  I have no idea.  I tell her I wanted the account set up with our current number.   I give it to her.  I don’t understand why she asked, but she seemed surprised when I told her that number works.  I told her “I’m calling you on it right now.”  So, she goes ahead and sets up a new account and gives me a new confirmation number.  “You should be hearing something from us within the next four or five days.”

When I hadn’t heard anything by the 28th, I called again.  Gave the same information.  Was told “that’s set up for the 5th of July”.  Yay!

Guess what?  No one showed up.  I call.  I tell my long sad story again.  And the woman I spoke with told me the problem was that Cox wasn’t responding to their requests and that she’d put an expedite on it.  And that I should hear from AT&T in twenty four to forty eight hours.  And I did.  Within twenty four hours, I got the message that there will be someone out here on Tuesday, the 10th to do the switchover.

Woohoo!  Unlimited long distance!  Woohoo!

Anybody in the U.S. want a wake up call from lisaviolet?  Won’t cost me a cent!

yippee


otherstuff
05:16 PM - 07/08/2007

The topic: Alli
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I’m sure lots of you have heard about it.  Some may have even tried it.  Some would never try it because of the “side effects”.

I bought a starter pack the week it came out. And let me tell you about the side effects. If you don’t overindulge in fatty foods, there are none. 

The recommended limit on fat grams per meal, with Alli is 15 grams. That’s per meal. Since I’d already cut back on most fat in the diet, it wasn’t a problem.  Some sort of high fiber cereal consisting of dirt, sticks, grass and leaves for breakfast.  Lean Cuisines, Subway sandwiches or something from the local Mexican eatery for lunch. And since it’s been so hot, I’ve just been skipping dinner, maybe having a piece of fruit. And lots of water.

Last April, when I split out the ass in my largest pair of pants, I figured it was time to do something.  I’d vowed to never buy a larger size than I had on and the only alternative (besides wearing dresses or skirts or going naked) was to lose weight.  And that’s what I started to do.

I did pretty good to start, but in May, the sun was absent.  The clouds just hung around day after day.  My spirits took a nosedive.  I need the sun.  It’s a necessary part of my being.  They call it “May grey”.  I hoped we wouldn’t also get lots of “June gloom”.  The beaches get it more than we do inland, because of the marine layer. 

And I baked. And I ate what I baked.  I made dinners.  And I ate dinners.  And I gained back half of what I’d lost.

Then the sun came out. And it was good.  My spirits lifted, my resolve came back. And the weight loss was back within reach.  Then Alli came out for sale without a prescription.

Well, let me tell you, I like it.  Even when I don’t think I’m going to lose anything, I’m losing.  Maybe only two pounds a week, but that’s better than putting on two pounds a week.  And the Alli keeps you honest about what you’re eating. 

Because, once, just once, I got hit with the “side effects”.  We’d been shopping all morning and on the way home stopped at McDonalds. I got a Big N Tasty with cheese (22 grams of fat) and fries (20 grams of fat).  Then I took my Alli.

Felt great the rest of the day.  Fast forward to Sunday morning.  And my first visit to the bathroom. I just started laughing.  I told Brian I was seeing one of the “side effects” of the previous day’s lunch.  It wasn’t pretty.  I was glad I was at home.  And that pair of panties ended up in the trash.

But I haven’t had a burger since.  Nor have I had French fries.  I have had Subway sandwiches with avocado.  I have had bacon and eggs and potatoes fried in butter and buttered English muffins.  I’ve had cheese enchiladas and rolled tacos with guacamole.  I’ve had cheese pizza (I love cheese pizza). I’ve had Coldstone ice cream.  I’ve had Taco Bell taco supremes. And I’ve had no “side effects” from any of this.  I wonder if I’d just had the fries or just had the burger, what the result might have been. 

I’m not in a big hurry to find out.  And I guess, that’s the point of the Alli.

And, oh yeah, at Friday’s weigh in?  I was down sixteen pounds.


otherstuff
05:47 PM - 07/08/2007

The topic: Why won’t it play?
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Brian finally got the door handles on the Ranger fixed. Well, not so that you can put a lot of weight on them, but they’re not just hanging there like the old ones were.  He couldn’t find replacement handles, so he had to make some. He started on that project a couple of years ago and I just stopped driving the truck.

Well, now it looks much nicer and I’m back in it.   I turned on the stereo and it needed some major adjusting of the sound settings. That all done, I put in one of the compilation CDs I’ve burned.  Didn’t read.  This isn’t good. 

I come inside and get a factory burned disk.  Worked like a charm.  Tried one of the other compilations.  Nothing.  Tried another. Still nothing.  Used a laser cleaning. Still won’t play a burned disk, but has no problem with one from the factory.

Hey, maybe it’s just the disks burned on the computer.  Gonna try one burned on an audio burner.

———————————————————————

Woohoo!  It worked!  Yay!  I’m sure glad I never got rid of the CD burners I got for my audio system.  And I’ve still got all of the blank audio disks, too.  Just what I needed. Another project.  *lol*  Ah, well, I can do that while I work on my beading, right?

      Monday, July 09, 2007


otherstuff
10:24 AM - 07/09/2007

The topic: Filing
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I’m not a big fan of paperwork.  Never have been.  On a good day, I have to push myself to do it.  Well, the past six months have been full of bad days.  For filing, anyway.

This past week, I finally got ambitious.  Pulled 2005 files out of the filing cabinet and got them boxed up.  Transferred the 2006 files into that drawer.  Then printed up labels for 2007.  Heh.

Now, I’ve got the entire pile of 2007 files in the sorter.  Last time I paid bills (not this morning, but the time before that) I didn’t attach the check stub to the invoices it paid for.  What a mess.  Guess the best thing to do is to just dive in and get started.

Bleh.


catstuff
10:28 AM - 07/09/2007

The topic: One of the nice things about raw beef
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It’s not a big hit with all of the cats, only a few, so Lonee can get her fill.  She lets you know when she wants some, too.  If you’re in the kitchen, she’ll sit at the edge of the tile and look at you and cry.

And Ronnie has been much more deferential to her since she’s been feeling better.

Good deal.


catstuff
10:30 AM - 07/09/2007

The topic: I think I need to fire the cats
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The damned gopher holes are taking over the yard down by Brian’s shop. It’s like an old mine testing field.  Lots and lots of piles of dirt and lots and lots of holes.

Gah.

And the cats sit there and watch.  They do try to capture and probably if I let a couple of them stay out overnight, we’d have much better results. 

I have to think about this.

      Tuesday, July 10, 2007


catstuff
07:09 AM - 07/10/2007

The topic: It’s TUMMY TUESDAY #51!
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And for this week's edition of Tummy Tuesday, we have the wonderful little Potter giving us a stretch.
 


click for a larger pic

================================================

The first year anniversary of the Tummy Tuesday page is coming up in two weeks (July 24).  If you don’t have a weblog, for this one time only, I’m accepting a photo and a short message about the subject.  I’ll add them to the fifty second TT entry.  Send them to tummytuesdaypix @gmail.com.  (Remove the space between the x and @, otherwise your mail will bounce.)

If you’ve got a Tummy Tuesday blog entry, feel free to post the link in the comment section or trackback to this entry. And if you put a link back to this page, then more kitties will get to show off their tummies!

 


otherstuff
07:40 AM - 07/10/2007

The topic: I don’t know why
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But, I have a really hard time taking health advice from someone who smokes.


otherstuff
06:22 PM - 07/10/2007

The topic: Phone service
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So, the guy is supposed to be here in a certain window of time.  Like 8:00am until 5:00pm.  Lovely. 

He shows up about 4:15.  And the phone lines at the street aren’t really all that good.  But he gets it working and now I’ve got unlimited long distance.

There’s a buzz on the line, but my friend Allyson in Anaheim (she was the first I called since I used to call her at work and say “call me back!”), said that her phone line had a buzz on it when DSL was installed at her house and she said she got used to it.

I’m happy.

      Wednesday, July 11, 2007


otherstuff
09:31 AM - 07/11/2007

The topic: Audit is at 1:30
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I’ve vacuumed and wiped down the kitchen counters.  I have all of the reports nice and neat and paper clipped together.  I’ve got to do the litterboxes and take a shower, then I’ll be ready.

Hopefully, the audit won’t take more than a half hour.  When you don’t have many employees and you’ve got all of the needed paperwork handy, things go a lot more smoothly and the smoother they go, the quicker they go.

I just walked outside an it’s going to be a beautiful day.  I’d love to be laying poolside by 1:30, but won’t happen. And then I have to go shopping for catfood and Brian needs some stuff for the shop. 

Tomorrow.  I’ll be in the sun tomorrow.


otherstuff
09:34 AM - 07/11/2007

The topic: The phone
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Last night Brian says “why is this light blinking?” on his phone.  Um, I dunno. 

No dial tone.  It’s the company line.  Great.  I call the number from the home number and let it ring.  Fortunately, it’s still being forwarded down to the shop, so there will be no missed calls. 

I call the tech, leave a message on his cell.  He calls me back and said that he probably didn’t plug something back in at the box at the house.  He just left and everything is cool.

Whew!

      Friday, July 13, 2007


otherstuff
08:43 AM - 07/13/2007

The topic: I’ve lost 19 pounds
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Here's a picture of the back of me.
(I'm really short.)

      Monday, July 16, 2007


otherstuff
12:50 PM - 07/16/2007

The topic: I think….
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I think that once a woman has entered menopause, she should no longer get pimples. 

That’s what I think.


otherstuff
03:52 PM - 07/16/2007

The topic: The store
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I'm finally uploading the earrings.

 

      Tuesday, July 17, 2007


catstuff
07:24 AM - 07/17/2007
We found a penny on our walk this morning

The topic: It’s TUMMY TUESDAY #52!
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click for a larger pic

Today’s tummy is from the old man of the household, Bartholomew Bradley.  Impressive for an old guy, isn’t it? A fitting photo for the 52nd edition of Tummy Tuesday.

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The first year anniversary of the Tummy Tuesday page is coming up in one week (July 24).  If you don’t have a weblog, for this one time only, I’m accepting a photo and a short message about the subject.  I’ll add them to the fifty third TT entry.  Send them to tummytuesdaypix @gmail.com.  (Remove the space between the x and @, otherwise your mail will bounce.)

If you’ve got a Tummy Tuesday blog entry, feel free to post the link in the comment section or trackback to this entry. And if you put a link back to this page, then more kitties will get to show off their tummies!

      Thursday, July 19, 2007


catstuff
07:51 AM - 07/19/2007

The topic: Quit bugging me!
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A few years back, we started eating at the table again, because it was much easier to eat there and keep the cats out of our food.  And it’s better for your digestion system.  *grin*  Anyway, cereal is a different thing.

We eat cereal in front of the television, or in front of the computer monitor. 

Now, Lisa is not a real beggar cat.  She likes the occasional bit of meat, but other than that, she’s a safe cat to eat around. 

And since I’ve cut back on the junk food in the house, I try to keep some sort of fruit on hand.  One of the fruits that is usually in home is bananas. 

So, this morning, I get my sticks and dirt cereal poured, slice up 3/4 of a banana on it (eat the rest while I’m pouring the non-fat milk on the cereal), come back to the computer. 

Lisa won’t leave me alone.  After all these years, I forgot. 

Lisa loves bananas.  So, she got some from my cereal.  She ate every last piece I gave her.

      Tuesday, July 24, 2007


catstuff
08:56 AM - 07/24/2007

The topic: It’s TUMMY TUESDAY #53!
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Welcome to the first anniversary of Tummy Tuesday! Today, in celebration, we have some visitor tummies.
 


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First off is the resident furball, Rachel, showing her belly after a very unsuccessful morning of gopher hunting in the back yard.
 


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Next is Bandit, who his mom says "Bandit had the most foofy tummy I've ever seen. You could just bury your face in that long white fur."
 


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Trudy writes “Here is our little Muldoon (also sometimes known as Stretch or Skeezix) posing for a tummy photo.  He’s a very sweet boy who loves tummy rubs, popcorn, and whatever his sister is trying to eat.  He also loves to play fetch with those little sponge balls that look like colored golf balls.  If he wants to play fetch, he gives new meaning to the word “persistent”.  If he gets the urge to fetch while you’re taking a nap, he will stand on your chest, drop the ball on your face, and stare at you until you give up and play with him.  We love him and his sister Wilella very, very much.”"


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And here's our very own, Ollie cat.

 


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Wally weighs in with his own tummy. I think he's very proud of that belly.


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Sue sent this picture of her cat Daisy, who isn’t doing well.  “This tummy picture was actually taken a while back, and Daisy has kidney failure now, and just 10 days ago was diagnosed also with lymphoma, so probably will be with us for only a few more months.  At the moment she feels fine, so we just have to watch over her.  But she’s a very gentle, sweet-natured cat - and we live in the U.K.” 

Sending prayers to Daisy from the cathouse. 


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Bart, Moses and Solomon were rescued from a shelter about 10 ½ yrs. ago.  Bart & Moses are littermates.  They are all happy to show off their tummys.

Thank you, Lori!


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And last but not least, is our very own Benny Benny Butt Cat, stretching out by the pool yesterday evening.

Thank you for sticking around the past year and thanks to those who sent in their photos!  Cat bellies are the best!


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If you’ve got a Tummy Tuesday blog entry, feel free to post the link in the comment section or trackback to this entry. And if you put a link back to this page, then more kitties will get to show off their tummies!

      Saturday, July 28, 2007


otherstuff
05:57 PM - 07/28/2007

The topic: You know what sounds good?
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A burnt marshmallow.  One that’s been held over an open flame and allowed to catch on fire, then blown out and the outside is brown and crispy, inside is all gooey.

Yum.

      Tuesday, July 31, 2007


catstuff
08:36 AM - 07/31/2007

The topic: It’s TUMMY TUESDAY #54!
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click for a larger pic

Today’s tummy belongs to Handsome, who went to the bridge a year ago today.  I sure miss this kitty cat.  He was one of the best.

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If you’ve got a Tummy Tuesday blog entry, feel free to post the link in the comment section or trackback to this entry. And if you put a link back to this page, then more kitties will get to show off their tummies!

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lisaviolet is seventy something, married with no kids, takes care of lots of cats, likes taking photographs, loves Southern California weather and spends altogether too much time avoiding her responsibilities.

In her spare time, she makes pretty things to sell in her store.

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