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      Tuesday, May 01, 2007

08:31 AM - 05/01/2007 The current weather is cloudy and drizzly and thundery The topic: It’s TUMMY TUESDAY #41! ---------------------------------------------- And, boy, did I get a great couple of shots of a Richie belly this weekend.  He was all stretched out on one of the chairs on the patio and I got some snaps of that, but justice wasn’t done to his magnificent belly.  Luckily, the chair wasn’t large enough for his comfort and he moved to the table top. Does he care that I’ve got a camera on him?  Not one little bit. click for a larger pic ================================================ 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! | Permalink

otherstuff 01:36 PM - 05/01/2007 The topic: Men! ---------------------------------------------- We went to CostCo last night.  At the checkout stand, I looked over and saw a woman holding a bag of canteloupe against her chest at another checkout stand, her hands full of other stuff. I said to Brian, in a regular tone of voice, “Look at the melons on that woman!”  He just looked at me and shook his head.  The guy checking us out didn’t make any kind of move to look.  Then he “needed” to do something with our cart and I saw him look over at her.  Busted!  I started laughing.  He blushed. | Permalink

      Wednesday, May 02, 2007

otherstuff 07:29 AM - 05/02/2007 The topic: The gate ---------------------------------------------- Okay, the neighbor's gate has been wide open the past two days. This makes me crazy.   | Permalink

tales from the parkside 01:06 PM - 05/02/2007 The topic: Car maintenance ---------------------------------------------- My mom has wanted the oil changed in her car for months now.  She’s made a couple of attempts to get it done with no success.  Remember when I busted her for smoking back in March?  She got the beer and cigarettes after being told by her old mechanic that he was too busy, couldn’t fit her in.  So, last week, Brian was supposed to do it.  Each night, it was too late when he got home. He said he’d do it Friday.  My mom called at six Friday night, wanting to know where we were.  Brian wasn’t home yet.  I told her not to worry about it.  That I’d take her this week to get it done. So, this morning, I took her to WalMart.  She was very happy. We went into the store and did some shopping.  I did more shopping than she did, which now I wish I hadn’t done.  We saw this really neat margarita maker, one that can run on AC or DC current.  It holds a gallon.  Honestly, I don’t know how good it will be at crushing ice, but I thought it was pretty neat. She said “you don’t drink margaritas” I said “Brian does”.  She said “I’ll get it for Brian”, I said “no, we don’t need it, put it back”. She was adamant and put it into the cart. I bought some more beading stuff, a set of sheets, some big curlers (that are in my hair right now!), a cat toy, an sun tea jar and some more facial scrub. When we get to the checkout, I told her to go first, then I’d go.  She said “no, I’ll go first”.  Uh, yeah, that’s what I said, mom, you go first. I didn’t go at all.  She paid for everything, said “this is part of your next birthday”.  *sigh*  See why I wish I’d not done so much shopping?  Anyway, they’re supposed to announce when your car is done and they hadn’t called her name yet. But the car was done and I told her to go load it up, I’d take care of the bill.  She mildly protested, but not much.  After all, she just bought us a margarita maker, a set of sheets (Cal King), rollers for my hair, facial scrub and a cat toy.  Picking up the tab for her oil change was the least I could do. Moms. Gotta love ‘em. | Permalink

      Monday, May 07, 2007

otherstuff 09:14 AM - 05/07/2007 The topic: I’ve been busy! ---------------------------------------------- Busy working on the store!  Woohoo!  I’m at the point where I’m starting to upload products.  I can’t believe how easy this thing was to do, once I got the hang of how it works. Once the stuff is uploaded and the store goes live, I can start making some more jewelry.  I love beading! Back to work! | Permalink

otherstuff 09:17 AM - 05/07/2007 The topic: More busy stuff ---------------------------------------------- I also did some tweaking of the graphics on the catcam pages.  I think they look cleaner now. And I washed the mirror wardrobe doors.  And washed the cat pee out of the tracks.  Cats. Gotta love ‘em. | Permalink

      Tuesday, May 08, 2007

catstuff 08:51 AM - 05/08/2007 We found two pennies and a dime on our walk this morning The topic: It’s TUMMY TUESDAY #42 ---------------------------------------------- Today, we have a special tummy twofer! First off, we have the lovely and talented Sammy Bo Bammy Bammers Malone, who has overcome whatever had him nervous and shy for over a year.  He’s now back in the fold and as affectionate as ever. click for a larger pic And then, we have the usual suspect, Richie Cunningham.  I think this kitty is as proud of his tummy as a kitty can be and that’s why he’s always showing it off.  If he was human, he’d most likely have rock hard abs and a nice deep tan and walk around with jeans hanging low (but not butt crack low) and no shirt.  Yep, I think Richie would be the Chippendale in the family. click for a larger pic   But wait! I'm not done yet! I've got more to say! | Permalink

      Sunday, May 13, 2007

otherstuff 01:31 PM - 05/13/2007 The topic: The store ---------------------------------------------- is finally live.  I do have more stuff to stock the shelves with, but for right now, the products that were in the old store are now in the new store. And now, back to work, the jewelry section is pretty empty. | Permalink

      Monday, May 14, 2007

catstuff 03:08 PM - 05/14/2007 The topic: My tummy turned a little…. ---------------------------------------------- This morning, I saw a couple of the cats huddled around something.  I figured I’d go check it out and see if I could save whatever it was they had.  It was Daniece who had it.  And it was a lizard.  It was dead, beyond saving. What sickened me was she was holding the body down with a paw and had one of the other parts in her mouth and she’d just pull on it as far as she could.  And she’d start just gnawing, like I do the gum I chew in the morning on our walk. It was horrible, the way it stretched out.  It was like a rubber band.  I could swear it was the head, but I just found the carcass a little bit ago and it was intact from the head to the middle.  Then the rest of it was gone.  I was in the bedroom and Daniece came up to me to be loved and, I dunno, I kind of just pulled away from her, thinking of what I’d seen her doing.  I’ll be glad when this vision is out of the front of my head, you know, the fresh vision area. Word. If your cat gets ahold of something you can’t save, don’t be considerate and let the cat keep it, because you might see something that you could most likely live your life out nicely without seeing. It was like something I’d read in a Stephen King novel.  So graphic and so sickening and so nasty. | Permalink

      Tuesday, May 15, 2007

catstuff 07:32 AM - 05/15/2007 We found a nickel on our walk this morning The topic: It’s TUMMY TUESDAY #43! ---------------------------------------------- I was under a little pressure from the peanut gallery this morning to get the Tummy Tuesday photo up.  Having been busy the past week working on the store, I hadn’t taken any tummy pictures, so I grabbed this one this morning of Richie.  Yes, I know it’s not a full on tummy pic, but we all know what a wonderful belly is on this boy.  click for a larger pic ================================================ 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! | Permalink

catstuff 10:56 AM - 05/15/2007 The topic: One of the major problems ---------------------------------------------- with having as many cats as we have, is when there’s an obvious problem with one of them.  But all you find are the signs there’s a problem, without knowing which cat is having said problem. Example:  during the night, I was awakened by something falling or being pushed over.  I got up to see what it was, thinking that it might be the fake ficus tree by the fireplace in the family room.  I was right.  I set it back up where it belonged, because if I hadn’t, know doubt some cat would have peed on it when it was prone. We go for our walk, everything is good in the world.  Then, about an hour or so ago, I see pools of blood on the hearth, next to where the fake ficus lived. Oh, my.  I got a couple of paper towels and there was a fair amount of blood to clean up.  There was a little splatter on the floor and after much investigation, I found a little bit on one of the cat tree platforms and one small drop by the sliding glass door.  That was it.  One of the cats was hurt.  But which one?  And what was hurt?  Was a claw pulled out?  Was there a cut on a paw pad?  Did the tree fall and hit one of the cats on the face?  At this point, I don’t think I’ll ever know.  I checked out all of the cats as good as I could.  Which meant tossing out evening treats this morning.  Most of them came running and the ones that came running, ate the treats.  So far so good.  Richie and Little Bit were the only two I wasn’t sure of.  Richie was sleeping in one of the cat beds, didn’t seem to mind me rolling him over and giving him a quick look.  And just a short while ago, I watched Little Bit run across the lawn and cat scratch her way up the swing in the back yard.  She seems to be okay. As far as I could tell there was no limping going on and no sign of blood on anyone. So, now I watch and wait.  And that ficus tree?  It now lives in the dumpster, soon to live at the dump.  It won’t be around to hurt another kitty cat. | Permalink

salestuff 02:45 PM - 05/15/2007 The topic: Link ---------------------------------------------- There is now a link to the store at the bottom of this page.  At the same place where I have the links for the photo album and the cats. | Permalink

      Saturday, May 19, 2007

otherstuff 03:27 PM - 05/19/2007 The topic: Every thing is fine here ---------------------------------------------- I’ve just been busy. I thought the store was ready and a buddy bought the first item.  The three strand white necklace with aurora borealis crystals.  Well, I didn’t have the PayPal information set right and it went to “sales@paypal.com”.  Duh.  Then yesterday morning, someone bought two of the sets and the payment went through, but my store said the buy failed.  So, the customer, really wanting these earrings, paid for them again.  And my store still told her that the sale didn’t go through.  I found the problem, credited back one of the payments.  It was a setting in the store.  I had it right to begin with, then thought “that can’t be it” and changed it.  I should have left it as it was. And then I had to figure out how to get the invoices to where they looked better printed out.  That took a half a day.  It always surprises me how long something needing just a little adjustment can take. And after I get done with that, there’s still housework, laundry, cat stuff, shopping, the same old thing. Not much time left after that to do much online. I think it should go easier now, with the exception of adding stock (very time consuming as it is, even though I’ve already got most of the pictures).  But I shouldn’t need to be messing with things so much now and once I get a rhythm for adding stock, it most likely won’t suck up so much of my time. This evening, I’m going to make some earrings while watching last year’s Pirates movie (it debuts on Starz tonight) and then tomorrow, take pictures of the stuff that I don’t have pictures of and start “stocking” the store.  I’ll take it offline to do that. We’ve been having the May gray weather, which really doesn’t do much to get me energized.  And after May gray, comes the June gloom.  The catnip patch is doing better since the cats can’t get into it.  There are some weeds that need to be pulled.  I watered it really good today and will try to get in there tomorrow to dig up that infernal crab grass and the weeds.  And then put in more catnip seed to replace the area that the cats decimated by rolling in it. And chewing on it. I plan to start selling Benny’s Finest Kind nip again this year.  I’ve gotten more than a few requests for it. | Permalink

catstuff 03:43 PM - 05/19/2007 The topic: Lonee and the poop problem ---------------------------------------------- I’d love to be able to pick her up and put her in a carrier.  The sad thing about ferals is when they’re that complacent, it’s too late Anyway, my latest idea about her loose stool has to do with her teeth.  I think she’s got some problems going on in her mouth.  A few months ago, we bought some of the Kirkland brand cat food for treats.  The kibble is small, rounded cubes.  All of the cats like it and Lonee loves it.  I think the Felidae is hard for her to eat.  And maybe her stool has been so runny because the only food she’s been eating is the wet food I put out at night.  But it’ has a ton of water in it, making it like brown water.  And I don’t think there’s enough kibble in what she laps up to really do any good.  For the other cats, it’s just a treat supplement, but for her, it’s what she’s surviving on.  At least, that’s my suspicion now. So, earlier this week, I started giving her little bits of the Fancy Feast I put out for KittyMeeze.  And during the day, I give her more.  She likes this food, she likes it very much.  And since I’ve been doing this, she’s not pooping as often.  As a matter of fact, it was almost thirty six hours between her most recent droppings and the one this afternoon had quite a bit of nicely formed firm stool.  And a little bit of the thick runny stuff.  This leads me to believe I’m on the right track with her.   I’m hoping we can get some weight back on her, since she’s gotten so think the past six months or so.  She’s not a young cat and I know that doesn’t help.  *sigh* Sometimes it’s really tough. She’s started spending time outside during the day, on the patio.  She loves to lay in the sun.  She’ll hang on the back step or stretch out on the pillow.  I think today it got a little too warm for her, so she moved to under the table.  It’s nice to see her someplace besides the catbeds in the living room. | Permalink

      Monday, May 21, 2007

catstuff 11:51 AM - 05/21/2007 The topic: Lonee poo ---------------------------------------------- Well, Saturday, she went in the laundry room and there was a nice firm sizeable stool, along with some runny stuff.  It took her over twenty four hours to unload this.  A lot better than multiple instances of squirts throughout the day. And yesterday, she went in the kitchen, nothing runny at all!  Nice, firm and well formed.  Friday night, I didn’t put any of the stuff I give the other cats for dinner in the dining room.  Just in the garage and office.  Same thing Saturday night. For some reason, she can’t properly process the brown watery gravy the other cats like so much.  I have seen her going into the garage for food, but by the time she gets out there, the other cats have lapped up all of the gravy and all that’s left is gravy softened dry food. Now, if she can just starting regaining some of the weight she’s lost. I gave a little nip party yesterday afternoon and she really seemed to like that.  She waited until most of the other cats had moved on, then she stretched out and rolled on the cement.  Good girl. | Permalink

      Tuesday, May 22, 2007

catstuff 07:10 AM - 05/22/2007 The topic: It’s TUMMY TUESDAY #44! ---------------------------------------------- Today’s tummy model is Wally.  You just have to love a Wally belly.  In this picture, taken about twenty minutes ago, he’s trying to right himself from being flat on his back.  Where I kept rolling him.  *lol* I’m such a bad mommy, but he got lots of smurgles afterwards.  click for a larger pic ================================================ 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! | Permalink

      Wednesday, May 23, 2007

salestuff 11:33 AM - 05/23/2007 The topic: The store ---------------------------------------------- I’ve been adding stock.  I put up some earrings and now I’m putting up more necklaces. | Permalink

catstuff 06:06 PM - 05/23/2007 The topic: I didn’t mention ---------------------------------------------- That Rachel has another bladder infection.  It’s this time of the year, I guess.  My vet explained to me years ago that he has a theory that the warm/cool weather confuses animals. So, one day when they’re warm, they drink lots, then it cools off, they don’t drink lots. And somewhere along there, they don’t finish peeing and a little bit of urine stays in the bladder, resulting in an infection.  Knock on wood, Rachel is the only one who seems to have this problem. This time I’m going to keep her on meds for ten days.  Seven helped, but I can’t help but wonder if the previous infection wasn’t completely knocked off. | Permalink

salestuff 06:09 PM - 05/23/2007 The topic: All stuff is uploaded! ---------------------------------------------- I finally got the last necklace and earring set uploaded.  Whew, I can’t believe how much work this has been. But now that I’m familiar with the store setup and what I need, I think it should go a little faster from here on out. Taking the pictures and getting them cropped and resized takes the most time.  But I’m done for now!  Woohoo! | Permalink

      Thursday, May 24, 2007

salestuff 10:38 AM - 05/24/2007 The topic: I love positive feedback…. ---------------------------------------------- Imagine my surprise last week to find that the morning after I got the store running and had some stock in it there was an order for two of the necklace and earrings sets. I got it out in the mail and today, she let me know she got the sets. "I received your necklaces last night. The pictures DID NOT do them justice. They are awesome. I am going to a graduation tonight and I am looking forward to wearing the red and crystal one. I will try to get a picture to send. I am usually the one taking the pictures, but I will try to teach the boyfriend how to use my camera! Thank-you, Thank-you, Thank-you!!!!" I love this kind of thing. I'm grinning from ear to ear. http://www.lvdesigns.com | Permalink

      Friday, May 25, 2007

otherstuff 12:09 PM - 05/25/2007 The topic: Impatient drivers ---------------------------------------------- I was almost creamed by one this morning. Brian brought home a check last night.  A nice sized check, the first we’ve gotten in a couple of months (ah, the joys of self-employment).  A trip to the bank today was a must. Since it’s the Friday before a three day weekend, getting to the bank early to avoid long lines would be the best bet.  So, this morning at about nine, I left the house, deposit slips in hand.  Bluetooth on my ear, phone in my pocket.  About half way to the bank I realized I’d forgotten my identification.  Hopefully, I’d be a law abiding citizen and not catch the attention of law enforcement and the bank wouldn’t need any since I was just depositing funds, not making any withdrawals. Almost there, I see there’s an accident ahead.  Police cars, flashing lights, in the other lane, won’t affect my travels.  Pull into the drive-through, no one in my lane, make the deposit, get the slip back and I’m on my way home.  Except, now the accident is making a difference in my progress.  This isn’t the best intersection under ideal circumstances and although I’m the second car in line, it took three light cycles to get through.  The first one, the truck in front of me went.  It took such a long time for him to get through (the freeway on ramp is that way and there’s lots of people wanting to get on to the road; and they don’t want to miss their turn, heavens, three or four minutes is just such a freaking waste of time to be sitting at a light, just go, don’t wait, no matter there’s no room, just block the intersection - no one will mind) that I couldn’t turn. The lights skipped me on the next go round (cycle two), then on the third, when I’m first in line, and the cars across the intersection aren’t turning right or going straight, I’m good to make my left turn.  And I started. And this big truck, I don’t know what the hell he was thinking, he had a full on red light, there are cops all around, decides he doesn’t want to make a full stop, he wants to go, steps on his gas.  Straight at the driver’s side of my car.  And I was the driver! I slammed on my brakes, he had a “duh” moment and stepped on his and stopped before he made contact.  I’m waving my right hand in the air, pointing at my green light,  and just letting him know I wasn’t pleased with his actions.  Stupid ass. Thank God he didn’t hit me and I didn’t have to deal with ambulances, hospitals and….no identification. | Permalink

catstuff 12:31 PM - 05/25/2007 The topic: Rory ---------------------------------------------- One night this past week, Ronnie went after his sister.  I don’t much like him when he does this.  I went through it with Opie and Richie, to where they had a few of the girls terrified to be in the house and they took up residence in the garage.  Lonee came back in, but Angel and Gracie still live in the garage.  Gracie might come inside and sleep under the loveseat, the cat door isn’t even four feet away from it.  And Angel might venture in further, but she’s always ready to run back to the garage.  Well, Ron had Rory up against a cat tree and she was hissing and growling and panting.  The hissing and growling, while I didn’t care for it, weren’t all that much of a concern.  The panting was.  I picked her up and took her into the family room and sat with her, trying to get her calmed down.  It didn’t take long, the panting didn’t seem to bother her too much and it was over almost immediately, but I was still a little puzzled by it.  And when I got her calmed down, she went after Ronnie, but when he got her down, it started over.  I ended up chasing both of them with the squirt bottle, trying to be quiet since Brian was in bed asleep.  The water bottle worked and having Rory find a bug to chase helped even more and they quit going after one another. Last night, Ronnie had her trapped behind the door in the bedroom and once again, she was hissing, growling and panting.  This morning, I called and made an appointment for her next week.  Soonest they could get her in was Wednesday morning because of the holiday.  She doesn’t seem to be feeling badly, she’s outside stalking birds and inside playing with her boa on a stick.  I don’t know if there’s an actual medical problem or if she just gets stressed when he attacks her.  I’m hoping it’s the latter. | Permalink

catstuff 12:41 PM - 05/25/2007 The topic: Lonee poo (again) ---------------------------------------------- And it’s bad again.  The best it’s been was when I was making sure she got Fancy Feast to eat.  Which isn’t easy because you’ve got Ron Howard right there in her face (another reason I’m not thrilled with him right now; at least Rory politely waits, he doesn’t, he’s pushing Lonee away to get to the food and it’s not like I starve him). I even tried giving her food this morning when she was outside and I locked him in.  But the problem was with him locked in, she couldn’t get in, either and she got pretty scared.  Forget the food, how do I get into the house? So, I spend time watching to see where everybody is and if she’s pretty much alone, I give her Fancy Feast.  I pick it out of the can with my fingers and put it in front of her.  She won’t eat it from a plate or bowl. It’s work to get her to eat.  She loves the stuff, but she takes so long to eat it, that it’s a chore to keep the other cats away and if I start using the water bottle, she runs, too. *sigh* | Permalink

      Tuesday, May 29, 2007

catstuff 08:26 AM - 05/29/2007 The topic: It’s TUMMY TUESDAY #45! ---------------------------------------------- Sunday was one of the nicest days we've had in a while. The cats enjoyed themselves quite a bit, laying in the sun, or on the patio.   click for a larger pic Richie took one of the chairs.  He was so relaxed.  He did a little stretching, then rolled over.  Great shot, huh? =============================================== 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! | Permalink

catstuff 08:31 AM - 05/29/2007 The topic: Isn’t he stunning? ---------------------------------------------- click for a larger pic A close up of Richie on the chair.   | Permalink

catstuff 09:03 AM - 05/29/2007 The topic: The perfect poo ---------------------------------------------- Taken Sunday - click for a larger pic Lonee pooped yesterday morning and it was of the splat variety. *sigh*   Sunday night I actually grabbed her and took her into my bathroom, along with a can of beef Fancy Feast.  She was a little freaked at first, but settled down in front of the door. I put a towel on the floor to lay on because I’d spilled the water bowl earlier and was too lazy to clean it up.  Then I started petting her.  She warmed up to that and I had her purring and talking to me. Then I dug out a little of the food with my fingers and put it on the floor in front of her.  Then I wiped my fingers on the towel and started to pet her again.  She resumed purring, then started to eat.  She ate almost an entire can when she figured she’d had enough and quit eating anymore.  I waited a few minutes to make sure she was done, and she was. I let her out of the bathroom and the other cats came zooming in and she ran out and into hiding.  I’ve been giving her fingers of Fancy Feast throughout each day.  She is eating some, but not all.  Last night, after I’d fed the cats in the garage and most of the really wet stuff had been lapped up and the kibble was nice and soft, I brought in some of that and put it on the floor by the cat feeder. I don’t know if she ate any of that last night, but in the last half hour, she pooped in her usual spot in the laundry room.  And it was perfect.  You couldn’t ask for a nicer pile. That’s twice in ten days now that she’s had a good stool.  I think we might be making progress.  I said a very heartfelt prayer of thanks to heaven above.  I just hope we can get these perfect poops more often. | Permalink

salestuff 11:03 AM - 05/29/2007 The topic: Guess what I did this past weekend? ---------------------------------------------- I made more earrings.  Eight sets!  I want to get two more done, then add them to the store. It appears people prefer French hooks.  Okay.  I also realized that I can buy wire and cut it.  With earrings, I’ve been using head pins.  And some of them, the sterling silver ones with a bead on the end cost me a quarter each!  That adds up when I use ten or more on a set of earrings (the fun dangles). Perusing some of my books and stuff I’ve printed off of the internet, it hit me.  Duh.  You can buy wire and cut it as needed, you don’t need to cut the end off of a head pin.  So, I ordered some sterling silver wire.  I’ve got lots of stuff ordered and I sure hope there’s nothing else I can think of that I absolutely have to have.  I really like to bead.  I mean, I really, really like it.   | Permalink

catstuff 11:09 AM - 05/29/2007 The topic: Smart move ---------------------------------------------- Last night, Brian sprayed some sort of fertilizer on the lawn that isn’t safe to walk on with bare feet or paws while it’s still wet. Thusly, the cats are still in the house.  It’s 11:10 and the cats are still in the house.  Phoebe is going nuts.  Little Bit was going crazy earlier.  Even Lonee came into the office, wanting to see if the door to outside was open.  It’s not. The sun took its sweet time burning through the marine layer.  And now I’m just waiting for it to get over the trees and dry out the parts of the yard that are still in shadow.  Hopefully by one this afternoon we’ll be set. Poor kitty cats.  Note to husband: check the weather before doing something like this, it’s not fair to those of us who have to sit here and deal with it. | Permalink

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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.

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