Cold, rainy day...

I've been on the verge of dozing off since I got up this morning. It's been a cold, rainy day, and I just haven't been able to shake off the drowsies (I think I am solar powered). Here's the radar for Tallahasse and the Southeast region at 6:28pm...


Looks like it's blowing over, but the forecast is for rain the rest of the week.

Here's a much cuter picture of rain, I think I prefer it.



Myrtle says 'hi' and to tell everyone to relax and take a nap...seems to be a dog credo or something...
it's what they do the most of around here (-:

Here's a neat link to some pretty rainbow pictures and poems... let's hope we see some around here soon!

Stay warm and dry, and wish for Spring...

How to Hug a Baby

I received 'How to Hug a Baby' via email sometime back (not my baby or pooch!)...found it when I was tidying up my Outlook today and thought I'd share it in a post (-:


1. Find a baby.

2. Verify the object you've found is indeed a baby by employing classic sniffing techniques. If you smell baby powder and/or wet diaper the object you've found is indeed a baby.

3. Next you will need to flatten the baby, slightly, before beginning the actual hugging process. (Note: extra slobber will make future steps easier for the 'paw slide')

4. The 'paw slide'; slide paws around baby and prepare for possible close-ups.

5. Finally, if a camera is present, execute the difficult

'hug, smile and lean' for the best possible photo opportunity.

Perfecting this technique is guaranteed to ensure an everlasting place in the baby's parent's hearts and home (-:

Florida Fun

I'm going to pilfer some of the photos my daughter and parents took during their vacation to Naples, FL in May of '07. My mom's sister and her husband winter there in their very posh condo (snowbirds!). My folks took Steph with them after school was out last spring...they had fun and took lots of good pictures. The kid is a pretty good photographer! She's an artist, so she has that eye...

This is my mom, Winkie to the grandkids...the sun rises and sets on her!

This is Inky on the porch...

Aunt Josie & Uncle Geoff's kitty...she is of the Box Cat persuasion...

Winkie's toes...

Stephanie's toes...

Stephanie in repose, and Aunt Josie's toes...

Beautiful flower....

Large school of small stingrays...

The Beach Patrol....

Cool food...

Naples sunset through sea oats...

Yes, Robin, today the blog is a Happy Place...

Meet More Cats

This is Tigger, the eldest of the kitties in our cat collection. She is ~15 years old and still going strong. She loves a good petting session, but will not tolerate being picked up and held. She came to us from an old boyfriend's cat when it had kittens.

Another shot of Jewel, adopted in 1997 from our local shelter as a grown kitty so is of unknown age...possibly the sweetest cat in the world.
This is Shade - Evening Shade is her 'formal' name. She was a feral kitten and when I brought her home she lived under my bed for the first several months, only making appearances in the evenings. Her brother, Oscar, didn't get the memo about the Kitty Photo Shoot on this day, so he will be absent from the lineup. He is also solid black, but with long hair. They are ~5 years old.

This is our very odd cat, Halley. She is grey tabby mixed with orange tabby. Her personality is very interesting, and she is very demanding when it comes to getting attention from her humans. She is ~ 4 years old, came from a litter of kittens a co-worker brought into the office...

This is Felix, Calyx's sister. She is watching a squirrel in our elm tree, and right after I clicked this picture she ran up the tree after it. She is a very busy cat, completely the opposite of her brother. She doesn't require much attention, but if Calyx is in the house resting (his favorite activity), she will usually find him and curl up with him.

Here's Calyx again. This is the cutest photo I have of him to date. While his sister was busy chasing a squirrel in a tree, he gave a big yawn and flopped over for a nap.

That wraps up the kitty lineup - sans Oscar. I'll try to convice him to sit still long enough for me to take a picture of him...

And now I will yawn, flop over and go to sleep.

Living with Critters

Here are two of my constant companions and now blog assistants. Myrtle is on the left, Calyx is on the right. We have seven cats and three dogs at home (and daughter has one dog and one cat in her college apartment).

My daughter, Stephanie, brought Myrtle home from Spring Break in March 2006 - another furry foundling. She was about six weeks old, suffering from mange and worms. We took her to our wonderful veterinarian and cured her ails. Stephanie was supposed to find a home for her...but she's still here so I guess that didn't work out as originally planned. Calyx came along sometime shortly afterward so he and Myrtle are good buddies. Calyx also came with a solid black sister (who we thought was a brother so was named Felix) and two other orange tabby siblings. Luckily we only ended up with two of the four in that litter (another Stephanie find...).


This is Myrtle just a few days after she was discovered in the woods around Lake Blackshear in Georgia. Half of Spring Break 2006 was spent at a lake house, the other half at the beach - St. George Island, FL. One day in the middle was at the vet's for treatment (-: This photo was taken while at the beach, resting her head on Steph's tummy while she was sunbathing.

Myrtle grew up with Steph's other dog, Grace. Grace is a miniature pinscher (min-pin) who weighs about six pounds. Because she was raised with Grace as her mentor, Myrtle is under the impression that she also weighs about six pounds, though she actually weighs about forty-five pounds. Her favorite place to be is in my lap, or as close as she can possibly get without actually occupying the lap itself (she is currently asleep stretched out along my left side - lap is occupied by laptop). Calyx is stretched out in the middle of the bed and Jewel (one of my geriatric kitties) is curled up on my right side. Not a bad way to spend a Sunday night since my sweetheart is in New York.


This is Jewel, adopted in 1997 already full-grown so we're not sure of her actual age. She is a sweet kitty and everyone who meets her wants to take her home.

Well, I've managed three posts in as many days. 2008 is looking good for blogging! Happy Sunday evening to all...

A Bright New Year

I've been visiting my friend Robin's blog since she created it in May of 2006. I attempted one back then, but didn't manage more than one post. I'm back to try again; this time life is easier for me and I have plenty of time for blogging if I will apply myself (I think I can, I think I can...).

Robin and I have been friends since ~ 1984. We've been through divorces together, and were neighbors for a time on a cool little woodsy street called Panther Creek. She lived a few townhouses down and would do things like call and ask if I'd like some company and bring a couple of lattes along. We had many nights sitting on my back porch, after my little ones were tucked in bed, sipping lattes, eating cookies and discussing life.

She moved to San Diego in 1993 and we kept in touch by mail, and eventually email. We talked about visiting each other, but as busy single gals (me with two kiddies) we just never managed it...until August of 2007! I was visiting San Diego with my sweetie - business for him, pleasure for me.

Robin and her hubby James had us over for a wonderful dinner our first night there, then Robin hauled me around SD for a few days to see the sights.

I feel very lucky to have a friend like Robin...we don't see each other for 14 years and then we're like two peas in a pod when we do. Kindred spirits, soulmates, call it what you like - it's a really special relationship. Love you girlfriend!

I was going to put a cute photo at the end of this post...but I can't figure out how to get it to come out at the end...it keeps coming out at the top! I'll have to consult with the experts...gotta learn the tools of the blog trade...