Holiday Tranquility

There is a lot going on in my life right now. Work is busy, social life is busy, I've over-extended myself on projects around the house, and it is the holiday season on top of that. I feel like the brain hamsters have been spinning their wheels especially fast lately.

Last night as I sat at Wine Night, I pulled some scrap paper (actually, a used envelope) out of my purse and started jotting down things I need to accomplish over the next few evenings, plus lists of things I need to tell certain people so I don't forget. Along with notes to finish paining my cabinets, mail some packages, and write my Christmas cards, I decided to put Meditate for 15 Minutes on the list each evening.

After I got home with my leftover wine, I buzzed around the house for about an hour and a half, straightening and painting and crossing things off the list. And then, just before heading upstairs to get ready for bed, I turned out all the lights except for the candles in the window and the Christmas trees. I sat on the floor, looking up at the lights and decorations of Sam the Balsam. I focused on some of the different ornaments, reflecting on where and when I acquired them. Boo came over for some lovings, rubbing his face on my hands and crawling into my lap for a few minutes. Finally, I sang a couple of very off-tune Christmas carols. It took 15 minutes before bed, and really did relax me.

There are 12 more days until Christmas. I think I will be adding this to my nightly schedule.

Gracie Cat

These were too cute not to share. In my next life, I really think I want to come back as a cat. Sleeping 18 hours a day, someone else to feed you and let you in and out...I could get used to that!

Gracie says "But it's such hard work being a kitty cat!"

Hot Hot Hot

Right now, at 9:56 PM, The Weather Channel says it is 87 degrees in my town, and it feels like 98. I finally broke down and turned the air conditioning on in my house! I was hoping to just use it this evening to cut the humidity in here and then be able to open up the windows when I go to bed, but not if it feels like 98 a couple hours after sunset. Damn.

The cats are much happier now that I've turned on the AC - they were sad, wilty little beasties when I came home from work today. Stumbled up out of the basement all "Mom, we're hot. Make it unhot," and shedding puffs of fur.

I took advantage of my location in the center of town. Put on my bathing suit (tankini with a cover-up skirt), walked down to the chocolate shop and got a black raspberry ice cream cone, and then walked across the street to the park. This is the newest park in town, finally opened last year, and it's right along the banks of the river. There are a couple of paths down to the river bed and there is a great big sand bar, so it makes a nice swimming hole. I think about half the town has discovered this - even at 7 PM when it's starting to get dark there were a couple dozen people still there. I jumped in and sat in the water for about 20 minutes, just cooling off. The channel is deep enough to do a shallow dive into and swim around, but the rest of the water is only 2-3' deep, so once I got in and got wet, I headed back out of the main flow and just sat on the sandy gravel bottom in water up to my neck. Aaahhhhhhh.

10 Years Ago

One decade ago today, I came home from the pet store with this little ball of fluff.

I kill it! I kill it dead!

Teeny!

Today he is this ginormous beastie.

20 lb beastie. Bend at the knees and lift with your legs, not your back if you want to pick him up.

I can't believe you just posted my weight on the internet. How embarrassing!

With Gracie, who is thankfully a normal sized cat. I couldn't afford the cat food bills if she was the same size as Boo!

I still kill things dead.

Happy Adoption Day, Boo!